The 31-30 overtime loss to Syracuse left North Carolina with a familiar kind of pain and a 4-3 record heading into next week’s matchup with Miami. The Tar Heels jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, but the offense stalled at stretches again, and this time the comeback cost them.
There were bright spots on offense, starting with Shipp. After scoring his first touchdown of the season against Duke last week, he found the end zone again right away on Saturday, opening the game with a five-yard touchdown on the first drive. His route running continues to stand out, and the passing game has increasingly centered around him as he and Edwards Jr. have built more chemistry.
Edwards Jr. got off to a sharp start by completing his first 11 passes for 98 yards and a touchdown in the opening quarter. He finished 27 of 44 for 271 yards and two scores, but the final line did not tell the full story.
The Wisconsin transfer missed throws that could have changed the shape of the game and also took sacks at bad times, wiping out drives that needed to be extended. For a quarterback with his experience, those lapses were hard to ignore.
In the backfield, McGill stepped into the lead role with Benjamin Hall not recording a carry. The sophomore handled the workload well, showing burst, patience, and wiggle while averaging 5.2 yards per attempt.
Demon June also delivered when North Carolina needed it most. He had just 18 yards on five carries in the first half, but then came through with a 25-yard rushing touchdown on fourth down after Jordan Washington dropped what would have been a walk-in score. June later added another touchdown in overtime.
The defense, though, couldn’t hold up long enough to finish the job. For the second straight game, North Carolina struggled to generate consistent pressure up front, even with Melkart Abou Jaoude, Xavier Lewis, and Jaylen Harvey in the rotation. Steve Angeli had a clean first half, and that helped Syracuse work its way back into the game.
The Orange leaned hard on the run, piling up 199 yards and two touchdowns on 49 carries. That ground game became the engine for Syracuse’s late push and helped them tie the game late.
Abou Jaoude, who recorded 10.5 sacks in 2025, has not looked like that same disruptive force so far this season. His hand injury appears to have affected him, and he finished Saturday with three total tackles while failing to create much pressure on Angeli. If North Carolina wants this defense to reach its ceiling, it needs much more from him against both the pass and the run.
In Other News...
UNC Landed A Guard Whose Road To Chapel Hill Suddenly Changed
Kevin Thomas arrived at North Carolina with a path that changed quickly, even by recruiting standards. The four-star guard had originally pledged to LSU, but once the Tigers fired Matt McMahon and brought in Will Wade, he asked for a release and reset his plans. UNC emerged as the destination, giving Thomas a fresh start in Chapel Hill and placing him in a program that now has him under Michael Malones staff while also putting him back alongside former high school teammate Matt Able.
For a newcomer still settling into college basketball, the first glimpse of Thomas in a Tar Heels uniform came in an exhibition setting, where he logged four minutes and showed the kind of defensive activity that can earn a young guard more chances. It was only a small opening, but it offered UNC a preview of a player whose road to Chapel Hill took an unexpected turn and whose next steps will be watched closely as the season moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Tar Heels Left Frustrated After Costly Home Loss To ACC Rival
North Carolinas field hockey team had plenty of offense in a 4-3 home loss to Wake Forest at Karen Shelton Stadium, but it was not enough to keep pace in an ACC matchup that turned into a track meet. Ryleigh Heck scored twice for the Tar Heels, and Coco Courtright added another, giving Carolina enough punch to stay in it throughout the afternoon.
Mia Schoenbecks hat trick powered Wake Forest, and the result left North Carolina with little time to dwell on a frustrating setback on its home turf. The Tar Heels now turn their attention to Appalachian State, looking to reset quickly after a game that came down to which side could finish its chances. [Read more 🡒]
Tar Heels Front Line Just Sent An Encouraging Message In Homecoming Win
North Carolinas front line gave the Tar Heels plenty to feel good about in a homecoming win over California, one that ended with a 3-1 set score and a noticeable lift from several key contributors. Laynie Smith powered her way to a career-best 14 kills, while Addison West added a career-high 12, giving the No. 23 Tar Heels the kind of balanced attack that can carry them as the season moves forward.
Mike Schall and his players pointed to the performance as a sign of progress, especially with several individuals stepping into bigger roles on the home floor. For a team looking to build momentum, the encouraging part is not just the result against California, but the way North Carolinas front line answered the moment and left room for even more as the schedule continues. [Read more 🡒]