Showing posts with label North Carolina. Show all posts
Showing posts with label North Carolina. Show all posts

Saturday, November 11, 2023

Tar Heels Triumph in Thrilling 2OT Battle Against Blue Devils

9:30 PM


CHAPEL HILL – Drake Maye’s quarterback keeper for a touchdown and successful two-point conversion pass made the difference as the #24 North Carolina Tar Heels defeated the visiting Duke Blue Devils in 2OT on Saturday night at Kenan Stadium. The Blue Devils had a chance to tie the game after Grayson Loftis hit Jordan Moore for a touchdown in the overtime period, but the two-point conversion pass was overthrown, and the Tar Heels faithful rushed the field in celebration of a big win over their rivals from Durham.

How it Happened:

The game kicked off with the North Carolina Tar Heels taking an early lead in the first quarter, with Drake Maye rushing for a touchdown and Noah Burnette adding a field goal. The Tar Heels continued their momentum into the second quarter with another field goal from Burnette. However, the Duke Blue Devils responded with a touchdown pass from Grayson Loftis to Jordan Moore and a rushing touchdown from Loftis himself, taking a brief lead. The Tar Heels managed to regain the lead just before halftime with another field goal from Burnette.

In the second half, the Tar Heels extended their lead with another field goal from Burnette in the third quarter. The fourth quarter saw a back-and-forth battle, with the Blue Devils’ Jordan Waters rushing for two touchdowns and the Tar Heels’ Omarion Hampton and Bryson Nesbit each scoring a touchdown. The Tar Heels managed to tie the game at the end of regulation with a field goal from Burnette. In overtime, both teams scored a field goal in the first round. In the second round, the Tar Heels scored a touchdown thanks to a rush from Maye, but the Blue Devils could only manage a touchdown, giving the Tar Heels a 47-45 victory.

Offensive Showdown:

The offensive prowess of both teams was on full display, with the Tar Heels amassing 537 total yards compared to Duke’s 379. North Carolina’s quarterback, Drake Maye, played a pivotal role, completing 28 of 43 passes for 342 yards and one touchdown. Maye also demonstrated his versatility with two rushing touchdowns, contributing significantly to the Tar Heels’ offensive strategy.

Maye’s favorite targets included Devontez Walker, who racked up an impressive 162 receiving yards, and Bryson Nesbit, who secured a touchdown with a 15-yard reception. On the rushing front, Omarion Hampton led the Tar Heels with 169 yards and a crucial touchdown, showcasing the team’s multifaceted offensive approach.

Duke’s Grayson Loftis answered with a solid performance, completing 16 of 28 passes for 189 yards and three touchdowns. Jordan Moore was Loftis’s go-to receiver, notching three touchdown receptions and accumulating 88 receiving yards. Jordan Waters contributed significantly on the ground for Duke with two rushing touchdowns.

Defensive Struggles and Triumphs:

While the game was marked by offensive fireworks, both teams faced challenges on the defensive end. North Carolina’s Cedric Gray and Don Chapman made significant impacts, with Chapman registering a sack and Gray contributing 11 total tackles. The Tar Heels’ defense managed three sacks and six tackles for loss, disrupting Duke’s offensive rhythm at crucial moments.

Duke’s Tre Freeman led the defensive efforts with 14 total tackles, a sack, and 1.5 tackles for loss. Despite the defensive challenges, the Blue Devils’ Chandler Rivers made a critical interception, giving the ball back to the Blue Devils in the red zone and leading to Duke’s second touchdown.

The Takeaway:

North Carolina’s hopes of making the ACC title game are still alive with this win. The Tar Heels (8-2, 4-2) are a game behind Louisville with two weeks left to go in the regular season, but the road to Charlotte will be difficult with road matchups against Clemson and NC State left on the docket. Duke (6-4, 3-3) stays on the road next week at Virginia before returning home to face Pitt in the regular season finale.


