North Carolina

No. 14 North Carolina in full control with Maye accounting for 4 touchdowns in 40-7 win over Orange

Published

1 year ago

October 8, 2023

No. 14 North Carolina in full control with Maye accounting for 4 touchdowns in 40-7 win over Orange

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — There will be bigger tasks ahead for No. 14 North Carolina, but the way the Tar Heels took care of matters Saturday should give them confidence they can meet those challenges.

Drake Maye threw for three touchdowns and ran for another as North Carolina remained undefeated with a 40-7 victory over Syracuse.

“We’re playing to a standard,” coach Mack Brown said. “This was important to (our players) to get better and that’s what they did.”

The Tar Heels (5-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) overpowered the Orange with a ball-control offense that churned out 644 yards total offense and about twice as much time of possession.

Receiver Tez Walker made his North Carolina debut two days after he was cleared to play by the NCAA following a long transfer-eligibility case, but the Tar Heels had plenty of offense even with his minimal contributions.

“Kind of wanted to get him the groove,” Maye said. “Glad to see him out there. What a great story.”

Maye completed 33 of 47 passes for 442 yards without an interception. The longest pass play was Kobe Paysour’s 76-yard touchdown reception after he tipped a slightly off-target pass to himself and then outraced the Orange secondary to end zone.

“He saved my butt there,” Maye said.

Nate McCollum caught seven passes for 135 yards and Paysour gained 100 yards on three catches.

Syracuse (4-2, 0-2) had 221 yards of total offense. Quarterback Garrett Shrader was 15 for 21 for 124 yards and an interception.

“There was real football out there,” Orange coach Dino Babers said. “That’s a good team. Those guys were big, strong and fast and they executed very well.”

North Carolina’s Noah Burnette kicked four field goals.

The Orange was held to 70 total yards in the first half. The Orange opened the second half on a 75-yard drive with LeQuint Allen’s 1-yard TD run.

North Carolina’s defense allowed 11 first downs – the fewest in a game in 11 years.

“We had a big challenge on our hands. I thought we handled it well,” nose tackle Tomari Fox said. “The odds were already against them (coming off a loss and on the road). We couldn’t give them any help.”

The Tar Heels used 14 plays to go 64 yards for Burnette’s 29-yard field goal on the game’s opening possession.

North Carolina’s second scoring drive ended on Maye’s 1-yard sneak, covering 94 yards in 17 plays. It included a Tar Heels punt that was blocked by Syracuse’s Denis Jaquez Jr., but punter Ben Kiernan scooped the ball and barely picked up a first down.

Maye connected with tight end Bryson Nesbit in the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown in the second quarter to complete a nine-play, 77-yard march.

The margin grew to 24-0 after Maye’s 1-yard flip to tight end John Copenhaver to cap a 95-yard drive.

North Carolina has scored 30 or more points in its first five games for the second year in a row. The Tar Heels eclipsed the 600-yard mark with more than 12 minutes to play.

LET THEM PLAY, TOO?

The Tar Heels appeared on the verge of wearing out the Orange. North Carolina had 39 of the game’s first 48 plays. First downs were 15-1 in the Tar Heels’ favor at that point.

By the end of the first half, Maye had completed 23 passes. Syracuse had 22 total snaps (and the last of those was a kneel down to end the half).

“I don’t think I’ve seen a first half that dominant in a long, long time,” Brown said.

WALKER TRACKER

Walker’s first catch came on a 6-yard play on North Carolina’s second possession, shortly after he was on the field for his first snap.

“It’s a blessing to be out there,” Walker said.

The former Kent State player finished with six receptions for 43 yards. The six catches were second on the team among the 11 Tar Heels who caught passes in the game.

Walker had to make a late-week transition from the scout team.

“The young man is living his dream,” Brown said.

THE TAKEAWAY

Syracuse: The Orange didn’t have much time to showcase an offense that was impressive in the first four games of the season but has failed to generate much in ACC play.

North Carolina: The Tar Heels were fresh and energized coming off an open date and they clicked offensively in the first of three straight home games.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

North Carolina could climb a bit after its fourth victory by a double-figure margin, all against Power 5 opponents.

UP NEXT

Syracuse: Saturday at No. 5 Florida State.

North Carolina: Home Saturday vs. No. 17 Miami.

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North Carolina

Key Ole Miss Transfer Target Thaddeus Dixon Chooses North Carolina Over Rebels

Published

4 hours ago

January 19, 2025

Press Room

Key Ole Miss Transfer Target Thaddeus Dixon Chooses North Carolina Over Rebels

The Ole Miss Rebels have made strong moves in the transfer portal this offseason, but the program missed out on a key contributor on Saturday when cornerback Thaddeus Dixon pledged to the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Ole Miss was in the race late for Dixon, but a deciding factor in his decision to join the Tar Heels may have boiled down to Carolina’s hiring of former Washington assistant Armond Hawkins as defensive backs coach. Dixon is a transfer from the Washington Huskies, so familiarity in his new home likely played a role.

BREAKING: Washinton transfer CB Thaddeus Dixon has committed to North Carolina, @Hayesfawcett3 reports🐏https://t.co/pcXs7hjbOS pic.twitter.com/6g5D02NC7V
— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal_) January 18, 2025

READ MORE: Will Ole Miss QB Austin Simmons Continue Playing Baseball in 2025?

So, where do the Rebels go from here? Ole Miss has already gained some key pieces in its secondary out of the transfer portal (including CB Jaylon Braxton of Arkansas), but Lane Kiffin’s team will probably still be seeking some help in the defensive backfield as the transfer portal continues to move.

According to On3’s current transfer portal class rankings, Ole Miss has the third-best haul in the country, behind Texas Tech and Missouri. The Rebels have seen 23 players transfer into the program so far this offseason, and that number could continue to grow between now and kickoff of the 2025 season.

