UNC’s 38-21 win over UConn had a little bit of everything: a rough opening stretch, a weather delay in the form of heavy rain, and a late touchdown that put the game away. It also gave Jelani Thurman a place in the record book.
Thurman caught a three-yard touchdown pass from Edwards with a few minutes left to seal the victory, and that score was his eighth of the season. That ties the UNC record for most touchdowns in a season by a tight end.
The Tar Heels’ fifth win of the year also means they’ve already passed last season’s total and are now within reach of bowl eligibility with three games left. Whether that feels realistic depends on how you read what’s happened lately: the strong showing against Miami and this win over UConn, or the sting of the back-to-back losses that came before it.
The game itself was messy early. The first quarter featured almost no offensive rhythm from either quarterback and turned into a string of stalled possessions: a UConn punt, a UNC interception, a missed UConn field goal, a UNC punt, a UConn pick-six, and another UNC punt.
Edwards struggled to find his usual form, with several throws sailing off target, but the damage was limited thanks in part to UConn quarterback Kalieb Osborne. Osborne threw an errant pass to Timir Hickman-Collins, who returned it for a touchdown.
Both offenses settled in after that rough start. Each quarterback topped 100 passing yards, but Carolina got the key break when a bizarre UConn fumble led to a Tar Heel touchdown. The Heels took a 28-14 lead into halftime.
Then the weather changed the feel of the game. Heavy rain hit during the third quarter and made the broadcast look foggy, forcing both teams to lean less on the pass.
That shift helped UConn close the gap when Cyncir Bowers broke loose for a 13-yard touchdown on a seven-play drive. Carolina answered with a 27-yard field goal to restore some separation.
From there, the Huskies’ offense faded. Osborne was intercepted again, his first pick since September, and the Tar Heels’ defense kept the pressure on. In the closing minutes, Edwards found Thurman for the final touchdown and locked up the 38-21 win.
Now UNC has the kind of late-season momentum that at least makes the conversation interesting. Louisville, Virginia and NC State are still ahead, and the question is whether the Heels can keep building on what they showed against Miami and UConn.
In Other News...
UNC Just Lost A Key Path To Cameron Fens Help
The latest legal turn around college basketball eligibility has put Cameron Fens in a precarious spot, and North Carolina is watching closely. The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed and vacated the nationwide injunction in Wisne v. NCAA, a ruling that had been part of the broader fight over fifth-year players seeking another season of eligibility.
For Fens, the impact is immediate because he is still tied up in a separate Tennessee case, where the state Court of Appeals stayed his injunction and left him ineligible for now. His path back onto the court now hinges entirely on how that Tennessee lawsuit plays out, leaving UNC with one fewer avenue for help and another unresolved eligibility question hanging over the roster. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Just Got A Real Shot At A Five-Star Guard
Brady Pettigrews recruitment is starting to take shape, and North Carolina is firmly in the mix. The five-star guard has trimmed his list to 10 programs, putting the Tar Heels alongside a heavy group that includes Duke, Kentucky, Florida, Illinois, Michigan and others, and he recently wrapped up an official visit to Chapel Hill.
Pettigrew is currently ranked No. 9 overall in the Class of 2028, which already makes him one of the most coveted guards in the country. There is also growing speculation that he could reclassify into an earlier class, a possibility that would only heighten the urgency around his recruitment, even if no decision has been confirmed yet. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Delivered The Response Fans Needed After Early Criticism
After an uneven opener, North Carolina answered with the kind of complete effort fans had been waiting to see, rolling past Wofford 109-70 in its second game of the season. The Tar Heels looked far more connected on both ends, and the box score reflected it, with five players finishing in double figures and Terrence Brown pacing the way with 21 points.
Maximo Adams added a double-double as UNC controlled the glass and showed the depth that had been missing a game earlier. It was the sort of response that does not erase early questions, but it does give the Tar Heels a much better baseline to build from as the schedule starts to tighten. [Read more 🡒]