First look: What to know about UNC football’s ACC opener against Clemson
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- UNC and Clemson both seek first ACC win after disappointing early losses.
- UNC quarterback Gio Lopez's injury and poor play raise lineup questions.
- Tar Heels must reduce penalties and fix defensive lapses to stop Clemson.
Neither UNC nor Clemson has had the start it wanted, or expected, this season under Bill Belichick and Dabo Swinney, respectively.
Both teams have had a bye week to regroup since their last outings on Sept. 20. Both lost: Clemson fell 34-21 at home to Syracuse; North Carolina was embarrassed by UCF in Orlando. Now, both programs will have the chance to take out that frustration and chase their first ACC win of the season as the Tar Heels host the Tigers for a noon kickoff Saturday at Kenan Stadium.
North Carolina quarterback Gio Lopez’s status is questionable after he exited the third quarter of UNC’s 34-9 loss to UCF and was later carted off the field at the Acrisure Bounce House.
After the game, Belichick said he did not have an update on Lopez. Whether the coaching staff risks playing the South Alabama transfer during North Carolina’s one game in 26 days is to be determined.
But regardless of Lopez’s injury status, a change at quarterback might be warranted. According to ESPN, Lopez ranks last in the nation (135th) in total quarterback ranking (minimum of 20 action plays per game) with a 16.3 grade. The Tar Heels are also last in passing yards per game.
While Belichick emphasized after the UCF loss that the offensive woes don’t fall on one person, it’s clear the offense has been limited with Lopez at signal-caller.
“We’ve scored points the last two weeks,” Belichick said after the UCF loss. “We had trouble doing it today. … football is a sport with 11 guys out there. I’m not talking about one guy. It’s the 11 guys who have to operate efficiently, at times we’ve done that, [and] at times we haven’t. Today wasn’t one of our better ones.”
Max Johnson took over for Lopez in the second half — the second time he’s taken the field in relief of an injured Lopez this fall. He finished with 11 completions on 19 attempts for 67 yards and connected with wideout Kobe Paysour for UNC’s lone touchdown of the game.
Key game matchup: the Tar Heels vs. themselves
Looking at the statistics, Clemson ranks in the bottom five in the ACC in total offense, managing just 365.3 yards per game. The Tigers also rank last in total points per game, averaging 19.8.
On paper, then, North Carolina’s next opponent shouldn’t pose much of an offensive threat. But, as the Tar Heels have learned in losses to UCF and TCU, they can often be their own worst enemy.
UNC’s defense faces a Clemson unit short on firepower. The real test will be whether the Tar Heels can clean up their mistakes.
In North Carolina’s loss to UCF, lapses in discipline and communication proved costly.
“I would say everything needs to get better, but communication is, for sure, one of those things,” defensive back Will Hardy said after the UCF game.
Breakdowns in the secondary left Knights receivers wide open for easy gains. Sloppy tackling, blown assignments and mental errors kept the UNC defense on its heels and on the field for long stretches. Three defensive penalties on UCF’s final drive of the first half set up a late touchdown — to a wide-open Kylan Fox in the end zone — to pad the Knights’ halftime lead.
When asked postgame about the defensive struggles in Orlando, Belichick summed it up succinctly: “three penalties.”
The biggest matchup this week isn’t between UNC’s inconsistent defense and Clemson’s anemic offense. It’s the Tar Heels’ discipline and focus versus their ongoing penchant for costly mistakes.
If North Carolina wants to earn its first ACC victory of the Belichick era on Saturday, it will need to stay out of its own way — and make sure Clemson doesn’t capitalize on its lapses the way UCF did.
Orange impact players: Parker, Klubnik
Edge rusher T.J. Parker could present a problem for the Tar Heels. His defensive grade, per Pro Football Focus, is second on the team, falling just behind cornerback Avieon Terrell. Parker has nine pressures and two sacks on the season, per PFF.
Parker should be able to exploit UNC’s injury-plagued offensive line. Although Austin Blaske, who started all 12 games last season, returned to play against UCF, the unit as a whole has yet to return to top form.
Meanwhile, Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik set career-highs in pass attempts (60) and pass completions (37) in a loss to Syracuse on Sept. 20. The game saw him throw for a season-high 363 yards and three touchdowns. If Klubnik finds his rhythm against the Tar Heels, it’ll be a long Saturday for UNC.
Vegas betting odds
The FanDuel Sportsbook early odds have Clemson as a +13.5 favorite and the over/under set at 46.5 points. The moneyline: Clemson +110 and UNC -110.
UNC v Clemson game info
Records: UNC (2-2, 0-0 ACC) v. Clemson (1-3, 0-2 ACC)
When: Saturday, noon
Where: Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
TV: ESPN
Streaming: fubo TV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, DIRECTV Stream, Sling TV.
Series history: UNC is 19-40 all-time against Clemson and has a six-game losing streak (and nine losses in the last 10 games) against the Tigers. The last time North Carolina beat Clemson came in 2010 in Chapel Hill when Johnny White rushed for two touchdowns.