A state-championship-winning coaching friend once told me you can’t get a team up 12 times a season. Sometimes you’re going to have to grind out a win, particularly over an overmatched opponent. It appeared that North Carolina might have been taking FCS N.C. Central lightly.

The case for Jacolby Criswell was pretty simple but not overwhelming as Carolina deals with life after Drake Maye. The graduate transfer quarterback produced points in his first three drives and junior Conner Harrell struggled to move the ball on his first three drives. However, Criswell may have closed the case when he led UNC to 21 of its 28 fourth-quarter points as the Tar Heels pulled away for a 45–10 victory Saturday at Kenan Stadium over N.C. Central.

CHAPEL HILL — On a December evening as a high school sophomore, Davion “Bullet” Gause already knew where he wanted to play college football. The South Florida kid was in the Hard Rock Stadium when Michael Carter and Javonte Williams combined for 544 rushing yards in the Tar Heels’ 62–26 win at Miami on Dec. 12, 2020. Watching the duo run all over the Hurricanes that night convinced Gause that North Carolina was where he wanted to play.

When a Power Three team plays an overmatched Group of Five or FCS team, especially early in the season, there are a couple of things the P4 team hopes to accomplish. Among these are usually practicing execution and polishing some of the rough edges, while at the same time avoiding injury and ideally having a big enough lead late in the game to rest starters and get some snaps down the depth chart. And, in Carolina’s case, with the season-ending injury to Max Johnson last week, the Tar Heels hoped to get Conner Harrell more comfortable leading the offense.

CHAPEL HILL — Against an overmatched Charlotte program, game one with Conner Harrell directing North Carolina’s offense went smoothly, helped by a young “Bullet” in the backfield.