No. 10 North Carolina knocked off by one-win Virginia after late Drake Maye interception

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – No. 10 North Carolina hasn’t handled success well as a top-10 team in the past. 

That trend continued for the Tar Heels in a 31-27 loss to Virginia on Saturday night at Kenan Stadium. 

Entering Saturday’s game as a 23½-point favorite, North Carolina dropped to 1-5 as a top-10 team since 2015 and the Cavaliers snapped an eight-game losing streak against FBS opponents. 

Tony Muskett’s 14-yard touchdown pass to Malik Washington early in the fourth quarter gave Virginia the lead for good as the Tar Heels failed to score on four of their final five drives. Trailing 31-27 with 1:12 left, North Carolina’s offense had one more chance to avoid disaster before quarterback Drake Maye threw an interception that sealed it for the Cavaliers. 

The Tar Heels’ defense came into Saturday’s game with the 30th-ranked rushing defense in the nation at 113.8 rushing yards per game and 3.61 yards per carry. 

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The Hoos had 164 rushing yards and running back Mike Hollins had three rushing TDs through three quarters. That’s the most rushing TDs allowed by the Tar Heels since Virginia’s Wali Lundy did it in 2004.

Virginia entered the game with the ACC’s worst scoring offense and defense before jumping out to a 14-7 lead in the first quarter against the Tar Heels, who hadn’t allowed points in the first quarter at home until Saturday.

The Cavaliers finished with more than 200 rushing yards.