CHAPEL HILL - North Carolina spent a humid, stop-and-start Saturday afternoon showing off a lot of what it can do, and not much of what East Tennessee State could.
In the Tar Heels’ 100th season at Kenan Stadium, UNC jumped out early and never let the game get close, cruising past ETSU 35-3. The defense kept its scoreless stretch rolling to six quarters, and the whole thing came with a one-hour, 19-minute weather delay after the third quarter.
Peyton Seelmann was everywhere for the Tar Heels, finishing with 10 tackles and helping anchor a defense that also got heavy pressure off the edges from Xavier Lewis and Jaylen Harvey, who each logged two sacks. The Bucs did not have many clean answers.
Offensively, Billy Edwards Jr. had another uneven start before settling in, just as he did in the opener against TCU in Dublin. He finished 15 of 20 for 244 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, good for a 210.5 passer rating, then handed things off to Miles O’Neill late in the third quarter.
Edwards spread the ball around to eight different receivers, with Jelani Thurman again leading the way among the targets. The tight end caught four passes for 71 yards and a touchdown.
Freshman C.J. Sadler added three catches for 66 yards.
UNC also got a major lift from Demon June, who turned seven carries into 33 yards and three touchdowns. Benjamin Hall added 49 rushing yards, Jaylen McGill chipped in 40, and the Tar Heels had enough in the backfield to keep Bobby Petrino’s offense moving with options.
The first drive didn’t go anywhere, with two receiver drops contributing to a three-and-out. But the defense quickly flipped the field when safety Greg Smith picked off Mason Mims, setting up a three-play, 58-yard march. Edwards finished it with a short catch-and-run to Thurman for a 24-yard score.
From there, Carolina kept stacking drives. The Tar Heels went 99 yards in 10 plays on their next touchdown series, with Edwards finding Hall in the flat for a 26-yard touchdown. That was UNC’s first 99-yard drive since 2022 against Miami.
Before halftime, June punched in a nine-yard touchdown run to finish a four-play, 57-yard drive and send UNC to the locker room up 21-0.
ETSU did move the ball better than the scoreboard showed in the first half, holding a 20:01-9:59 edge in possession, but 57 yards in penalties undercut the Bucs’ chances. Carolina’s defense also kept the shutout intact through seven straight scoreless quarters.
The second half started with another swing play. Seelmann forced T.J.
Peyton to fumble on the opening snap, Smith recovered at the ETSU 36, and June cashed it in with a six-yard touchdown run four plays later. He added a third score on a one-yard run with 5:51 left in the third quarter after UNC drove 90 yards in 10 plays.
After the delay and with the fourth quarter beginning in a mostly empty stadium, Carolina emptied the bench. Aeron Burrell, who had a strong day on kickoffs and punts, missed a 48-yard field-goal attempt on the drive. ETSU then put together a 15-play, 46-yard march against reserves and avoided the shutout with Ewan Johnson’s 41-yard field goal.
There was plenty else around the game, too. Freshman C.J.
Sadler Jr. started for UNC. Melkart Abou-Jaoude missed the game and had a cast on his right hand, and Belichick said he’s considered day-to-day.
Carolina wore throwback uniforms from the late 1970s and early 1980s, with “CAROLINA” above the numbers and a stair-step “UNC” logo on the helmets and at midfield.
The day also included a halftime recognition for about 150 former UNC men’s basketball players in town for a reunion. Because of the extreme heat - with the heat index reaching triple digits - the Marching Tar Heels wore alternate uniforms with black shorts, T-shirts and caps.
The win moved UNC to 2-0 and continued a strong run in home openers, with the Tar Heels now having won seven of their last eight. It also extended Carolina’s streak against FCS opponents to 26 straight victories dating back to 2000.
Next up is a bigger stage and a bigger test: UNC opens ACC play at noon next Saturday at Clemson, which lost 51-10 at LSU in its opener and hosted Georgia Southern on Saturday night.
In Other News...
UNC Opens Home Slate With A Worry Fans Will Be Watching
UNCs first home game of the season is already carrying a bit of extra attention, and not just because its the home opener. Melkart Abou Jaoude is not expected to play against ETSU after suffering a hand injury in the Week 0 loss to TCU, a setback that showed up quickly enough for him to be seen wearing a cast afterward. Its the kind of early-season issue that can change how a defense is deployed before the rhythm of the year has even settled in.
The good news for the Tar Heels is that the absence appears short-term, with Abou Jaoude expected to be ready for next weeks ACC opener against Clemson. In the meantime, UNC will turn to other defensive players to cover his spot in the opener, a useful chance to see who can handle a larger role if the rotation has to be adjusted again later. [Read more 🡒]
Tar Heels Face A Huge Recruiting Test In Crowded 2027 Battle
DeMarcus Henry Jr. has already become one of the more closely watched names in the Class of 2027, and North Carolina is in the middle of a crowded race for the highly ranked prospect. The wings strong showings in various events have only sharpened the attention around him, and his recruiting board already includes a deep list of heavyweights such as Arkansas, BYU, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Ohio State and UConn.
His recent visit to UConn is another reminder that this battle is going to be fought everywhere, and the Tar Heels will have to stay aggressive if they want to keep themselves in the mix. North Carolina is also working on the next wave of talent, with Class of 2028 guard Michai White picking up an offer from Syracuse after the Orange visited his school, a small sign of how quickly the recruiting board is expanding around the program. [Read more 🡒]
Tar Heels Face A Real Focus Test In Home Opener
North Carolinas first home game arrives with more attention on the programs off-field turbulence than on the matchup itself, even as the Tar Heels try to settle into a normal game-week rhythm against ETSU. The football side still has to move forward, and that means using the opener to clean up a run game that needs to show more consistency while the staff keeps the focus on Saturday.
Bill Belichick is handling defensive play-calling with Steve Belichick on medical leave, a wrinkle that only adds to the uncertainty around a program already dealing with an investigation and the resignation of general manager Michael Lombardi. For a team trying to establish some early-season calm, the home opener is as much a test of concentration as execution, and North Carolina will have to show it can block out the noise long enough to play its game. [Read more 🡒]