Rapid Reaction: TCU beats UNC in a blowout, spoiling Bill Belichick’s Carolina debut
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Bill Belichick’s North Carolina team started strong. It didn’t last.
The Tar Heels marched down the field on their first possession, going 83 yards over 7 plays to take a 7-0 lead. After that, TCU seized momentum and before too long, a blowout was on.
At one point, the ESPN broadcast noted that it had been 2 hours and 7 minutes of real time between completions for UNC quarterback Gio Lopez. Belichick named Lopez the starter, but veteran Max Johnson turned in a stronger performance off the bench.
Plenty of fans on social media called for Johnson to be the new starting QB. Considering Lopez left with an injury, Belichick’s decision may have been made for him.
TCU got standout performances from multiple players, including QB Josh Hoover and leading rusher Kevorian Barnes. The Horned Frog defense scored touchdowns on a pick-6 and a fumble recovery.
UNC’s Caleb Hood scored the opening touchdown, but was largely not heard from the rest of the game. The Carolina offense struggled to get anything going after the opening drive, averaging less than 2 yards per carry.
It’s unclear what’s ahead for Belichick and the Tar Heels, but TCU looks to be building
TCU 48, North Carolina 14
Here’s the UNC-TCU box score (use the dropdown menu to select team or player stats), followed by the complete play-by-play:
Josh Hoover vs. Gio Lopez & Max Johnson
A statistical breakdown of how TCU’s Josh Hoover outplayed UNC’s Gio Lopez. Max Johnson would later look impressive for Carolina off the bench. In the 4th quarter, TCU let Hoover rest and brought in Ken Seals. (Use the dropdown menu here, too, to select and compare other players.):
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
