No. 13 North Carolina can clinch 10-win season vs Ga Tech

“Everyone will likely be bragging on our guys, everyone speaking about clinching the ACC Coastal (Division), on the point of go to the championship recreation, asking about tickets,” Brown mentioned. “You then’ve obtained your rival (North Carolina State) subsequent week on Senior Day. And this one’s sitting in right here the place we higher get able to play.”

The Tar Heels (9-1, 6-0 ACC) clinched the division race with final weekend’s win at Wake Forest, capping the primary 6-0 season highway report in program historical past. Now they’re again dwelling for the ultimate two video games, the primary coming in opposition to the Yellow Jackets (4-6, 3-4) earlier than internet hosting the Wolfpack as they attempt to attain 10 wins for the primary time since 2015.

Brown may level to the Tar Heels’ lopsided loss at Georgia Tech final 12 months to remind his group of what can occur in the event that they’re not targeted on this weekend.

“There received’t be a lot discuss this recreation publicly as there will likely be with the State recreation and the championship recreation,” Brown mentioned. “So we’ve to get our minds able to go as a result of anyone that watches that movie final 12 months — they’ve obtained adequate gamers and so they completely whipped us in each approach and outcoached us.”

After rallying from a 27-16 fourth-quarter deficit to win two weeks in the past at Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech has had little go proper. Its high two quarterbacks are achieved for the season with accidents following final week’s lopsided loss to Miami, however interim coach Brent Key likes how his group has responded in follow.

Key mentioned no one’s feeling sorry for themselves.

“Who’s obtained time to try this?” he mentioned. “We now have an opportunity to play soccer this weekend. These children have likelihood to play soccer with one another once more and never solely play soccer however play a extremely good dadgum soccer group at their place. Which, everyone’s enthusiastic about.”

Second-year UNC passer Drake Maye has been sensible from the beginning of the season. It’s now inflicting a rising buzz about Maye’s potential as a Heisman Trophy candidate, with this system’s official Twitter account posting about it Sunday.

Maye is tied for first within the Bowl Subdivision in landing passes (34) with Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and No. 1 in complete offense (399.6) whereas rating second in passing offense (341.2).

Whereas Maye is rolling, high receiver Josh Downs is on fairly a run, too.

Downs is coming off an 11-catch, 154-yard day at Wake Forest that included three first-half touchdowns — with Downs taking time to emphatically rely off all three on his fingers after the third scoring seize.

He’s now gone 4 straight video games with 100+ yards receiving and has three straight video games with 11+ catches.

Georgia Tech misplaced its high two quarterbacks within the span of some days. Jeff Sims, the Yellow Jackets’ starter since 2020, is out indefinitely present process medical remedy for an injured foot. Zach Pyron broke his collarbone within the third quarter of final week’s 35-14 dwelling loss to Miami and is out for the remainder of the season.

Queue up Zach Gibson, a switch from Akron who will make his second begin since finishing two of three passes taking part in the primary sequence of a 41-16 loss at Florida State three weeks in the past. Gibson’s backup will likely be Taisun Phommachanh, a Clemson switch who has but to take a snap this 12 months.

North Carolina’s protection has been among the many nation’s worst statistically all season however has proven a knack for developing with key performs on the proper time, too.

The Tar Heels rank 124th in FBS in complete protection (460.9) and 109th in scoring protection (31.3), although the latter is significantly better (25.8) in ACC play. And in final weekend’s win in opposition to Wake Forest and star quarterback Sam Hartman, the protection got here up with a fourth-down cease inside its personal 10-yard line, a vital interception close to midfield to arrange the go-ahead area aim and one other fourth-down cease within the fourth quarter.

“It’s been a fairly opportunistic protection,” mentioned Gene Chizik, who’s within the first 12 months of his second stint overseeing UNC’s protection. “The fourth quarter, we didn’t hand over some extent. Someway or one other, we have been capable of shut out three straight drives. It wasn’t at all times fairly, however we’re in search of outcomes.”

Barring a spectacular crash by each North Carolina and No. 1 Georgia, the Jackets will miss out on a bowl recreation for the fourth straight 12 months. Key has considerably stabilized this system with a 3-3 report since Geoff Collins was fired with the worst profitable share in program historical past, however contemplating that he’s more likely to end 3-5, that mark won’t be sufficient to steer new athletic director J Batt to convey him on full-time.

AP Sports activities Author George Henry contributed to this report.