Strong second half performances must've been the theme for homecoming weekend in Chapel Hill.
Following the men's basketball program's second half dominance over Kansas, the UNC football program found a way to get the job over their final two quarters of play, securing a victory over Stanford.
The first half was an absolute snooze fest. North Carolina put three points on the board with 5:49 remaining in the first quarter, while no other points would be scored in the first half until Stanford tied the score up at 3 just before the half.
Fortunately, the Tar Heels offense kicked it up a notch right out of the break, putting together a 12-play, 75-yard drive which was capped off by a 20-yard touchdown reception from Davion Gause.
After extending the lead to 10 at the start of the third quarter, North Carolina added 7 more points just over two minutes of game clock later. Jordan Shipp shook his defender, taking it 55-yards for the score, one that put UNC up 20-3, a lead we all thought would be plenty.
Well, Stanford had other plans.
The Cardinals responded with a 9-play, 75-yard drive of their own, cutting the Tar Heel lead to 20-9 after they failed to convert on the two-point try. With 1:48 remaining, Stanford found the end zone again but couldn't covert on the two-point play, making it a five-point game.
With the help of North Carolina's strong defensive effort, the Cardinals couldn't drive down the field in the short amount of time they had left once they got the ball back at the end of the game.
The Tar Heels' defense has been a major factor in the team's turnaround, and Saturday afternoon's performance was another example of just how good they've been. They recorded 9, yes, 9 sacks as a team, as the dynamic duo of Melkart Abou Jaoude (the ACC's leader in sacks) and Tyler Thompson recorded three sacks each.
Khmori House was dominant, finishing the afternoon with 13 total tackles and an interception. Andrew Simpson added two sacks of his own, as the defense made life extremely difficult for the Stanford offensive unit (especially the offensive line).
Was it pretty? No. Will the Tar Heels take it? Absolutely.
Yes, the offensive consistency is still an issue, and questionable play-calling continues to be a major issue for this team. However, give the offense credit for the way they responded in the second half, as they were able to put just enough points on the board to get the job done.
Next week, the UNC football program travels to Winston-Salem for another ACC clash with Wake Forest. North Carolina will look to pick up its third consecutive victory, as they are now just two wins away from being bowl-game eligible.