North Carolina hasn’t played its best football over the last couple of weeks.
UNC let up 70 points to JMU last weekend, which led to rumors surrounding head coach Mack Brown‘s future with the program, and the woes continued over the weekend in the Tar Heels’ ACC opener. But Pat Narduzzi isn’t downplaying Brown or the Heels.
“Obviously a talented football team across the board from the D-line back to the backend,” Narduzzi said Monday. “Offensively, (they’re) skilled. Mack, got a ton of respect for him not only as a football coach, as a person. One of my favorite guys as a person as we go down and just talk and meet with throughout the year, so Mack is an incredible guy.”
But UNC still blew a 20-point halftime lead against archrival Duke over the weekend, giving up 21 straight points in the second half against the Blue Devils. It was the second horrific loss in a row for the Tar Heels in as many weeks — with the Pitt Panthers up next.
UNC took a 20-0 lead midway through the third quarter via a Noah Burnette field goal, but the Tar Heels shut down and allowed three unanswered touchdowns. The Heels had a chance to win it late, but quarterback Jacolby Criswell threw an interception on 3rd-and-10 with 30 seconds left.
Pitt has an opportunity to go into Chapel Hill, N.C. and win for the first time in program history, currently sitting at 0-7, and set the tone for conference play with a major win. Pitt is riding high, entering the bye week, at 4-0 — the first 4-0 start since 2000.
UNC is scoring a respectable 34.4 points per game this season (which is sixth-most in the ACC so far this season), but the defense is letting up 27.6 points per game (15th in the ACC), which is magnified by the 70-point explosion from JMU.
UNC is on its third quarterback of the season, following a season-ending injury to starter Max Johnson in the season opener and backup Conner Harrell being replaced by Criswell. Criswell has thrown for 899 yards and six touchdowns in four games this season but also three interceptions (including a pick-six against JMU.
Running back Omarion Hampton is still the engine that powers the Tar Heels, racking up 658 yards and six touchdowns through five games this season.
