By R.L. Bynum

CHAPEL HILL — There were vexing mistakes and head-scratching first-half defensive lapses before Carolina finally lowered the boom on Campbell to produce the expected blowout.

UNC scored 52 consecutive points and rode Omarion Hampton’s running and Tez Walker’s big catches to a 59–7 victory on a sun-splashed Saturday afternoon at Kenan Stadium.

Carolina (7–2) can only hope the win can build momentum as the Tar Heels head into their final three ACC games.

“I thought it was a perfect time and perfect game for us at this time,” UNC coach Mack Brown said. “I thought they had fun and we got our confidence back.”

Hampton ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns, going over 1,000 rushing yards in his ninth game, the fastest since Gio Bernard needed eight in 2012. He has 1,067 yards and became the first Tar Heel to run for at least 100 yards in four consecutive games since Bernard in 2012.

“I remember watching him,” Hampton said of Bernard. “He was a really good player and it’s cool to be in his company. He’s a bit of a local legend, really. It’s amazing being compared to one of the top players that has ever played at Carolina.”

Walker looked fine after taking a big hit and spending a night in an Atlanta hospital last weekend, catching two passes for 41 yards and two touchdowns. Brown wasn’t sure if Walker would play until after warmups.

In just over 2½ quarters, quarterback Drake Maye was 16 of 23 for 244 yards, with his second four-touchdown-pass game of the season and sixth of his career.

Facing an FBS team didn’t stop the defense’s struggles as Campbell moved the ball easily, rolling up 192 first-half yards. For the third consecutive game, UNC had trouble dealing with an opponent that pushed the tempo early on before getting better against that.

“Our guys did what you’re supposed to do,” Brown said. “They took the team that they were better than and dominated them.”

Carolina gained 594 yards, the 26th time with at least 500 yards in Brown’s second stint in Chapel Hill.

After Campbell (4–5) tied it at 7 in the first quarter, though, the Camels didn’t score again and had a tougher time generating offense in the second half until the Tar Heels cleared their bench in the fourth quarter. Even then, the Camels couldn’t do much.

“This is a big opportunity for our kids,” Campbell coach Mike Minter said. “A lot of these kids are from North Carolina and probably wanted to come here. They watched the Tar Heels growing up and they got a chance to play in this stadium. All these young kids from this area live for opportunities like this. We’re thankful for both schools and the ability to make this game happen.”

Walker, who wasn’t in for the three-and-out first UNC possession, caught a 10-yard touchdown pass as the Tar Heels went 51 yards on eight plays to score on their second possession.

Campbell quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams tied it with a 39-yard run and, four plays later, a 19-yard touchdown pass to Chaney Fitzgerald on a third-and-goal with 1:40 left in the first quarter.

After right guard Willie Lampkin’s holding penalties nullified Hampton’s would-be 75-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, Hampton broke loose for a 54-yard scoring run in the second quarter to put him over 1,000 yards for the season.

Maye connected with Walker again, this time for a 31-yard scoring play, as UNC scored twice in just over two minutes late in the first half. Hampton’s second touchdown, a 4-yard run with 27 seconds left, gave the Tar Heels a 28–7 halftime lead.

“The offensive line did their thing all day,” Hampton said. “They opened up the holes and allowed me to reach 1,000 yards.”

Carolina botched the first half’s final seconds after Campbell muffed a kickoff and the Heels got a gift. The coaches wanted them to spike the ball after a completed pass at the Camels 19 to stop the clock. But the field-goal unit thought it was supposed to run out onto the field, and the time expired.

UNC pounced quickly in the second half with three-play scoring drives of 37 seconds and 42 seconds to shove the lead to 35 points.

Maye connected with Doc Chapman for 45 and 5 yards after UNC took the second-half kickoff before completing a 25-yard touchdown pass to tight end John Copenhaver. After Campbell fumbled on an apparent fake punt attempt, Maye found wide receiver J.J. Jones wide open in the left side of the end zone for a 21-yard scoring play.

Connor Harrell took over at quarterback for UNC with 4:08 left in the third quarter, and quickly had an impact. After his first drive produced a 43-yard Noah Burnette field goal, he broke loose for a 61-yard touchdown run and threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to Chris Culliver.

Before giving way to Jefferson Boaz, Harrell was 4 of 4 passing for 71 yards and a touchdown and ran twice for 61 yards and a touchdown.

“I think we did everything that we were supposed to today,” said linebacker Cedric Gray, who led UNC with seven tackles, two assists and a career-high two sacks. “We handled business like we should have. We definitely got some confidence back.”