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Second Round Scores and Third Round Pairings

2:38 PM


In the second week of the NCHSAA high school football playoffs, intense matchups unfolded across various divisions, showcasing both thrilling victories and hard-fought battles. In the 4A West, top-seeded Weddington narrowly defeated #16 Chambers with a 14-10 score, while #24 Charlotte Catholic secured a close 24-21 win over #8 Roberson. The #5 Hough team demonstrated dominance with a decisive 45-12 victory against #12 Porter Ridge, and #4 Grimsley showcased their offensive prowess in a commanding 56-24 triumph over #13 Sun Valley. Notably, #19 Mt. Tabor secured a 19-14 upset against #3 Mooresville. In the 4A East, #1 Rolesville asserted their dominance with a 49-13 win over #17 Wake Forest, and #2 Cleveland continued their impressive run with a 49-21 victory against #15 Leesville Road. Across the 3A West and 3A East divisions, standout performances from Crest, West Charlotte, Havelock, and Seventy-First contributed to the overall excitement of the second week of playoffs. Meanwhile, dominant displays by #1 Clinton, #2 Northeastern, and #7 Princeton in the 2A East division, as well as #1 Robbinsville and #2 Mount Airy in the 1A West, highlighted the competitiveness and talent throughout the state. These results set the stage for compelling matchups as teams vie for a coveted state championship title.

4A West:

#1 Weddington 14, #16 Chambers 10
#24 Charlotte Catholic 24, #8 Roberson 21
#5 Hough 45, #12 Porter Ridge 12
#4 Grimsley 56, #13 Sun Valley 24
#19 Mt. Tabor 19, #3 Mooresville 14
#6 Butler 47, #11 West Forsyth 7
#23 Independence 34, #7 East Forsyth 28
#2 Watauga 20, #18 Mallard Creek 14

4A East:

#1 Rolesville 49, #17 Wake Forest 13
#25 Fuquay-Varina 10, #24 Ashley 7
#5 Cardinal Gibbons 55, #21 Heritage 21
#13 Clayton 17, #4 Pinecrest 10
#3 Hoggard 39, #19 Jordan 16
#11 Laney 38, #6 Apex Friendship 20
#10 New Bern 36, #26 New Hanover 15
#2 Cleveland 49, #15 Leesville Road 21

3A West:

#1 Crest 28, #16 Statesville 16
#8 West Charlotte 29, #9 Hibriten 8
#5 Jay M. Robinson 27, #12 Northwest Cabarrus 17
#4 Dudley 48, #20 Central Davidson 6
#19 West Henderson 37, #19 East Lincoln 7
#6 Oak Grove 23, #11 Pisgah 16
#7 A.C. Reynolds 15, #10 Kings Mountain 0
#2 Hickory 48, #15 North Lincoln 28

3A East:

#1 Havelock 27, #16 Cape Fear 15
#25 J.H. Rose 14, #9 North Brunswick 7
#21 Scotland County 21, #21 Southern Durham 12
#35 Southern Nash 35, #13 Northern Nash 32
#3 Southern Alamance 25 (OT), #14 Jacksonville 19
#27 Terry Sanford 43, #11 Harnett Central 22
#7 Fike 37, #10 Currituck County 25
#2 Seventy-First 40, #15 Williams 20

2A West:

#1 Reidsville 42, #16 West Stokes 7
#8 Brevard 36, #9 North Stanly 7
#5 Monroe 35, #12 West Lincoln 27
#4 Bunker Hill 21, #13 Burns 14
#3 Community School of Davidson 25, #14 East Surry 18
#11 Forest Hills 35, #6 Randleman 14
#7 Shelby 41, #23 Lincolnton 21
#2 Salisbury 40, #15 Maiden 0

2A East:

#1 Clinton 56, #16 Beddingfield 15
#24 Southeast Alamance 21, #8 Cummings 14
#12 Hertford 50, #5 Wallace-Rose Hill 38
#4 Nash Central 56, #13 West Craven 28
#3 SouthWest Edgecombe 55, #14 Farmville Central 12
#6 Whiteville 28, #11 East Duplin 7
#7 Princeton 35, #10 Louisburg 33
#2 Northeastern 49, #18 Holmes 0

1A West:

#1 Robbinsville 54, #16 Mountain Island Charter 0
#9 Swain County 42, #8 Bessemer City 7
#5 Mountain Heritage 38, #12 Starmount 14
#49 North Rowan 49, #20 Corvian Community 34
#3 Eastern Randolph 39, #14 Hayesville 10
#11 Thomasville 41, #6 Albemarle 13
#7 Bishop McGuinness 22, #10 Murphy 59
#2 Mount Airy 42, #15 Mitchell 0

1A East:

