Georgia Tech stuns No. 17 UNC. Four takeaways from the Tar Heels’ loss in Atlanta
North Carolina traveled to Atlanta hoping to reverse years of bad mojo here, and rebound from its first loss of the season. The Tar Heels didn’t do either, and suffered a 46-42 loss against Georgia Tech on Saturday night that was almost as stunning as the one UNC suffered a week earlier against Virginia.
Quick takeaways from the Tar Heels’ loss:
UNC’s Atlanta curse continues, but ...
What is it about this city and UNC football? Much was made of the Tar Heels’ Atlanta woes entering Saturday night — their 2-10 record here since 1997 and, with that record, an impressive collection of creative ways to lose.
There’d been close losses. Not-so close losses.
Losses that derailed seasons. Losses that came in seasons already derailed.
So much was made of all the UNC losing here, in fact, that it just seemed like one more loss wasn’t all that likely. Something had to give, right? This is a Tar Heels team that had started 6-0, after all. And a Georgia Tech team that, frankly, hasn’t been all that great or even good, for most of the season.
But, well. This is why fans have a difficult time not believing in curses. That’s one way to look at this defeat.
Another: UNC deserved it, given its inability to hold a lead and especially its inability to stop Georgia Tech in the fourth quarter. (More on that in a minute.) The Tar Heels held leads of 21-7, 35-24 and 42-32 and ... could never find a way to put the Yellow Jackets away. Again and again, UNC allowed Georgia Tech back in it. The Yellow Jackets hung around and hung around and hung around ... and then outscored UNC 22-7 in the fourth quarter.
The Tar Heels were 2-10 in their past 12 games in this city. Now they’re 2-11, with this loss instantly becoming the worst of all of them. All that positive mojo UNC had going in its first six games is completely gone. This is a team that’s suddenly spiraling (especially on defense).
Tar Heels have major problems on defense
There was a three-game stretch not long ago, during UNC victories against Minnesota, Pittsburgh and Syracuse, when the Tar Heels’ defense appeared not only much improved from a season ago but, actually ... formidable? Very good, and not just serviceable? That now seems like a long time ago, doesn’t it?
UNC has now allowed more than 400 yards in three consecutive games, and it allowed nearly that many in the first half Saturday night, with Georgia Tech amassing 360 yards in the first half. More than 270 of those came in the second quarter, which was as bad of a defensive quarter as the Tar Heels had played in a long, long time.
Don’t be fooled by what appeared to be a drastic improvement in the third quarter. That was more the result of a Tar Heels’ offense that controlled possession for nearly the entire quarter, keeping Georgia Tech off the field. When the Yellow Jackets got their offense going Saturday night, at their desired tempo, there was little the Tar Heels could do to slow it down. It was part of a concerning, downward trend for UNC.
The final numbers were simply abysmal: Georgia Tech amassed 635 yards, and nearly 350 rushing. The Yellow Jackets averaged 8.1 yards per play.
“Awful,” UNC coach Mack Brown said. “Just awful.”
He was talking specifically about the fourth quarter defense, but it was equally horrid in the second quarter. Cedric Gray, the senior linebacker, said afterward that UNC essentially looked like it didn’t know what it was doing defensively, and that he and his teammates were not prepared for the Yellow Jackets’ tempo on offense. Never what you want to hear from your defensive captain.
Teams want to be approaching their peak entering November. The Tar Heels, meanwhile, enter the final month with significant questions defensively.
UNC remembered to run, good things happened
The story of UNC’s stunning loss against Virginia — at least part of the story, that is — was that the Tar Heels inexplicably abandoned their running game at key moments in the second half. The lapses in play-calling and strategy aided the Cavaliers, who took advantage to deliver the Tar Heels their first defeat of the season.
There were no such lapses Saturday night. From the start, UNC emphasized the running game, and finished with 267 yards rushing. Given the woeful defense, though, it wasn’t enough.
Heartbreaking moment for WR Tez Walker
Walker’s story this season has been well-documented, and it wasn’t long ago — during his three-touchdown performance against Miami — when it looked like his presence might just put UNC over the top as a contender in the ACC, and perhaps nationally.
He had a quiet game Saturday night, but made a catch that kept the Tar Heels’ final drive alive, just when it appeared doomed. UNC faced a 3rd-and-18 from its 40 when Drake Maye waited and waited and waited, before finding Walker open over the middle for a big gain.
But a defender approached quickly, from Walker’s blind side, and hit him hard. Walker fumbled, Georgia Tech recovered and that was that. After the collision, Walker remained down for several minutes while his teammates knelt and prayed. After experiencing the recent high of highs, this was the opposite end of the emotional spectrum for the Tar Heels and for Walker, who was taken to a hospital after the game for evaluation.
This story was originally published October 28, 2023 at 8:07 PM.
