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North Carolina has been overmatched against power conference opponents so far this season.
Bill Belichick’s Tar Heels fell to 2-2 with a 34-9 loss to UCF. Starting QB Gio Lopez was replaced in the second half by backup Max Johnson after the Tar Heels went three-and-out to start the third quarter.
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Johnson led North Carolina on a 19-play touchdown drive after entering the game. But the game was out of reach at that point. UCF took a 27-3 lead before Johnson saw the field on a one-yard run by Myles Montgomery.
The Tar Heels trailed 20-3 at halftime after UCF scored with 13 seconds to go in the second quarter. UNC cut UCF’s lead to 13-3 with 1:23 to go, but the Knights went 83 yards in six plays to extend the lead to 17 on a 17-yard pass from Tayven Jackson to Kylan Fox.
Just look how wide-open Fox was.
Saturday’s game was further proof that North Carolina has a ways to go under Belichick to be competitive against power conference opponents. And that’s concerning as ACC play begins in two weeks. North Carolina has been outscored 75-23 in its two games against Big 12 teams after TCU blew out the Tar Heels 48-14 in Week 1.
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The offense has struggled mightily in both of those games. Lopez won the starting job over Johnson after transferring from South Alabama. But he hasn’t found any success against either the Horned Frogs or Knights.
It’s enough to wonder if Belichick will make a quarterback change in the off week. The Tar Heels’ next game is in Week 6 as they host a Clemson team that also finds itself looking for answers. The Tigers, who are also off in Week 5, fell to 1-3 on Saturday with a home loss to Syracuse.
Many wondered if that Oct. 4 matchup between the Tigers and Tar Heels would be a pivotal matchup in the ACC. And it is, but likely not for the expected reasons. A loss for Clemson would drop the Tigers to 0-3 in the conference. And a loss for North Carolina — especially a big one — would show that the Tar Heels are a long way away from being competitive.
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