#1 Tarboro 48, #17 Northampton 0
#9 Southeast Halifax 26, #8 North Duplin 21
#12 Rosewood 48, #5 Bear Grass Charter 17
#18 East Bladen 25, #4 Northside (Pinetown) 18
#3 Wilson Prep 50, #19 Weldon 8
#6 North Moore 58, #11 Bertie 20
#7 Lakewood 35, #10 Perquimans 28
#2 West Columbus 54, #18 Pender 6


Third Round Matchups

4A West:
#1 Weddington vs #24 Charlotte Catholic
#4 Grimsley vs #5 Hough
#6 Butler vs #19 Mount Tabor
#2 Watauga vs #23 Independence

4A East:
#1 Rolesville vs #25 Fuquay-Varina
#5 Cardinal Gibbons vs #13 Clayton
#3 Hoggard vs #11 Laney
#2 Cleveland vs  #10 New Bern

3A West:
#1 Crest vs #8 West Charlotte
#5 Jay M. Robinson vs #4 Dudley
#3 West Henderson vs #6 Oak Grove
#2 Hickory vs #7 A.C. Reynolds

3A East:
#1 Havelock vs #25 J.H. Rose
#5 Scotland County vs #13 Northern Nash
#3 Southern Alamance vs #27 Terry Sanford
#2 Seventy-First vs #7 Fike

2A West:
#1 Reidsville vs #8 Brevard
#4 Bunker Hill vs #5 Monroe
#3 Community School of Davidson vs #11 Forest Hills
#2 Salisbury vs #7 Shelby

2A East:
#1 Clinton vs #24 Southeast Alamance
#4 Nash Central vs #12 Hertford
#3 SouthWest Edgecombe vs #6 Whiteville
#2 Northeastern vs #7 Princeton

1A West:
#1 Robbinsville vs #9 Swain County
#4 North Rowan vs #5 Mountain Heritage
#3 Eastern Randolph vs #11 Thomasville
#2 Mount Airy vs #10 Murphy

1A East:
#1 Tarboro vs #9 Southeast Halifax
#12 Rosewood vs #13 East Bladen
#3 Wilson Prep vs #6 North Moore
#2 West Columbus vs #7 Lakewood





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Saturday, November 4, 2023

First Round Playoff Scores and Second Round Pairings

7:52 AM


The 2023 NCHSAA football playoffs kicked off with a bang as teams from across North Carolina battled it out in the first round, delivering some thrilling matchups and surprising results. With a combination of dominant victories and close contests, the stage is set for what promises to be an action-packed second round of playoff action.


4A West

#1 Weddington 42, #32 Providence 7

#16 Chambers 45, #17 Northwest Guilford 20

#8 Roberson 42, #25 Reagan 21

#9 Myers Park 24, #24 Charlotte Catholic 42

#5 Hough 51, #28 Asheville 0

#12 Porter Ridge 41, #21 Cuthbertson 0

#13 Sun Valley 44, #20 Cox Mill 18

#4 Grimsley 54, #29 North Mecklenburg 0

#3 Mooresville 24, #30 A.L. Brown 18 (OT)

#14 Davie County 26, #19 Mt. Tabor 48

#6 Butler 49, #27 Alexander Central 7

#11 West Forsyth 32, #22 Ardrey Kell 15

#7 East Forsyth 42, #26 Page 6

#10 Lake Norman 0, #23 Independence 35

#15 Marvin Ridge 7, #18 Mallard Creek 41

#2 Watauga 54, #31 Hickory Ridge 34


4A East:

#1 Rolesville 62, #32 Swett 0

#16 Garner 19, #17 Wake Forest 42

#8 Jack Britt 9, #25 Fuquay-Varina 17

#9 Pine Forest 19, #24 Ashley 35

#5 Cardinal Gibbons 40, #28 Overhills 0

#12 Millbrook 28, #21 Heritage 21

#13 Clayton 55, #20 South View 20

#4 Pinecrest 45, #29 South Garner 31

#3 Hoggard 52, #30 Chapel Hill 0

#14 Holly Springs 21, #19 Jordan 42

#6 Apex Friendship 27, #27 Southeast Raleigh 6

#11 Laney 27, #22 Middle Creek 13

#7 Hillside 6, #26 New Hanover 23

#10 New Bern 51, #23 Apex 35

#15 Leesville Road 27, #18 Richmond Senior 0

#2 Cleveland 57, #31 Gray's Creek 13


3A West:

