The North Carolina football team (3-0, 0-0 ACC) defeated Georgia State (0-2, 0-0 Sun Belt) in a 35-28 victory at Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta.
What happened?
First-year running back Omarion Hampton received the kickoff and carried the ball to the 24-yard line to start the game. At the tail end of the first UNC drive, redshirt first-year quarterback Drake Maye remained poised in the pocket on a third-and-long from 55 yards out, evading pressure to his right before connecting with graduate tight end Kamari Morales for a touchdown. With the extra point, North Carolina jumped out to a 7-0 lead.
After two back-to-back stops by both teams, the Panthers got a break when UNC’s senior defensive back Ogi Egbuna was ejected on a targeting call after flattening Georgia State running back Jamyest Williams on the punt return.
The Panthers were awarded 15 yards, moving up to Georgia State’s 31-yard line. UNC senior defensive back Giovanni Biggers nearly recovered the ball later on this drive, before the call on the field was overturned and quarterback Darren Grainger’s throw was called an illegal forward pass. On the next play, Grainger’s pass intended for tight end Kris Byrd was incomplete, forcing a field goal attempt from 46 yards. Kicker Michael Hayes was successful in his attempt, putting three on the board for the Panthers with under five minutes left in the opening quarter.
Georgia State’s run defense continued to be impressive in the first quarter, forcing UNC to punt from deep within its own territory on the next drive. Big defensive plays from sophomore Rara Dillworth on the next drive, including a tough tackle of Grainger for a loss of two yards, kept the Panthers without a touchdown in the first quarter.
Up 7-0 to start the second quarter, UNC quickly added on another seven points thanks to a 7-yard carry by junior running back D.J. Jones and extra point by sophomore kicker Noah Burnette. With UNC up 14-3, Maye connected with first-year wide receiver Kobe Paysour, hitting him on the outside shoulder for a 28-yard reception and UNC’s third touchdown of the game.
Up 21-3 midway through the second quarter, the Tar Heels proceeded to give up 25 unanswered points to the Panthers.
On a third-and-one, Byrd slipped behind the defense and received the pass from Grainger for Georgia State’s first touchdown of the game. Down 21-10 to start the third quarter, UNC gave up a momentum-shifting explosive play when Grainger connected with wide receiver Robert Lewis for 49 yards and a touchdown. A 45-yard field goal a few minutes later brought the Panthers within one point of UNC and the score to 21-20.
