Lost to LSU 30-24

What worked: The passing game, despite the absence of receiver Greg Little, carried UNC's offense. Quarterback T.J. Yates threw for 412 yards, 221 of them to sophomore Jheranie Boyd, who has stepped into Brandon Tate's old role as the home-run threat. Receivers Dwight Jones, Joshua Adams and Erik Highsmith all made big catches late to help get the Heels back in the game.

What needs work: The running game and the special teams. Previous starters Ryan Houston and Shaun Draughn are harder to replace than Little. Johnny White had fumbling issues and Anthony Elzy lacks a big-play burst. The kick coverage was brutal, particularly in the first half. The only way to improve on that, though, is to either add more bodies off the suspended list or kick away from dangerous returners like LSU's Patrick Peterson.

What's next: UNC gets a week off, much needed extra preparation time to get ready for Georgia Tech's triple-option offense. The Heels also need time to settle any uncertainty with the NCAA.