North Carolina Loses Quarterback Gio Lopez to Apparent Injury vs. UCF

Coach Bill Belichick's squad endured a tough day in Orlando.

Gio Lopez exited North Carolina's game against UCF with an apparent injury. | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

On Saturday, life for North Carolina under coach Bill Belichick went from bad to worse.

The Tar Heels' quarterback, Gio Lopez, was carted off the field with an apparent injury during the team's game against UCF. He was replaced by Max Johnson, a transfer from LSU and Texas A&M in his second year with the school.

Lopez came to the Research Triangle from South Alabama, where he'd played 16 games in two years, in the offseason. He entered Saturday having thrown three touchdowns against one interception in three games; on Saturday against the Knights, he completed 11 of 14 passes for 87 yards and two interceptions.

Per InsideCarolina, Lopez could not put any weight on his left leg upon his exit.

North Carolina, which created modest optimism with back-to-back wins over Charlotte and Richmond, trailed UCF 20–3 at the half. The Tar Heels' next two games are against Clemson and unbeaten California.

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