#1 Crest 53, #32 Parkwood 0

#16 Statesville 28, #17 South Point 27

#8 West Charlotte 21, #25 Northeast Guilford 0

#9 Hibriten 41, #24 Tuscola 40

#5 Jay M. Robinson 42, #28 North Davidson 0

#12 Northwest Cabarrus 52, #21 West Rowan 21

#13 Eastern Guilford 27, #20 Central Davidson 30

#4 Dudley 63, #29 West Iredell 14

#3 West Henderson 61, #30 Erwin 15

#14 Ledford 13, #19 East Lincoln 49

#6 Oak Grove 34, #27 Ashbrook 0

#11 Pisgah 35, #22 North Henderson 17

#7 A.C. Reynolds 45, #26 North Gaston 0

#10 Kings Mountain 37, #23 Smoky Mountain 7

#15 North Lincoln 50, #18 Rockingham County 7

#2 Hickory 51, #31 Hunter Huss 32


3A East:

#1 Havelock 62, #32 Dixon 0

#16 Cape Fear 33, #17 Western Alamance 13

#8 White Oak 19, #25 J.H. Rose 21

#9 North Brunswick 28, #24 Person 27

#5 Scotland County 48, #28 Rocky Mount 23

#12 Eastern Alamance 7, #21 Southern Durham 44

#13 Northern Nash 56, #20 Richlands 28

#4 Southern Nash 49, #29 Croatan 15

#3 Southern Alamance 44, #30 Orange 0

#14 Jacksonville 55, #19 C.B. Aycock 21

#6 Vance County 27, #27 Terry Sanford 34

#11 Harnett Central 42, #22 West Carteret 30

#7 Fike 43, #26 Southern Lee 21

#10 Currituck County 28, #23 South Johnston 21

#15 Williams 44, #18 Hunt 22

#2 Seventy-First 56, #31 Triton 7


2A West:

#1 Reidsville 58, #32 Madison 0

#16 West Stokes 19, #17 Southwestern Randolph 6

#8 Brevard 44, #25 Trinity 13

#9 North Stanly 34, #24 T.W. Andrews 32

#5 Monroe 63, #28 Bandys 13

#12 West Lincoln 53, #21 Chase 35

#13 Burns 63, #20 Pine Lake Prep 34

#4 Bunker Hill 61, #29 East Rutherford 7

#3 Community School of Davidson 38, #30 Lexington 16

#14 East Surry 42, #19 Providence Grove 13

#6 Randleman 43, #27 West Stanly 0

#11 Forest Hills 28, #22 Anson 7

#7 Shelby 62, #26 Mount Pleasant 14

#10 North Surry 21, #23 Lincolnton 35

#15 Maiden 31, #18 East Gaston 21

#2 Salisbury 55, #31 East Davidson 21


2A East:

#1 Clinton 64, #32 Kinston 12

#16 Beddingfield 18, #17 James Kenan 16

#8 Cummings 27, #25 Heide Trask 22

#9 Martin County, #24 Southeast Alamance 27

#5 Wallace-Rose Hill 55, #28 Greene Central 6

#12 Hertford 44, #21 S. Pauls 36

#13 West Craven 22, #20 North Pitt 12

#4 Nash Central 47, #29 Roanoke Rapids 8

#3 SouthWest Edgecombe 36, #30 Red Springs 13

#14 Farmville Central 42, #19 Southwest Onslow 35

#6 Whiteville 42, #27 South Granville 0

#11 East Duplin 41, #22 Eastern Wayne 18

#7 Princeton 63, #26 Camden County 20

#10 Louisburg 46, #23 Northwood 43

#15 Midway 13, #18 Holmes 38

#2 Northeastern 41, #31 North Johnston 21


1A West:

#1 Robbinsville 55, #32 Thomas Jefferson 7

#16 Mountain Island Charter 27, #17 Alleghany 22

#8 Bessemer City 52, #25 South Stanly 32

#9 Swain County 47, #24 Avery County 0

#5 Mountain Heritage 51, #28 Carver 6

#12 Starmount 35, #21 Cherokee 21

#13 Draughn 28, #20 Corvian Community 38

#4 North Rowan 63, #29 Elkin 19

#3 Eastern Randolph 68, #30 Cherryville 7

#14 Hayesville 28, #19 Christ the King 0

#6 Albemarle 49, #27 South Davidson 0

#11 Thomasville 49, #22 Andrews 6

#7 Bishop McGuinness 50, #26 South Stokes 8

#10 Murphy 57, #23 Polk County 21

#15 Mitchell 33, #18 East Wilkes 15

#2 Mount Airy 55, #31 Union Academy 3


1A East:

