UNC handled the first two games the way it was supposed to, and last weekend’s 35-3 win over East Tennessee State pushed the Tar Heels to 2-0. Now comes the part of the schedule where the questions get louder, starting this afternoon at Clemson.
And Clemson hasn’t exactly looked untouchable either. The Tigers were blown out by LSU in their opener, then beat Georgia Southern last week in a game that never really felt convincing.
Clemson held the Eagles to seven points, but the offense only managed 22 of its own. The numbers tell the story: 2-14 on third down, two turnovers, and 100 yards of penalties.
So the stage is set for UNC’s trip to Clemson, with the Tar Heels trying to get to 3-0. The real question is simple: who you got?
There’s a path here for Carolina. Clemson’s offense has been shaky, and UNC’s defense has looked solid so far.
But that comes with a few asterisks. One of those games was against an FCS opponent, and there’s still plenty of uncertainty around how good TCU will end up being.
Then there’s the bigger issue: Clemson still feels like the more talented team on paper, even with its uneven start. And for UNC, the history in this matchup is hard to ignore. The Tar Heels haven’t beaten Clemson since 2010, and that stretch has included two ACC Championship Game losses, a couple of close finishes that stung, and last year’s blowout when Clemson rolled despite coming in with a mediocre look.
So while UNC winning wouldn’t be a shock, the lean here still goes to the Tigers. Clemson 17-14.
In Other News...
UNC Fans Have A Bigger Billy Edwards Jr. Concern Than One Bad Finish
The final throw against Clemson will stick with North Carolina fans for a while, but the bigger question around Billy Edwards Jr. is not one bad finish. The quarterbacks first interception of the year came at the worst possible moment in a game the Tar Heels could not close out, yet he remains the starter as the season moves forward and UNC keeps building around him.
What makes this situation more delicate is Edwards Jr.'s track record and the importance of depth behind him. The Tar Heels have sophomore backup Miles O'Neill available if needed, but the conversation in Chapel Hill is less about one late mistake than it is about whether Edwards Jr. can stay on the field and keep the offense steady over the long haul. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Grades Exposed A Bigger Concern Than The Clemson Collapse
The film grades from UNCs loss to Clemson do offer a few bright spots, even if the final result still stings. Junior safety Greg Smith led the defense with a 90.0 grade after helping force turnovers, while senior running back Benjamin Hall posted a career-best rushing performance and earned a 77.3 offensive grade. Beyond those two, the snap counts and individual grades paint a fuller picture of where the Tar Heels found some resistance and where they were repeatedly put on their heels.
For a team trying to sort out what went wrong, the bigger concern is less about one bad afternoon and more about the uneven stretches that showed up across the roster. The breakdown of who played well, who held up, and who struggled points to a Tar Heels group that still has answers to find on both sides of the ball, even as a few individual performances suggest there is at least something to build on. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Already Has One Debate Fans Cant Ignore
After three games, North Carolina has given its fans a pretty familiar early-season split between hope and concern. The Tar Heels are 2-1 with wins over TCU and East Tennessee State, and Xavier Lewis has already emerged as a bright spot by leading the ACC in sacks, but the offense has not come close to matching that energy.
Billy Edwards Jr. has thrown for 476 yards in three games, and the quarterback play remains the clearest issue hanging over the teams outlook. With Clemson already handing UNC its loss, the Tar Heels look like a group that can flash enough to stay interesting, but one that still has plenty to sort out before the schedule gets any less demanding. [Read more 🡒]