The UNC football program’s horror story continues…
The UNC football program does it again, suffering another pitiful loss, this time at the hands of Georgia Tech on Saturday night.
Pain.
That is the most fitting word to describe the last two weeks of the UNC football program’s season.
After losing to Virginia a week ago, it was expected that Mack Brown’s team would come back ready to get back in the win column.
However, once again, thanks in large part to a horrible defensive showing, the Tar Heels came up short, thus really putting a damper on their potential ACC title game hopes.
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Quite frankly, this team has not played like a conference championship-type team, as the last two weeks have shown an ugly side of this team.
North Carolina got off to a great start, as Chip Lindsey went to Omarion Hampton early and often. The Tar Heels took the lead on their opening drive via a Bryson Nesbit receiving touchdown and followed it with an Omarion Hampton score.
Up 14-0, we all waited for the Tar Heels to pull away, but they didn’t.
After being held scoreless in the first quarter, Georgia Tech responded with 24 second-quarter points, as the UNC football program took a 28-24 lead into the half.
Once again, similar to a week prior, the Tar Heels had ANOTHER chance to pull away for good, as the offense held the ball for over 13 minutes of the third quarter and added a touchdown to extend the lead to 11.
The fourth quarter started, and the wheels fell off.
North Carolina’s defense looked completely gassed, even while essentially hanging out on the sideline for the majority of the third quarter. Georgia Tech scored a touchdown and converted on a two-point attempt to cut the lead to three, and then North Carolina did something it would end up regretting.
After a big kickoff return by Doc Chapman, the freshman connected with Maye for a 35-yard score on the second play of the drive.
Extending the lead to 10 would be great for most teams, but not for North Carolina, especially with its struggling defense.
Literally on the second play of the Yellow Jackets ensuing drive, Dontae Smith burst through the Tar Heels defense as if the Red Sea was parted for him, cutting the lead back to three.
Georgia Tech would force a punt and once again marched right down the field to take the lead, giving North Carolina one last shot to win this one.
The big play came on third and 17, as Maye connected with Tez Walker for what would’ve been a first down. Walker hauled in the pass and turned to run upfield, as he took a brutal hit that knocked the ball loose. Georgia Tech recovered the fumble, and Walker needed assistance off the field due to injury, as that moment was a crushing and concerning one for the UNC football program.
North Carolina’s defense let up 635 total yards in this game.
No, that is not a typo.
More than half of those yards came on the ground, as the Yellow Jackets ran for 348 yards.
This is yet another loss that has UNC football fans saying that they are the “same ole Tar Heels.” As much as they try to say that they’ve learned from past seasons and that they’re ready to improve upon late-season woes that they’ve had over the years, this is still a group that hasn’t proven that.
It’s actually fitting that Halloween is this week, as these last two weeks have been a nightmare for the UNC football program.
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