Ole Miss opens its 2025 campaign on Aug. 30 at home against Georgia State.

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Former Ole Miss Football Superstar AJ Brown Named AP All-Pro Second Team

The Pete Golding Effect: How Ole Miss Football Will Reload Defensively in 2025

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North Carolina

Thaddeus Dixon Joins in Husky Exodus to North Carolina

Published

11 hours ago

January 18, 2025

Press Room

Thaddeus Dixon Joins in Husky Exodus to North Carolina

In a postseason recruitment that was raw and revealing at times, where decorated cornerback Thaddeus Dixon suggested in social media postings that University of Washington football fans wanted him to come back more than the coaches, apparently received all the assurances he needed at North Carolina.

On Saturday, the senior defensive back from Long Beach, California, told On3 he would join the Tar Heels for his final season of college football, adding to a growing list of one-time UW players and coaches headed to Chapel Hill.

So far, the departing group includes linebacker Khmori House, safety Peyton Waters, wide receiver Jason Robinson Jr., defensive coordinator Steve Belichick and defensive analyst Armond Hawkins, all moving from Montlake to the ACC.

The 6-foot-1, 187-pound Dixon would have given the Huskies three highly accredited corners, joining fellow UW starter Ephesians Prysock and Arizona transfer Tacario Davis, to fill out a secondary that could have had few equals this coming season, and still might.

BREAKING: Washington star transfer CB Thaddeus Dixon has Committed to North Carolina, he tells @on3sports
The 6’1 195 CB totaled 69 Tackles, 16 PD, 1 FF, & 2 INT in 2 seasons with the Huskies
Ranked as a Top 10 Player in the Portal (No. 2 CB) per On3https://t.co/RlUbB6EMhS pic.twitter.com/bePHJU7wP7
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 18, 2025

Dixon reportedly took recruiting visits to Mississippi and North Carolina, and fielded overtures from Michigan, before settling on the Tar Heels.

The disconnect for Dixon appeared to show up when the Huskies landed a portal commitment from the 6-foot-4, 190-pound Davis, a second-team All-Big 12 pick this past season, presumably to take his vacated spot.

The 6-foot-4, 193-pound Prysock and Davis teamed together at Arizona in 2023, with both earning All-Pac-12 honorable-mention accolades.

Dixon originally was supposed to run out of college eligibility when the season ended, hence the Huskies went looking for cornerback help, but the NCAA gave the veteran an extra year when it changed the rules governing players with junior-college backgrounds. He came to the UW from Long Beach Community College.

One of the Huskies’ top individual success stories this past season, Dixon went from a back-up player in 2023 to unseat returning starter Elijah Jackson, who opened all 15 games for the national runner-up team.

Thaddeus Dixon soaks up the moment after an Apple Cup interception. / Skylar Lin Visuals

Moving into the lineup, Dixon started 12 of 13 games and received All-Big Ten honorable-mention honors for Jedd Fisch’s coaching staff. He had a team-best 10 pass break-ups, an Apple Cup interception and several textbook tackles in the open field. He’s easily made himself into an NFL prospect.

With three accomplished cornerbacks, the Huskies could have picked two starters and put the odd man out at nickelback.

Dixon clearly wasn’t going to go that route at the UW, likely figuring his past performance should have provided him with more cornerback guarantees.

For the latest UW football and basketball news, go to si.com/college/washington

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North Carolina

Bill Belichick's girlfriend seemingly shuts down rumors coach will leave North Carolina for NFL

Published

19 hours ago

January 18, 2025

Press Room

Bill Belichick's girlfriend seemingly shuts down rumors coach will leave North Carolina for NFL

Bill Belichick’s girlfriend on Thursday seemingly shut down any talk of her boyfriend leaving the North Carolina Tar Heels football program for a job in the NFL.

Jordon Hudson responded to rumors that suggested Belichick had one foot out the door when it came to his Tar Heels gig. Belichick had been rumored to be interest in coaching the Dallas Cowboys, but the head coaching job wasn’t open until he had already committed to North Carolina. CBS Sports reported that Belichick didn’t sign his contract with the school.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Oct. 26, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey: Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and girlfriend Jordon Hudson enter the field before the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Navy Midshipmen at MetLife Stadium. (Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images)

She posted a photo on her Instagram showing the two posing with a football and Belichick dressed in Carolina blue.

“Pictured: two people who are overtly committed to @uncfootball,” she wrote as the caption.

Michael Lombardi, who is the general manager of the North Carolina football program, also threw cold water on the rumors of Belichick jumping back to the pros.

EX-NFL COACH JON GRUDEN RIPS STATE OF COLLEGE SPORTS

Dec. 12, 2024; Chapel Hill, NC: Jordon Hudson, the girlfriend of Bill Belichick, in attendance at Loudermilk Center for Excellence. (Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images)

“Bill is recruiting in DC today, and Baltimore tomorrow. His focus is on North Carolina football, hiring staff members and developing the team. The NFL isnt a option so please stop making it one. Thank you,” he wrote on X in response to the CBS Sports report.

“The reception towards UNC and Coach Belichick has been amazing from every school we visit. We are going to fight to keep North Carolina players here and bring the best to Chapel Hill,” he added.

Belichick was hired as the Tar Heels’ coach in December. He called the job a “dream come true.”

Bill Belichick fields questions from media

The North Carolina Tar Heels’ new head coach Bill Belichick speaks to the media at Loudermilk Center for Excellence. (Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images)

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“I’ve always wanted to coach in college football,” Belichick said in his introductory press conference. “It just never really worked out. Had some good years in the NFL, so that was OK. But this is really a dream come true.”

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