North Carolina suffered a shocking 31-27 loss at home to Virginia on Saturday night.
It was UNC’s first loss of the season, ending its bid at a potential 12-0 season. The Tar Heels were heavily favored vs. UVA, who hadn’t won a game vs. a FBS opponent entering last night’s game.
Drake Maye struggled in this one as he completed just 50% of his passes. Maye was also picked off on UNC’s final drive of the game, which effectively ended the contest. He threw for 347 yards in the loss, but this was the first game of his career in-which he completed 50% of his passes for fewer.
North Carolina’s defense also struggled in this one. Virginia dominated the time-of-possession, holding the ball for more than 37 minutes of game time. The Cavaliers went 8-for-18 on 3rd down.
The loss means Carolina will have a much tougher path to reaching the College Football Playoff or the ACC Championship Game. The Tar Heels made it to the conference title game a year ago and entered the weekend as one of the favorites to make it back to that stage in 2023.
Here’s some of the reaction to Carolina’s loss:
VIRGINIA UPSETS #10 NORTH CAROLINA.
WHAT AN INTERCEPTION FOR THE GAME!pic.twitter.com/SViHtOJoZo
— DraftKings (@DraftKings) October 22, 2023
Sixth time North Carolina has lost a game outright as a double-digit favorite since the 2020 season pic.twitter.com/zGMLkj2FKP
— chris (@dadgumboxscores) October 22, 2023
This is North Carolina's largest upset loss on record (-23.5), topping last season's loss to Georgia Tech (-21).
Three of the biggest four are in last three seasons.
2023 vs Virginia (-23.5)
2022 vs Georgia Tech (-21)
1998 vs Miami (OH) (-19)
2021 vs Florida State (-17.5)— Bryan Ives (@awaytoworthy) October 22, 2023
Death, taxes, a ludicrous healthcare system, and Virginia owning Mack Brown.
— Macon (@MaconPlays) October 22, 2023
That’s it for Mack Brown. Retire. Absurd decision to go for it down four points with three timeouts and three mins left in the game.
How the hell do you not take the points and set yourself up for a game winning FG. Drake Maye going to the draft – it’s over.
— MONEYLINE (@stateschoolgrad) October 22, 2023
UNC had no business losing this game tonight. Luckily Mack Brown is old and don’t have the internet because Carolina being called frauds on the work wide web
— The Anonymous Nobody (@el_budget) October 22, 2023
Upset doesn’t adequately describe this year’s version of UVA knocking off UNC in Chapel Hill. I’d have been only slightly more surprised if Mack Brown coached the game in nothing but a pair of chaps.
— Heath Cline (@heathradio) October 22, 2023
Just a bad, bad loss no matter how you look at it. 1-5 UVA comes into your OWN STADIUM and is the more aggressive/inspired team from minute 1 to 60.
Safe to say #UNC ate the ‘poisonous cheese’ Mack Brown tried sooo hard to warn them about. Wild.
— Jacob Turner (@JacobTurnerTHI) October 22, 2023
I was rooting for UVA. Those guys deserve it.
Also, a Mack Brown disasterclass never gets old
— Deablo fan account (@DeferredWalkOn) October 22, 2023
https://twitter.com/UNC_Humor/status/1715907278396658139
Stunner: Virginia, now 2-5 on the season, hands North Carolina its first loss of the season, 31-27.
A shocking result in Chapel Hill as Drake Maye, Mack Brown and the Tar Heels go down.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) October 22, 2023
North Carolina has played six games as an AP top-10 team since 1998 and lost five of them
Each of the past three to unranked opponents
— Matt Brown (@MattBrownCFB) October 22, 2023
Uhhhh North Carolina just had one of the worst upsets in college football history
— MGo? (@MJoeBean) October 22, 2023
Wow. Virginia has upset North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Easily the most surprising result of the season.
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) October 22, 2023
not hyperbole to say that’s the worst loss in the history of the program
— Justin Clayton (@_JustinClayton_) October 22, 2023
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
