Tar Heels lose heartbreaker in overtime, 17-16 to No. 16 Virginia
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- After a season filled with disappointment, humbling moments, and self-inflicted wounds, North Carolina showed signs of fight and improvement on Saturday.
Unfortunately for the Tar Heels, a spirited performance ended in a razor-thin overtime loss to No. 16 Virginia, 17-16.
For the second time in two weeks, a goal-line gaffe by North Carolina proved costly when wide receiver Kobe Paysour fumbled at the 1 while stretching for the pylon early in the first quarter. The football trickled out of the end zone, resulting in a touchback.
A week earlier, in a loss to California, Nathan Leacock coughed up the ball in similar fashion as the Tar Heels were on the verge of grabbing a fourth-quarter lead and possibly their first ACC win under coach Bill Belichick.
The teams traded field goals before Virginia took a 10-3 lead with 6:36 left in the second quarter on Trell Harris' 30-yard touchdown grab. North Carolina tied it again on a 1-yard run by Lopez just 1:24 before halftime.
The score was tied 10-10 at halftime and remained that way through the end of a mistake-filled second half.
Virginia got the ball to start the overtime, and J'Mari Taylor's 1-yard touchdown run gave the Cavaliers a 17-10 lead.
On UNC's possession, quarterback Gio Lopez found Davion Gause for a 9-yard touchdown, and the Tar Heels immediately went for two and the win. Lopez's pass was complete, but Ben Hall was downed just inches short of the goal line, giving the Cavaliers the win.
Virginia coach Tony Elliott was surprised by the call.
"I would've kicked it. ... But hey, he's won a lot of football games," Elliott said of the six-time Super Bowl champion. "He's one of the best in the business for a reason. Obviously, he felt good about the call."
Asked to explain the decision, Bill Belichick kept it short.
"Just trying to win the game," he said.
Chandler Morris threw for 200 yards with one touchdown and one interception for the Cavaliers (7-1, 4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), who are off to their best start since 2007.
"We thrive in situations like this," safety Antonio Cleary said. "When it comes up, we're ready for it."
Lopez finished with 208 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions for the Tar Heels (2-5, 0-3), who lost their fourth straight and remain winless in ACC play. Their only two victories came against non-power conference teams.
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North Carolina turned it over once more in the red zone later in the game when defensive end Mitchell Melton picked off Lopez at the Cavaliers' 5. The Tar Heels' five red-zone turnovers are tied for the most in FBS.
The Tar Heels visit Syracuse on Friday.
The Associated Press contributed.
