UNC football falls to West Virginia, 30-10, in Duke's Mayo Bowl

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The North Carolina football team (8-5, 4-4 ACC) lost to West Virginia (9-4, 6-3 Big 12) 30-10, in the 2023 Duke’s Mayo Bowl at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte on Wednesday evening. 

In his first career start for the Tar Heels, redshirt first-year quarterback Conner Harrell threw for 199 yards and rushed for 39, along with a singular passing touchdown. Sophomore running back Omarion Hampton tallied 74 yards on 19 carries.

The Mountaineers torched the Tar Heel secondary for a 75-yard passing touchdown on the game’s opening play. The designed play action allocated enough time for junior quarterback Garrett Greene to air out a deep ball to first-year wide receiver Traylon Ray – who burned graduate defensive back Armani Chatman.

“First play we talked about stopping the run with the number one run offense in the country, and they got 1-on-1 with our corner and their guy beat our guy,” head coach Mack Brown said. 

Moments later, Harrell took the field for UNC. In his inaugural drive as QB1, the former Alabama Gatorade player of the year displayed his athletic nature with a pair of runs that notched over 32 yards. However, the Tar Heel possession stalled just past midfield and Harrell’s opening drive resulted in a punt. 

Midway through the first quarter, Harrell displayed his arm strength to set UNC up inside the red zone. Dropping back to throw, Harrell unloaded a bomb into the outstretched arms of sophomore wide receiver Gavin Blackwell,  which gained 47 yards through the air.

North Carolina came up empty, however, after Harrell overthrew redshirt first-year tight end Deems May on a crossing route. May deflected the out-of-reach ball into the air where a West Virginia defensive back collected the interception in his own end zone. 

“[Harrell] hadn’t worked with [May] before really,” Brown said. “I thought the first one probably was forced. It was over the middle and there were two safeties there, and he had a chance but threw it a little high.”

It wasn’t until the start of the second quarter that the Tar Heels got onto the scoreboard. Graduate jack Amari Gainer knocked the ball loose from West Virginia running back DJ Oliver and UNC took over possession in its own half. The forced fumble eventually led to a chip shot field goal for junior kicker Noah Burnette.

With under two minutes before the halftime break, Mountaineer Beanie Bishop Jr. cribbed a 78-yard punt return to place West Virginia ahead 14-3. 

In response, Harell drove UNC’s offense 75 yards down the field – culminating in a passing touchdown to junior wide receiver J.J. Jones.

North Carolina trailed 10-17 at the half, following a made field goal by West Virginia.

UNC failed to score on any of its drives in the third quarter – the first of which ended with Harrell’s second interception of the night. The defense held the Mountaineers to merely a field goal, marking the third quarter as the only frame where West Virginia did not score a touchdown. 

Heading into the final 15 minutes of play, the Tar Heels trailed 20-10.

The 10-point deficit grew to 17 a few minutes later, as West Virginia first-year running back Jaheim White galloped his way across the goal line to put the Mountaineers ahead 27-10.

West Virginia went on to shut out North Carolina’s offense in the second half, eliminating the ability for UNC to mount any comeback in the fourth quarter. 

“It’s tough [to lose] for all of the guys in the locker room, just everybody,” Harrell said. “You hate losing. It’s a sick feeling, a sick feeling in my stomach but you got to get over it, got to get better.”

With a defeat in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, North Carolina concludes its season in Charlotte – losing its final three games of the year after a 6-0 start.

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