#1 Tarboro BYE

#17 Northampton 54, #16 Hobbton 36

#8 North Duplin 35, #25 Pamlico 27

#9 Southeast Halifax 66, #24 Union 0

#5 Bear Grass Charter BYE

#12 Rosewood 41, #21 Washington County 28

#13 East Bladen 57, #20 North Edgecombe 14

#4 Northside (Pinetown) BYE

#3 Wilson Prep BYE

#19 Weldon 20, #14 Gates County 14

#6 North Moore 28, #27 Chatham Central 0

#11 Bertie 34, #22 Southside 14

#7 Lakewood 60, #26 Northwest Halifax 16

#10 Perquimans 40, #23 East Columbus 6

#18 Pender 58, #15 Warren County 42

#2 West Columbus BYE


Second Round Pairings

4A West:
#1 Weddington vs #16 Chambers
#8 Roberson vs #24 Charlotte Catholic
#5 Hough vs #12 Porter Ridge
#4 Grimsley vs #13 Sun Valley
#3 Mooresville vs #19 Mt. Tabor
#6 Butler vs #11 West Forsyth
#7 East Forsyth vs #23 Independence
#2 Watauga vs #18 Mallard Creek

4A East:
#1 Rolesville vs #17 Wake Forest
#24 Ashley vs #25 Fuquay-Varina
#5 Cardinal Gibbons vs #21 Heritage
#4 Pinecrest vs #13 Clayton
#3 Hoggard vs #19 Jordan
#6 Apex Friendship vs #11 Laney
#10 New Bern vs #26 New Hanover
#2 Cleveland vs #15 Leesville Road

3A West:
#1 Crest vs #16 Statesville
#8 West Charlotte vs #9 Hibriten
#5 Jay M. Robinson vs #12 Northwest Cabarrus
#4 Dudley vs #20 Central Davidson
#3 West Henderson vs #19 East Lincoln
#6 Oak Grove vs #11 Pisgah
#7 A.C. Reynolds vs #10 Kings Mountain
#2 Hickory vs #15 North Lincoln

3A East:
#1 Havelock vs #16 Cape Fear
#9 North Brunswick vs #25 J.H. Rose
#5 Scotland County vs #21 Southern Durham
#4 Southern Nash vs #13 Northern Nash
#3 Southern Alamance vs #14 Jacksonville
#11 Harnett Central vs #27 Terry Sanford
#7 Fike vs #10 Currituck County
#2 Seventy-First vs #15 Williams

2A West:
#1 Reidsville vs #16 West Stokes
#8 Brevard vs #9 North Stanly
#5 Monroe vs #12 West Lincoln
#4 Bunker Hill vs #13 Burns
#3 Community School of Davidson vs #14 East Surry
#6 Randleman vs #11 Forest Hills
#7 Shelby vs #23 Lincolnton
#2 Salisbury vs #15 Maiden

2A East:
#1 Clinton vs #16 Beddingfield
#8 Cummings vs #24 Southeast Alamance
#5 Wallace-Rose Hill vs #12 Hertford
#4 Nash Central vs #13 West Craven
#3 SouthWest Edgecombe vs #14 Farmville Central
#6 Whiteville vs #11 East Duplin
#7 Princeton vs #10 Louisburg
#2 Northeastern vs #18 Holmes

1A West:
#1 Robbinsville vs #16 Mountain Island Charter
#8 Bessemer City vs #9 Swain County
#5 Mountain Heritage vs #12 Starmount
#4 North Rowan vs #20 Corvian Community
#3 Eastern Randolph vs #14 Hayesville
#6 Albemarle vs #11 Thomasville
#7 Bishop McGuinness vs #10 Murphy
#2 Mount Airy vs #15 Mitchell

1A East:
#1 Tarboro vs #17 Northampton
#8 North Duplin vs #9 Southeast Halifax
#5 Bear Grass Charter vs #12 Rosewood
#4 Northside (Pinetown) vs #13 East Bladen
#3 Wilson Prep vs #19 Weldon
#6 North Moore vs #11 Bertie
#7 Lakewood vs #10 Perquimans
#2 West Columbus vs #18 Pender

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Saturday, October 21, 2023

Virginia Edges #10 North Carolina in Thrilling College Football Clash

8:00 PM

CHAPEL HILL – In a college football showdown that had fans that no one expected to be close but left fans on the edge of their seats, the Virginia Cavaliers narrowly defeated the #10 North Carolina Tar Heels, 31-27, on Saturday night at Kenan Stadium. The game was a rollercoaster of emotions with both teams showing immense determination and skill, but in the end, it was the Cavaliers who emerged victorious.

