UNC’s Offensive Grades Revealed After Loss to Virginia

Offense: 58.5
Pass : 72.5
Pass Block 74.6
Receiving 47.5
Run: 70.1
Run Block 50.6

North Carolina posted its best offensive numbers of the season, finishing with 353 total yards, its highest output so far. While not a flashy stat line, it’s a sign the offense is making progress.

Excluding the sacks quarterback Gio Lopez took, the Tar Heels rushed for 163 yards, averaging 4.5 yards per carry. Benjamin Hall led with 11 carries for 50 yards, Demon June added 39 yards, and Davion Gause had 30 yards on three carries. Gause also caught a nine-yard touchdown in overtime before UNC’s failed two-point try.

Lopez turned in his best performance of the season, completing 23 of 36 passes (63.8%) for 208 yards. He threw 10 first-down passes, including four on third downs, and for much of the game, outplayed Virginia’s Chandler Morris.

A large part of Lopez’s success came because of the emergence of other pass catchers not named Jordan Shipp and Kobe Paysour. Here are the final receiving stats:

• WR Madrid Tucker: 8 catches for 41 yards
• WR Jordan Shipp:7 catches for 67 yards
• WR Kobe Paysour: 3 catches for 53 yards
• RB Jaylen McGill: 2 catches for 23 yards
• WR Nathan Leacock: 1 catch for 12 yards
• RB Davion Gause: 1 catch for 9 yards, TD
• RB Demon June: 1 catch for 2 yards

However, North Carolina’s downfall was that it gave the ball away three times, twice in the red zone. Lopez also threw two interceptions.

The first came after Lopez hit Paysour for 13 yards. Paysour, reaching for the pylon, appeared to score, but a review ruled him down at the 1-yard line and ruled a fumble before crossing the goal line—a touchback for UVA.

On the next turnover, Lopez’s red-zone pass bounced off Shanard Clower and was intercepted by Virginia defensive end Mitchell Melton, ending another scoring threat in the third quarter.

The final turnover happened when Lopez went deep to Tucker, who tipped the ball into the air and into the arms of Virginia’s Antonio Clary in the final 30 seconds of regulation. Had Tucker made the catch, UNC would have had a prime shot at a game-winning field goal.

Top Player Performances

TE Connor Cox

• 22 snaps (18 run block, three pass, one pass block)
• 70.8 Offense, 76.9 Run Block
• Key asset in helping UNC rush for 145 yards (highest against a Power 4 opponent this season)

OL Chad Lindbergh

• 79 snaps (career high)
• 69.5 Offense, 78.8 Pass Block, 64.6 Run Block
• Did not give up a sack; allowed two hurries and two pressures

RB Davion Gause

• 19 snaps (11 pass, three pass block, three run, two run block)
• 66.4 Offense, 72.5 Receiving, 77.8 Pass Block
• Three carries for 30 yards
• Long of 25 yards
• 11 yards after contact (3.67 yards after contact per attempt)
• Nine-yard touchdown catch

RB Benjamin Hall

• 19 snaps (11 Run, Six Pass, One Pass Block, One Run Block)
• 65.5 Offense, 64.9 Run, 61.3 Pass, 70.0 Pass Block
• 11 carries for 50 yards
• 34 yards after contact (3.09 yards after contact per carry)

RB Demon June

• 29 snaps (13 Pass, nine run, five pass block, two run block)
• Nine rushes for 39 yards
• 30 yards after contact (3.33 yards after contact per attempt)
• One broken tackle 
• Long of seven yards

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