If last night’s game for UNC was a movie the title would have been “Missed Oppurtunities”. Because of those mishaps North Carolina (6-5, 2-5 in the ACC) came up short against #9 Virginia Tech (10-1, 6-1 in the ACC) by the final of 24 to 21. It didn’t start badly as Carolina took the lead off a fumble by the home team, but then it was 30+ minutes of crucial mistakes that I am sure both the coaching staff and the players wish they could have back. At the end of the third quarter the score was 24 to 7 for the Hokies and personally I thought it would get even worst before the final whistle blew. It didn’t not, as the Tar Heels came back, and you have to believe that if interim head coach Everett Withers’ squad had ten plays go in a different way Carolina would be traveling back to Chapel Hill with a win.
Of the many mistakes in this game the one that hurt the most was the fumble by Ryan Houston on Va Tech’s five yard line that if not lost would have put North Carolina up by either 10 or 14, instead the home squad got the ball back and drove down the field to tie up the game early in the second quarter. However that was not the only missed chance at points as the Tar Heels shanked two makeable field goals during the game and those too would have changed momentum of the game and possibly the final result. Add to all of this that their top offensive threat, tail back Giovani Bernard, could not play the entire game as he suffered a mild concussion and you see what a mixture of blunders and mishaps these sixty minutes were. But not all the mistakes were made on the field, as I think some of the play calling for Carolina were a bit off the mark and all of this make it so that this very talented team has now lost its third game of the season by less than a touchdown.
Carolina had a balanced attack as they passed for 224 yards and Bryn Renner threw a touchdown and had no interceptions, while the running game went for 134 yards and a pair of scores, one from Bernard and one from Houston, who also did have a very costly fumble. The defense also did it’s part holding the running game to less than 4 yds per carry and a total of 340 yards altogether. What hurts even more is the reality that this game was a recap of the season that has been, playing well for part of the time, but not being able to muster up a full game of quality football once again resulting in a loss. If I had to be more specific, the second (of two) onside kicks showed how UNC’s season has gone, with part of the play being done well, but just not long enough to be done fully right. And while I know that the coaching staff is not out there making, or better said not making, the plays, it feels that sometimes they are putting the team in a situation where being able to succeed is not easy.
In the end, while it’s an overused cliche, this season “is what it is”, and unfortunately it’s been one that just did not live up to its potential and because of it I am pretty sure that next season a new staff will be in place to begin the rebuilding process once again. Before that however Carolina will meet another in-state foe, the Duke Blue Devils, to finish up their season on Senior Day in Kenan. While UNC is already bowl eligible this last game is a must win for this squad that with just a bit of extra push and maybe a couple of lucky breaks could have been searching for its tenth win and not fighting to be above .500.
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