After starting the season 9-1, the UNC Tar Heels season couldn’t have ended in a worse fashion. UNC ended their season on a three-game losing streak, the latest a 39-10 beat down from the Clemson Tigers. The game started out well for UNC as they scored on their opening drive after Clemson went three-and-out on their opening possession. Once the Tigers inserted quarterback Cade Klubnik into the game the mood of the Tigers changed and their offense got going. Klubnik completed his first ten passes and the Tigers’ defense was able to make big plays in the red zone. Coach Mack Brown acknowledged that the red zone has been an issue during UNC’s three-game slide. The Tar Heels were in prime position to make it a one-score game, but Drake Maye drew a costly pick-six and the game was pretty much over at that point.
Despite the 9-1 start, The Tar Heels showed signs that they weren’t quite ready to compete with a team like Clemson. First, the Heels gave up 40 points in a quarter against Appalachian State. They held on to beat an underwhelming Miami team, then were fortunate that penalties and a missed field goal kept them alive versus Duke for Maye to lead them down the field on the final drive of that game. Before the Georgia Tech game their only loss was to Notre Dame, who were just more physical than the Tar Heels. Losing at home to a 4-6 Georgia Tech team definitely took the wind out of UNC’s sails. The next week UNC would lose in double overtime to a NC State team that was battered at the quarterback position, but had a strong defense. Clemson was the first ranked opponent at the time that UNC played and they looked ill prepared for Cade Klubnik, despite Klubnik having packages in games before and Clemson fans calling for him for weeks now. Coach Mack Brown said that the Tar Heels struggled versus physicality and that will be an area to improve in.
UNC still has the bowl game ahead, then Mack Brown and his staff will begin to prepare for next season. A fourth straight loss to end the season would leave a sour taste to a season where the team did make progress, but couldn’t play well down the stretch.
Progress was Made but There is Still a Ways to Go for UNC Football