First Quarter: Cavaliers Take Early Lead

The game started with a bang as the Virginia Cavaliers drew first blood with a brilliant 11-yard rushing touchdown by #7 Mike Hollins. The 7-play, 51-yard drive set the tone for an intense matchup. Kicker #41 Will Bettridge was successful with the extra point, and Virginia took an early 7-0 lead. However, the Tar Heels wasted no time in responding. Quarterback Drake Maye connected with Tez Walker for a 25-yard touchdown pass, which was expertly executed. Noah Burnette’s successful extra point tied the game at 7-7. Virginia wasn’t done in the first quarter, as Mike Hollins found the end zone again with a 3-yard rushing touchdown. The Cavaliers reclaimed the lead, finishing the quarter 14-7.

Second Quarter: Tar Heels Strike Back

The Tar Heels showed their resilience in the second quarter. Quarterback Drake Maye showcased his arm strength by throwing a 62-yard bomb to Bryson Nesbit, who raced to hit paydirt. Noah Burnette’s successful extra point once again tied the game at 14-14. Armani Chatman’s interception in the end zone late in the quarter secured North Carolina’s tenth scoreless quarter of the year. With just seconds left in the first half, Burnette added a 43-yard field goal for North Carolina, making him the the first Tar Heel kicker to make his first ten field goals in a season since Connor Barth in 2006. The Tar Heels took a 17-14 lead into halftime. 

Third Quarter: Tar Heels Maintain Control

North Carolina continued to build on their lead in the third quarter as Drake Maye rushed for a 3-yard touchdown. The Tar Heels were up 24-14 following Burnette’s extra point. Virginia responded as Mike Hollins plowed through the Tar Heels’ defense for a 1-yard touchdown. The score was 24-21 after Will Bettridge’s extra point. Late in the third quarter, Virginia managed to level the game at 24-24 with a 45-yard field goal by Bettridge.

Fourth Quarter: Cavaliers Seal the Win

In the final quarter, North Carolina briefly took the lead with a 27-yard field goal from Noah Burnette, making it 27-24 in favor of the Tar Heels, marking his fourth straight game with multiple field goals. Virginia, however, staged a remarkable comeback. Quarterback Tony Muskett threw a 14-yard pass to Malik Washington, who found the end zone. Will Bettridge’s extra point gave the Cavaliers a 31-27 lead. Despite North Carolina’s best efforts, they couldn’t overcome Virginia’s stout defense in the final moments. 

Player Performances

Virginia’s offensive efforts were led by Mike Hollins, who rushed for three touchdowns. Tony Muskett passed for 208 yards and threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Malik Washington. Mike Hollins scored three touchdowns for the Cavaliers.

North Carolina’s Drake Maye had an impressive performance, running for a score and throwing for 347 yards and two touchdowns, including a stunning 62-yard pass to Bryson Nesbit. Tez Walker caught 11 passes for 146 yards and one touchdown.

They Said It

Mack Brown: “Obviously, tonight was a disappointing loss for us. Congratulations to Virginia, they out-coached us and played better than us tonight. You don’t normally win the game when you give up 228 yards rushing and only rush for 143. We had chance after chance, but I think you'd have to say that we as coaches didn't prepare our guys very well…This week, we talked about poisoned cheese and we ate it. Tonight, we didn't punt the ball well, we were inconsistent on offense and we didn't score in the red zone when we needed to. We were four of 13 on third downs while they were eight of eight. We had a chance to win the game two times and didn't do it… Again, on critical plays, they made the plays and we didn't. I am disappointed tonight that we didn't play about like we did last year against him. Our guys played hard but we just didn't make plays. Now, we have to go back to work and go to Georgia Tech next week.” 

Up Next

North Carolina (6-1, 3-1) will play three of their last five games on the road, starting with a game against Georgia Tech (3-4, 2-2). Virginia (2-5, 1-2) remains on the road, traveling to Miami.

