Honest Assessment of Gio Lopez's Performance vs. Duke

The North Carolina Tar Heels' 32-25 defeat to the Duke Blue Devils was not only disappointing because it came against their rival, but the result also eliminated them from bowl eligibility.

It was a game that felt like the Tar Heels had considerable control of after forcing a turnover on downs in the fourth quarter while up one point. However, a couple of sacks derailed North Carolina's chances of taking firm authority in the contest.

Nov 22, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Gio Lopez (7) is hit after a pass by Duke Blue Devils defensive back Caleb Weaver (3) during the first half at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | William Howard-Imagn Images

Quarterback Gio Lopez showed some flashes in this game, despite the loss. However, there are still times when he leaves a lot to be desired from the pocket.

Here is a deeper analysis of the junior signal caller's performance against the Blue Devils on Saturday night.

Lopez's Stat line

Nov 22, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Gio Lopez (7) rushes around the end during the first half against the Duke Blue Devils at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | William Howard-Imagn Images

In the 32-25 loss to Duke, Lopez completed 21-of-27 passes for 204 yards and one touchdown.

The junior quarterback jumped out to an impeccable start, completing all six of his passes for 65 yards on the first drive of the game. He capped off the sequence with a rushing touchdown, proving that the Tar Heels could operate on scripted plays.

Nov 22, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Gio Lopez (7) scrambles away from Duke Blue Devils defensive tackle Josiah Green (4) during the second half at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | William Howard-Imagn Images

However, throughout the rest of the first half, Lopez completed 3-of-7 passes for 21 yards. North Carolina would remain in striking distance, but that stretch of the game is when Duke stole momentum by scoring 17 unanswered points.

Lopez hit his stride late in the third quarter and early fourth quarter, completing 10-of-11 passes for 108 yards, leading the Tar Heels to 15 unanswered points and a one-point lead with 13 minutes left in the game.

Who Helped Lopez the Most

Nov 22, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver Jordan Shipp (1) celebrates after a touchdown during the second half at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | William Howard-Imagn Images

It was a two-headed attack in the passing game, with Jordan Shipp and Kobe Paysour accounting for 71.5% of Lopez's passing yards.

Shipp: 8 receptions for 83 yards and one touchdown

The sophomore receiver was dominant, specifically in the third quarter when he caught multiple passes of 15+ yards, including a 20-yard touchdown followed by a successful two-point conversion. Shipp has been the most consistent pass-catching option for the Tar Heels this season, and if his quarterback play improves in 2026, he could enter first-round consideration in the 2027 NFL Draft.

Nov 8, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver Kobe Paysour (8) catches the ball as Stanford Cardinal cornerback Brandon Nicholson (9) defends in the third quarter at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Paysour: 5 receptions for 63 yards

The senior wide receiver has been the clear second option behind Shipp this season, but he came up with several big-time catches in critical situations. He did drop a touchdown, which was an absolute dot by Lopez, but overall, you cannot complain much about Paysour's performance on Senior Night.

Although this loss will overshadow the performance and statistical output, this was arguably Lopez's most impressive and complete showing of the season.

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