UNC Lets Duke Pull Away Late on Senior Day 32-25

SPORTS

CHAPEL HILL, NC – The energy in Kenan Stadium on North Carolina’s senior night had some great highs in a closely contested rivalry match between the Tar Heels and Blue Devils. Unfortunately for the home team they could not capitalize on their chances to win.

UNC lost its chance to be bowl eligible when it dropped to 4-7. In a competitive match trickery and late-game errors put the Heels in sticky situations.

The whole game was anyone’s game to win. Both teams scored in the first quarter and put their best foot forward. UNC opened with an impressive 13-play drive that spanned 75 yards and ate up almost half of the first quarter. Through small runs and Gio Lopez completing pass after pass, Carolina was able to punch it in when Lopez rolled to the right on a designed QB run.

Duke responded on a 10-play 53-yard drive after a long kickoff return. Eight of those plays were rushing attempts. It was fitting when they ended the drive with a touchdown rush on the goal line from Senior tailback Anderson Castle. The Boone, NC native was a problematic player for the Tar Heels, recording 49 yards and three touchdowns. He received a lot of end zone touches as Duke pounded the Heels’ defense on the ground. All three of his scores were 1-yard attempts on a night where Duke chose to go old school in their reliance on the run. They ran for 177 yards on 43 attempts. Their leading rusher, freshman Nate Sheppard, was their workhorse with 22 carries for 90 yards.

Duke started to pull ahead and would certainly win the second quarter. Duke marched down and scored again to open the next quarter. UNC committed a costly error when after an incomplete pass on 3rd-and-goal the referees threw the flag for unnecessary roughness. The away team quarterback, former Tulane quarterback and current sophomore Darian Mensah, immediately threw a strike down the seam to pull his squad ahead. Both teams would exchange field goals, Carolina’s on a 2-minute drill, to go to half 17-10 in favor of Duke.

The lead would increase with Duke pulling ahead 24-10 after one of Castle Anderson’s trio of TDs on the first drive in the third quarter.

However, UNC started to show some life, after entering the redzone Lopez was pressured, rolled left and made a nice cross body throw to find sophomore wideout Jordan Shipp in the endzone for the team’s first touchdown of the half. Instead of kicking the PAT, Belichick chose to dial up a 2-point conversion attempt. Lopez dropped back and threw a dime to Shipp for an impressive back shoulder fade. It was a perfect placement from Lopez. Certainly, a sequence that was a far cry from his struggles early in the season.

Lopez and Shipp have developed a nice connection in the latter half of the schedule. Shipp ended Saturday’s game with eight catches for 83 yards and his touchdown. He has been a consistent force downfield and has been the Heels’ number one option and is their leading receiver.

With the score at 24-18, Duke punted to end the quarter and give UNC a shot in the home stretch.

UNC responded with fervor. Sophomore running back Davion Gause played a big role all day. That was exemplified when he hauled in a 16-yard reception to start the drive and then ripped off a 15-yard run on the subsequent play. Carolina would end the drive with a 12-yard touchdown rush up the middle from Gause. He ended the day with eight rushes for 63 yards and the score. He received the most rushing touches of any running back (Lopez had nine). It was a season highlight for Gause, who has gotten spotty time in a three-headed committee.

UNC running back Davion Gause carrying the ball. Photo Courtesy of GoHeels. Photo Credits to Nate Skorvetz..

Gause put the Heels up 25-24, but there was still plenty of time left with a hair of 13 minutes on the clock. Yet things looked great for the Heels when they forced the opposing offense to a turnover on downs.

However, they squandered that possession with a punt on a three-and-out drive that saw Lopez hold the ball too long twice. The Heels had a zero-yard rushing attempt and back-to-back.

Once they received the punt, Duke took over and drove down the field looking to dash the Heels’ hopes of a rivalry win at the end of a dismal season. Maybe this could be hope for Carolina, a chance to get to enough wins for a bowl game, momentum heading to play NC State in the rowdy and raucous Carter-Finley stadium and something to show recruits going into year two of the Belichick era.

Instead Duke converted a 4th-down try to stay alive and lined up for a field goal to take the lead. That field goal was a fake that saw the Duke placeholder Tom Pelino, a senior kicker, run the ball 26 yards to the goal line. Then the fans saw Anderson Castle complete his hat-trick.

UNc received some bad penalties late. Namely, back-to-back unsportsmanlike conduct after the Duke score and on the ensuing kickoff. That saw their last drive backed up deep. That drive consisted of a holding penalty, another sack and a tragic drop by Kobe Paysour on 4th-and-13 that would have extended the Carolina comeback attempt.

We saw some good signs from the Heels. Some defensive effort, Jordan Shipp and Davion Gause providing some playmaking ability and a crowd that was hating Duke and letting them know until late in the game.

However, we saw a lack of discipline and high-tier coaching down the stretch: unnecessary penalties, bad decision making, a dropped pass and a dagger in fake field goal form. A discouraging senior day for fans and players alike in a game they very realistically could have won against their biggest rival.

Coach Belichick commended his team’s effort but acknowledge the shortcomings, saying,

“…But just made too many mistakes, too many bad plays, obviously, too many penalties.”

UNC will look to rally after Thanksgiving and end the season with a win against its antagonist, NC State. They will look to end a four-year losing streak to the Wolfpack.

Thomas Hicks is a journalist with video, PR, and writing experience who studied at UNC and the Hussman School of Journalism and Media. Thomas is always looking for work and the next story! He loves working with his camera or with his pen. This reporter can be contacted at thomasjhicks55@gmail.com, LinkedIn: Thomas Hicks and X: ThomasJ_H