The No. 18 North Carolina football team leads Georgia Tech 27-17 at halftime. Here are three things to note from how the teams have played so far.
Elijah Hood is on fire
Hood got things going early for the Tar Heels, making a 45-yard run on UNC's second play of the game. Hood followed that run a few plays later with a rushing touchdown to give North Carolina a 7-0 lead after the opening drive. And Hood has continued to dominate in his carries.
Before today, Hood was averaging 68 rushing yards per game and 5 yards per carry. He totaled 114 yards and averaged 16.3 yards per carry in the first quarter. With his two rushing touchdowns, Hood ties with Charlie Justice and Amos Lawrence for seventh most in UNC history.
Despite his play, Hood did not get any carries in the second quarter. North Carolina should turn to Hood going into the second half, as he will likely be a pivotal player as the Tar Heels look to build on their first-half lead.
Inconsistent defense
The defense has held Justin Thomas to three completions, but the Yellow Jackets converted those three completions to 164 yards. M.J. Stewart came up with a nice stop in the first quarter, tripping up Thomas for a 15-yard loss. But the defense made an error in the first quarter, when a missed tackle by Stewart allowed Georgia Tech's Clinton Lynch to bolt for an 83-yard touchdown play.
The Yellow Jackets have found success on the ground, totaling 143 yards at the half, for an average of 6.3 per play. The defense needs to step up in both areas if North Carolina wants to maintain its lead in the second half.