Power Echols adding five tackles and four assists for UNC.

NOTES — Carolina plays its last home game of the season Saturday against Duke (6–3, 3–2 ACC) at 8 p.m. (ACC Network), which beat Wake Forest 24–21 at home on Thursday to snap a two-game losing streak. … Campbell fell to 0–11 all-time against FBS opponents, including 0–2 against ACC teams after a 66–14 loss at Wake Forest in 2020. The Camels lost 48–7 at Liberty in 2021 and 49–10 at East Carolina. … Marcus Allen’s third-quarter interception was Carolina’s 12th this season after the Tar Heels picked off only nine last season. … UNC wide receiver Nate McCollum (lower-body injury), running back Caleb Hood (upper-body injury) and cornerback Tayon Holloway (upper-body injury) missed the game. Gavin Blackwell started in place of McCollum. … On Military Appreciation Day, the UNC coaching staff wore green shirts and caps. … Three members of a military parachute team landed on the field before the game. … It was the 12th time Carolina has scored over 50 points since Brown returned in 2019. … Maye passed Bryn Renner for fifth in UNC career total offense yards with 8,227
total (rushing and passing). He has 7,213 passing yards and is the the sixth Tar Heel with at least 7,000 passing yards and 8,000 total offense yards.

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UNC 59, Campbell 7

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ACC standings

Team	ACC	All
X — No. 5 Florida State	8–0	12–0
X — No. 9 Louisville	7–1	10–2
N.C. State	6–2	9–3
Georgia Tech	5–3	6–6
Virginia Tech	5–3	6–6
Clemson	4–4	8–4
North Carolina	4–4	8–4
Duke	4–4	7–5
Miami	3–5	7–5
Boston College	3–5	6–6
Syracuse	2–6	6–6
Pittsburgh	2–6	3–9
Virginia	2–6	3–9
Wake Forest	1–7	4–8

Friday’s result
Miami 45, Boston College 20
Saturday’s games
Kentucky 38, No. 9 Louisville 31
Duke 30, Pittsburgh 19
Syracuse 35, Wake Forest 31
No. 1 Georgia 31, Georgia Tech 23
Virginia Tech 55, Virginia 17
Clemson 16, South Carolina 7
No. 5 Florida State 24, Florida 15
N.C. State 39, North Carolina 20
Next Saturday’s ACC championship game in Charlotte
No. 9 Louisville vs. No. 5 Florida State, 8 p.m., ABC

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UNC 1,000-yard rushing seasons

1970      Don McCauley   1,720
2015      Elijah Hood        1,463
1976      Mike Voight       1,407
2011      Giovani Bernard 1,253
1986      Derrick Fenner  1,250
1975      Mike Voight       1,250
1984      Ethan Horton    1,247
2020      Michael Carter  1,245
2012      Giovani Bernard 1,228
1977      Amos Lawrence 1,211
1992      Natrone Means 1,195
1988      Kennard Martin 1,146
2020      Javonte Williams 1,140
1980      Amos Lawrence 1,118
1983      Ethan Horton    1,107
2021      Ty Chandler       1,092
1969      Don McCauley   1,092
1974      Jim Betterson    1,082
2023 Omarion Hampton 1,067
1982      Kelvin Bryant     1,064
1983      Tyrone Anthony  1,063
1978      Amos Lawrence 1,043
1980      Kelvin Bryant     1,039
1993      Curtis Johnson  1,034
1974      Mike Voight       1,033
1991      Natrone Means 1,030
1979      Amos Lawrence 1,019
1981      Kelvin Bryant     1,015
1993      Leon Johnson    1,012
1973      Sammy Johnson 1,006
1997      Jonathan Linton 1,004
2019      Michael Carter  1,003

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UNC schedule

Month/ date	Opponent/event	2023 record	UNC record in series
April
20	Spring game, 3 p.m.	—	—
August
29 (Thurs.)	at Minnesota	6–7	1–0
September
7	Charlotte	3–9	0–0
14	N.C. Central	9–3	0–0
21	James Madison	11–2	3–0
28	at Duke	8–5	65–40–4
October
5	Pittsburgh	3–9	12–5
12	Georgia Tech	7–6	22–33–3
26	at Virginia	3–9	66–58–4
November
2	at Florida State	13–1	3–17–1
16	Wake Forest	4–8	72–36–2
23	at Boston College	7–6	6–2
30	N.C. State	9–4	68–39–6

Photo via @GoHeels