Artacho’s Angle: UNC Football Reverts Back to Old Ways

North Carolina's outing against Wake Forest looked a like itself during the beginning of the season.

Oct 31, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick looks to the clock in the fourth quarter game against the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

North Carolina football did not look like the team that saw improvement during its outings against California, Virginia, Syracuse, and, in this matter, Stanford when taking on Wake Forest on the road this past Saturday. In fact, the Tar Heels took a step back and saw themselves revert to old ways as seen earlier on during their matchups against TCU, Charlotte, UCF, and especially Clemson.

Oct 31, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick on the sidelines in the second quarter against the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

UNC quarterback Gio Lopez threw for 201 yards on 21 completed passes out of 36 attempts. He had a 58 percent completion rate and a 105.2 quarterback rating as well. Tight end Jake Johnson had the most receiving yards with 54 on five catches, while wide receiver Kobe Paysour tied him with five catches for 40 yards. Wide receivers Jordan Shipp and Jarvarius Green contributed, too.

Nov 8, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver Jordan Shipp (1) celebrates with quarterback Gio Lopez (7) after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The offense did not take a step toward the right direction whatsoever, and instead, it took many steps back to almost the way it was during the season opener — mustering only 14 points in Kenan Stadium in front of Tar Heel fans. North Carolina's run game did not help much either, as Demon June supplied only 32 yards on nine carries. Back Benjamin Hall added 21 yards on eight carries.

However, the one bright spot for the offense came from kicker Rece Verhoff, who scored all 12 of UNC's points — four field goals. Verhoff and his right leg gave life to a team that struggled to move the chains forward all game. And it fueled Demon Deacon fans in the crowd.

Sep 13, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver Jordan Shipp (1) makes a catch in the second quarter at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Nonetheless, per usual, the defense stepped up and did what it could — the same storyline as the past four games, dating back to California. Khmori House picked up his first sack as a collegiate player, while adding on nine total tackles, five of which were solo. D'Antre Robinson and Melkart Abou-Jaoude had seven tackles apiece. Andrew Simpson and Will Hardy had six tackles each to their name.

UNC being led by its defense will be a recurring theme until the end of this season, unless the offense is able to pull it together and find a groove. Lopez's transition from playing at South Alabama last season has been short of a replica, and it has drawn concerns since the first three games of the year. North Carolina is running out of time, but there is still a chance for it to change its ways.

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