After an 0-3 start in conference play, the outlook seemed grim for UNC. It wasn’t just that North Carolina lost its third straight ACC game to a Florida State team that was in the midst of its own three-game losing streak, it was how the Tar Heels lost. FSU outscored North Carolina 24-3 over the final 22 minutes for a come-from-behind 30-27 win in a nationally televised Thursday night game. Following that loss, UNC’s standout defense was questioned, and a bowl appearance seemed unlikely.
Not so.
UNC pulled off a shocking 20-17 upset at No. 13 Virginia Tech the following week to start a four-game winning streak that included an upset of No. 14 Miami, and played their way back into the bowl picture. It was a remarkable turnaround for a team that had struggled mightily on offense and been dealt numerous injuries to key offensive players, including on the offensive line, their top tight end and leading rusher. The bulk of North Carolina’s success can be attributed to its defense, which finished No. 9 in the country in rushing defense, No. 6 in total defense, and No. 13 in both scoring defense and pass efficiency defense.
The one thing UNC couldn’t do was beat rival NC State in the season finale, and it was the third straight year coach Butch Davis lost to Tom O’Brien.
Offensive MVP: Ryan Houston. He led Carolina with 630 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. After teammate Shaun Draughn went down with a shoulder injury against Duke, Houston became the Tar Heels' featured back. He responded against Duke with a career-high 164 yards rushing on 37 carries. He also had nine receptions for 74 yards this season.
Defensive MVP: Robert Quinn. He finished the regular season with 49 tackles, including a league-best 19 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. Quinn ranked first in the ACC and ninth in the country in tackles for loss and second in the league and 10th in the country in sacks. In addition, he was second in the conference and third in the country with six forced fumbles.
Turning point: Winning at Virginia Tech. Nobody saw that coming -- especially the Hokies on their home field at Lane Stadium. UNC, winless in conference play, marched into Blacksburg and earned a dramatic, fourth-quarter 20-17 win with the help of a forced fumble and a game-winning field goal. The Tar Heels got their first win against Virginia Tech since the Hokies joined the ACC in 2004 and ended a five-game skid in the series. It also changed their season and started a four-game winning streak.
What’s next: UNC’s defense will face another challenge in the Meineke Car Care Bowl against Pitt, as Dion Lewis ranks third in the nation in rushing. UNC lost to West Virginia in this bowl last year and has a chance to even the score against the Big East.
Not so.
UNC pulled off a shocking 20-17 upset at No. 13 Virginia Tech the following week to start a four-game winning streak that included an upset of No. 14 Miami, and played their way back into the bowl picture. It was a remarkable turnaround for a team that had struggled mightily on offense and been dealt numerous injuries to key offensive players, including on the offensive line, their top tight end and leading rusher. The bulk of North Carolina’s success can be attributed to its defense, which finished No. 9 in the country in rushing defense, No. 6 in total defense, and No. 13 in both scoring defense and pass efficiency defense.
The one thing UNC couldn’t do was beat rival NC State in the season finale, and it was the third straight year coach Butch Davis lost to Tom O’Brien.
Offensive MVP: Ryan Houston. He led Carolina with 630 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. After teammate Shaun Draughn went down with a shoulder injury against Duke, Houston became the Tar Heels' featured back. He responded against Duke with a career-high 164 yards rushing on 37 carries. He also had nine receptions for 74 yards this season.
Defensive MVP: Robert Quinn. He finished the regular season with 49 tackles, including a league-best 19 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. Quinn ranked first in the ACC and ninth in the country in tackles for loss and second in the league and 10th in the country in sacks. In addition, he was second in the conference and third in the country with six forced fumbles.
Turning point: Winning at Virginia Tech. Nobody saw that coming -- especially the Hokies on their home field at Lane Stadium. UNC, winless in conference play, marched into Blacksburg and earned a dramatic, fourth-quarter 20-17 win with the help of a forced fumble and a game-winning field goal. The Tar Heels got their first win against Virginia Tech since the Hokies joined the ACC in 2004 and ended a five-game skid in the series. It also changed their season and started a four-game winning streak.
What’s next: UNC’s defense will face another challenge in the Meineke Car Care Bowl against Pitt, as Dion Lewis ranks third in the nation in rushing. UNC lost to West Virginia in this bowl last year and has a chance to even the score against the Big East.
Heather Dinich | email
College Football- ESPN.com ACC blogger
- Joined ESPN.com in 2007
- Wrote for The Baltimore Sun
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Heather Dinich
Dinich covered ACC and Big Ten football for five seasons before joining ESPN.com in November 2007. She's an Indiana grad but somehow her favorite day of the week is Saturday.
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