North Carolina got exactly what it was supposed to get Saturday: a comfortable win, no real drama, and another game that let the Tar Heels keep building after that big victory over TCU two weeks ago. East Tennessee State never seriously threatened to turn it into anything more than a rout, which made the whole afternoon feel like a clean follow-up to that season opener across the ocean.
There was plenty to like in a game that tilted hard and stayed tilted. Jelani Thurman kept his momentum rolling and once again finished as Carolina’s top target, catching four passes for 71 yards and a touchdown.
That matters, because it wasn’t Jordan Shipp leading the way this time. Thurman has started to look like a real secondary weapon for Bobby Petrino’s offense, and if he keeps winning against linebackers in coverage, that gives the Tar Heels another way to make blitzes pay.
It probably didn’t hurt that he ended the night with a win while his former school watched a 20-0 lead disappear in Austin.
Xavier Lewis also kept his name on the list. The Rolesville product backed up his Week 0 showing with another strong day, finishing with five tackles and two sacks.
Carolina finished with four sacks overall, but Lewis keeps standing out as someone offenses will have to account for. With Clemson on deck and its offensive front looking vulnerable Saturday night, it’s a safe bet the Tigers will spend plenty of time on him in the prep work.
Demon June may have done the most to change his own role. He scored three touchdowns, even if the yardage was modest - 33 yards on seven carries - and that kind of short-yardage reliability can matter a lot when the schedule gets tougher.
June appears to have worked his way into the goal-line job after essentially losing the starting spot to Benjamin Hall, and he gave Carolina a useful answer near the end zone. Whether that carries over against a much better opponent is the next question.
Billy Edwards, Jr. landed in the losers section, though this was hardly a bad day. He went 15-for-20 for 244 yards and two passing touchdowns, which is still a solid line by any standard.
But the limitation showed up again on the deep ball, and that’s the issue. Several downfield shots didn’t connect, and the throws hung long enough for defenders to close.
Against a team that gave up 49 points to Campbell and allowed a 50-yard pass in that game, Edwards’ longest completion Saturday was 28 yards. That kind of limitation shrinks the field and gives defenses a clearer picture of what Carolina can and can’t do.
Miles O’Neil also found himself on the wrong side of the list, mostly because he never really got a chance. Carolina had already taken control well before halftime and had the game fully in hand by the third quarter, so there wasn’t much reason to force him into meaningful work.
By the time the lightning delay hit, it was obvious both sides were mostly trying to get to the finish. It’s notable, though, that even with Edwards struggling to stretch the field, O’Neil still couldn’t get a look.
The throwback uniforms also made the losers column. Carolina is clearly aiming for a celebration here, especially with the 100th season at Kenan Stadium, but the execution drew attention for the wrong reasons.
The helmet and jersey colors didn’t match, and the look was built around a uniform the school never actually wore. The stair-step design is a classic, but the original jersey was just a t-shirt Lawrence Taylor wore for a photo.
A truer version would have copied the plain blue jersey with numbers on the front and back, the way Carolina has done with its mid-90s throwback look.
A few other names deserved mention. Peyton Seelmann led the team with 10 tackles and added a forced fumble, giving the transfer from Richmond a strong day to build on.
Jaylen Harvey added the other two sacks, another sign that Carolina’s front can cause problems. Aeron Burrell handled all the kicking duties, missed his only field goal attempt, stayed perfect on extra points, and had all but one kickoff go for touchbacks.
Now the focus shifts fast. Clemson comes next, and Carolina gets a chance to turn a pair of early wins into something bigger in the third game of the season. The Tigers haven’t impressed through two games, but that’s exactly the kind of setup that can disappear quickly once the real test starts.
In Other News...
Bill Belichicks UNC Defense Is Becoming The Teams Early Story
North Carolinas win over ETSU was never really in doubt, and the biggest reason was the same one that has started to define the Tar Heels early on: a defense that keeps tightening its grip as the season opens. UNC rolled to a 35-3 victory while allowing ETSU to break through only late, after the Tar Heels had strung together 15 opposing possessions without giving up a score. It was another step forward for a unit that looked sharp again after its strong outing against TCU.
The pressure came from everywhere for Bill Belichicks group, which finished with seven sacks and forced multiple turnovers even without top defensive player Melkhart Abou Jaoude available. That kind of depth matters in September, especially when a defense is already showing the ability to carry stretches of a game on its own. For North Carolina, the bigger question now is not whether the defense has arrived, but how far this early momentum can go. [Read more 🡒]
Belichicks UNC Rotation Just Sent An Early Message Before Conference Play
North Carolinas 35-3 win over East Tennessee State pushed the Tar Heels to 2-0, but the more revealing part of the afternoon came in how Bill Belichick chose to use his roster. After Kekahunas turnover, Sadler saw a bigger role at slot receiver, while the backfield was spread more evenly between Demon June, Benjamin Hall and Jaylen McGill, giving the offense a more deliberate, rotating feel as conference play gets closer.
On the other side of the ball, North Carolina also took a cautious approach with injured pass rusher Abou Jaoude, sitting him out as a precaution. His status moving forward is still uncertain, which leaves a small but meaningful question hanging over a defense that has already shown it will manage personnel as carefully as results. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Basketball Just Showed Why This Program Means More Than Wins
Carmichael Arena turned into more than a basketball venue this weekend as North Carolina hosted the fifth annual Dribble for Victory Over Cancer, an event that brought together the UNC mens and womens teams, other athletic programs and community members in support of cancer research. The day mixed basketball with purpose, starting with a session on the court before shifting into a one-mile walk around campus, all while coaches Courtney Banghart and Michael Malone welcomed a crowd united by the cause.
The event raised more than $143,000, but the number only tells part of the story. Several players shared personal connections to cancer, underscoring why the gathering has become such a meaningful annual tradition for the program and the wider UNC community, with the events emotional weight carrying well beyond the floor at Carmichael. [Read more 🡒]