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Friday, October 20, 2023

Nationally-Ranked FCS Showdown Highlights Saturday Slate

7:13 PM

The picturesque town of Cullowhee, North Carolina, will play host to a highly-anticipated Southern Conference football clash this Saturday when #8 Western Carolina welcomes its fierce rival, #3 Furman, to the hallowed grounds of E.J. Whitmire Stadium. The ESPN+ game will kick off at 2:30 p.m. and fans can expect an epic encounter as both teams come into the game with impressive national rankings. In what marks only the fourth game in their storied rivalry where both teams enter the arena with national rankings, this clash brings memories of the golden era of Catamount football. The last time Western Carolina and Furman shared the spotlight with numerical rankings by their names was in 1983 when the ninth-ranked Catamounts exacted sweet revenge by defeating their second-ranked rivals in the NCAA I-AA playoffs, a 14-7 triumph in Greenville. Western Carolina holds a 2-1 record in ranked matchups, boasting a perfect 1-0 record on their home turf.

The 2023 season has seen Western Carolina emerge as the Cinderella story, rising to a Top-10 ranking after a remarkable string of five consecutive wins. Leading the charge is running back Desmond Reid, whose 847 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns have made him a strong contender for All-American recognition. Quarterback Cole Gonzales, now in his sophomore season, has elevated his game with 1,532 passing yards and 14 touchdowns, establishing a potent connection with a dynamic receiving corps led by Censere Lee, boasting 421 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns.  On the other side, Furman entered the season as the preseason favorites in the Southern Conference and has lived up to the billing through the first six games. Running back Dominic Roberto, with 394 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns, and quarterback Tyler Huff, boasting 1,057 passing yards and 10 total touchdowns, anchor the Paladins' offense. The defense has excelled against the run, allowing a meager 3.1 yards per carry. However, the key to success this weekend for Furman lies in their secondary's ability to generate turnovers, currently tallying an impressive 7 interceptions.


East Carolina Gears Up to Face Charlotte in First-Ever Conference Matchup

East Carolina’s football team is set to face American Athletic Conference newcomer Charlotte on October 21. The game will kick off at 2 p.m. and can be seen on ESPN+. This will be Charlotte's first-ever encounter with an in-state conference opponent, setting the stage for a memorable showdown. East Carolina, led by fifth-year head coach Mike Houston, enters the game with a 1-5 overall record and a 0-2 mark in the AAC. In the Pirates’ last outing, they fell 31-10 to SMU, despite running 16 more offensive plays than their opponent. Mason Garcia led a pair of scoring drives, completing 12 of 26 passes for a career-high 155 yards and rushing for a team-best 38 yards on 12 carries. Wide receiver Chase Sowell emerged as a standout, delivering his second consecutive seven-catch game and a career-high 120 yards. Charlotte, with a 1-5 record and a 0-2 conference record, is coming off a 14-0 loss to Navy. The upcoming clash promises an exciting faceoff between the two teams as they each aim to secure a crucial first win in the American Athletic Conference this season.


Barton Football Set to Rebound Against Wingate in Homecoming Showdown

Barton is set to host Wingate in a crucial Homecoming matchup. The Bulldogs, who have a 47-3 record against undefeated and nationally-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne, are looking to maintain their stronghold in the Piedmont Division standings. Jordan Terrell, the school's all-time leading rusher, is just 12 yards away from reaching the 1,000-yard milestone for the third consecutive season. Terrell has been a standout for the Bulldogs, averaging 141.1 yards per game on the ground. Junior quarterback Jaquan Lynch has shown his prowess with 1,076 yards passing and a total of 16 touchdowns. The defensive charge for the Bulldogs is led by junior linebacker Shane Perry, who boasts a team-high 64 tackles. On the other hand, Wingate's football program has a remarkable track record, culminating in an 11-3 record last year and a spot in the 2022 NCAA Division II National Quarterfinals. Wingate holds the edge in the all-time series with Barton, leading 2-1. Barton College, as an Associate Member of the South Atlantic Conference until the end of the 2024 season, is under the guidance of fourth-year head coach Chip Hester, while Joe Reich serves as the Wingate Head Football Coach. The Homecoming showdown promises to be a thrilling match between Barton and Wingate, with both teams aiming to secure a pivotal victory in front of their passionate fans. 


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