UNC football defeats N.C. Central, 45-10, behind Omarion Hampton's three touchdowns

The North Carolina Tar Heels (3-0) defeated North Carolina Central University (1-2), 45-10, on Saturday night at Kenan Stadium to remain unbeaten after scoring 28 points in the fourth quarter. 

After North Carolina struggled offensively early, graduate quarterback Jacolby Criswell took over under center, and along with junior star running back Omarion Hampton, lead the Tar Heels to the win. Criswell completed 14 of 23 passes for 161 yards and one touchdown, while Hampton rushed for 210 yards and three touchdowns.  

On N.C. Central's first drive of the game, the UNC defense forced a third-and-11. However, the Eagles connected on a 34-yard pass to extend the drive. After a roughing the passer call on graduate defensive lineman Desmond Evans, the Eagles' J'Mari Taylor found the end zone from five yards out to give NCCU a 7-0 lead. 

The Tar Heels' first two drives went a combined 25 yards as the offense struggled to find its rhythm. However, the offense caught a break after the second drive, as NCCU's Chris Mosley muffed the punt and redshirt first-year wide receiver Christian Hamilton was able to recover. 

Criswell then replaced starting sophomore quarterback Conner Harrell. Hampton capped off the North Carolina drive with an 11-yard touchdown — his first rushing touchdown of the season — to tie the game, 7-7.

"We decided during the week that we were going to put him in in the third series regardless," head coach Mack Brown said.

Criswell then led a 67-yard scoring drive that once again resulted in a Hampton rushing touchdown, putting UNC on top, 14-7. The UNC defense then forced a third straight punt by the Eagles. 

On third-and-1, from UNC's own 26, Hampton broke out for a 53-yard gain. However, the drive only resulted in a 36-yard field goal from sophomore place-kicker Liam Boyd to extend the UNC lead, 17-7.

Another roughing the passer call on Evans put the Eagles just outside the red zone. After an 11-yard pass advanced the Eagles to the 1-yard line, the Tar Heels appeared to have a stop on third down, but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on junior defensive back Marcus Allen gave NCCU a first down at the 3-yard line. The UNC defense stood strong again, holding the Eagles to just a field goal to enter halftime up 17-10.

Neither UNC nor NCCU were able to make anything happen on their opening two drives of the second half. The third quarter ended scoreless, but not before a 29-yard third down completion from Criswell to Hamilton.

To open up the fourth quarter, Criswell connected with senior tight end Bryson Nesbit for 24-yard pass. Graduate tight end John Copenhaver then found the pay dirt with a 23-yard reception as the Tar Heels took a 24-10 lead.

"With me, it was like, 'Okay, let me perform, don't be flashy,'" Criswell said. "Just do what I do, do what I did in practice. Don't do anything extra. And so just moving forward, it was just like, just move the team down."

North Carolina forced the first turnover of the game as sophomore defensive back Kaleb Cost intercepted Javion Martin's pass. Cost's interception was UNC's first since last season against Campbell on Nov. 4, 2023.

"It felt great," Cost said. "Just all the work I put in in offseason, [it] felt amazing especially just all that adversity that I've been going through the past couple games is just part of the learning process. But it felt amazing."

The Tar Heels found the end zone five plays later, as Hampton scored from four yards out for his third of the game to put UNC up 31-10.

After forcing NCCU to punt, North Carolina drove down the field again, this time with first-year running back Davion Gause finding the end zone.

With less than a minute remaining, sophomore running back Charleston French broke free for a 45-yard rushing touchdown to put the finishing touches on UNC's 45-10 win. 

UNC will host James Madison next week at noon to close out the nonconference slate. 

@mdmaynard74

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