CHARLOTTE, N.C. — With his team trailing by two scores midway through the third quarter, Drake Maye cooked up a final opportunity to work his magic.
As several Clemson defenders raced their way into the backfield — a common theme in Friday’s ACC Championship Game — the redshirt first-year quarterback scrambled right and looked to find sophomore tight end John Copenhaver on the edge of the end zone. But once the ill-advised attempt softly fell into the hands of Clemson defensive back Nate Wiggins, who returned the interception 98 yards for a Tigers score, the only thing Maye could spot as he laid on the turf was the Tar Heels’ chance to win the conference title immediately slipping away.
"I probably should have thrown it out of the back of the end zone, but I tried to make a play and it ended up costing us," Maye said.
The pick-six marked a potential 15-point swing in UNC’s eventual 39-10 loss, but the Tar Heels’ inability to score in timely situations was a recurring theme for most of the night. Although the team reached the red zone five times, North Carolina could only cash in twice.
Shortly after Clemson gained momentum by inserting backup quarterback Cade Klubnik, the Tar Heels gave the Tigers a gift when a mishandled exchange caused a fumble that gave the team prime field position deep in North Carolina territory.
Following a Clemson score that put the team ahead, UNC looked ready to answer the call. Despite facing as many as seven pass rushers at times, Maye stood in the pocket and helped the team move the chains in crucial third-down situations.
Yet, after a key pass breakup by Wiggins on third and goal, the Tar Heels were forced to settle for a field goal. While three points would have marked an uninspiring result for a team that seemed to move the ball efficiently, the end output was zero when Wiggins raced past the edge to block Noah Burnette’s attempt and stall any kind of North Carolina production.
"We knew this wasn't going to be easy," head coach Mack Brown said. "If we'd have asked everybody in here nobody in here would have picked us. We had our chances to play better. We had our chance to be in the game in the fourth quarter, and that's what we needed to do."
When North Carolina blitzed out to a 9-1 start, the team formed an identity with its nationally prominent scoring offense that regularly dominated in the red zone. Through the first nine games, the Tar Heels scored on 91.5 percent of their red zone trips. In the last three outings — which have all resulted in losses — this total has dipped to 52.9 percent.
