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After spending most of the season on the Arizona Cardinals’ practice squad, running back Michael Carter had his second-best career effort Saturday in his second game of the season. Meanwhile, Drake Maye set a New England franchise record for rookie quarterbacks and Mitch Trubisky threw a touchdown pass.
If you thought an interim coach, a lame-duck staff and significant numbers of players missing through a combination of injuries, opt-outs and the transfer portal were going to make for bad football, then you were right.
BOSTON — There was plenty missing from North Carolina’s offense that led to the equivalent of a near no-hitter at Fenway Park.
The Tar Heels couldn’t hit on any big plays other than Chris Culliver’s kickoff return until a late Caleb Hood-fueled drive, as UConn easily won the Fenway Bowl 27–14 Saturday at Fenway Park before a partisan Huskies crowd.
BOSTON — Why does Coach Bill Belichick’s Carolina contract buyout drop from $10 million to $1 million on June 1? Athletics Director Bubba Cunningham address that on Saturday.
BOSTON — For the second time in three seasons, North Carolina will play a bowl game in a Major League Baseball stadium. Unlike the 2022 Holiday Bowl at the San Diego Padres’ Petco Park, Saturday’s 11 a.m. game will be played in Fenway Park, one of baseball’s most classic ballparks and home of the Boston Red Sox.
North Carolina is reportedly one of eight schools that have shown interest in Georgia State’s Jeremiah Johnson, one of the top safeties in the transfer portal.
Cameron Johnson — the subject of trade rumors — and Coby White are putting up the best numbers heading into the Christmas break of the six former UNC players on NBA rosters, while Cole Anthony had a monster game last weekend. Armando Bacot, Pete Nance and Nassir Little stand out among the seven former Tar Heels in the G League.
Destiny Adams, Dawson Garcia and Caleb Love are having the best seasons of the 19 former Carolina players playing at other schools heading into the holiday break, with Dontrez Styles a consistent factor for N.C. State.
Rookie quarterback Drake Maye added more highlight-reel plays and gave New England a shot at pulling the upset at Buffalo on a Sunday when Josh Downs scored his fifth touchdown of the season, and Michael Carter finally made his season debut.
HAPEL HILL — If this is what’s referred to as a tune-up, the North Carolina women’s basketball team is well-oiled for what’s to come. The No. 19 Tar Heels operated in good order in their final non-conference game, blasting visiting Norfolk State 90–47 on Saturday afternoon at Carmichael Arena.
Not many college football coaches get a national platform to make their pitch to recruits, but Carolina coach Bill Belichick continues to get that with ESPN, and he took full advantage of that in his Friday appearance on “College GameDay.”
CHARLOTTE — Carolina coach Courtney Banghart could see it in her players’ eyes and Florida never saw it coming. The Tar Heels’ relentless defense claimed another victim on Wednesday night.
CHARLOTTE — North Carolina’s spotty early-season NCAA men’s tournament resume is starting to look eerily like two seasons ago when it wasn’t good enough to get the Tar Heels into the field.
CHARLOTTE — His face was etched with frustration. Several long pauses, as North Carolina coach Hubert Davis tried to explain his team’s latest failure to finish, spoke volumes.
Drake Maye again showed off his improvisational abilities and was again very efficient. But, again, it was in another New England loss on the same day Tez Walker scored his first NFL touchdown.
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