I wrote several times this year about how big UNC’s game was at Minnesota.
The Heels can get off to a fast start and hold on. A game out at Minnesota will be a test, but it is certainly winnable. Then the Heels have Charlotte, NC Central, and James Madison.
UNC gets by Minnesota what’s to stop them from starting the year 6 or 7-0.
UNC vs Minnesota – One team has Omarion Hampton and one doesn’t in what might be a sloppy wet weather game. I’ll go with the one with Hampton.
North Carolina goes to Florida State 7-1 or 8-0.
North Carolina is known for fast starts and late fades under Mack Brown. This year the schedule sets up for a fast start. Minnesota is a winnable game on the road to open the season, then they should be favored in all of their games through the next two months.
Get by the Gophers, and the season could take off. Yes UNC was a slight favorite, but on the road against a P4 opponent, with wet weather, all that mattered was to leave with a W. Style points could be worried about later.
UNC had to fight through a lot in this game. QB Max Johnson who struggled in the 1st half was sharper in the 2nd half but then suffered a leg injury that forced UNC to go with backup Conner Harrell. RB Omarion Hampton was as good as advertised, but the O-Line was inconsistent. Geoff Collins’s debut as DC was respectable as the Heel’s defense kept UNC in the game despite the offense struggle. The last 2 drive Minnesota drives were flashbacks to last year though as the UNC defense struggled to get Minnesota off the field. That said you have to give Collins and the defense no worse than B for overall effort.
UNC’s MVP was FG Kicker Noah Burnette made 4 Field Goals, and that was the difference in the game as the Heel’s special teams way outperformed Minnesota’s.
Now North Carolina can regroup, and watch out.
The Heel’s next 4 games are UNC Charlotte, NC Central, and James Madison. UNC will be heavily favored in each. They should be able to use those games to clean up mistakes from Thursday night. They can build some continuity on the offensive line, clean up some of the late-game shakey tackling, and 4-0 head to Duke. I expect UNC to be favored in that game. The next 3 look mostly manageable too against Pitt, Georgia Tech does look like a much more formidable challenge, then a game at Virginia.
I said if UNC wins at Minnesota they should could head to FSU 7-1 or 8-0. Mission accomplished, and now UNC and Mack Brown have something to work with going forward.
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