UNC’s Offensive Grades Revealed After Loss to Virginia

North Carolina suffered its fourth consecutive loss last Saturday, falling 17-16 in overtime to No. 16 Virginia in what may have been the Tar Heels’ most complete game of the season.

Here's an explanation of how PFF's grading works: On every play, a PFF analyst will grade each player on a scale of -2 to +2, ranging from a pick-six to a late touchdown pass, with expected plays graded as a 0. Each game is graded by two different analysts and any discrepancies are settled by a senior analyst. Grades are then normalized to account for game situation and converted to a 0-100 scale.

Overall Offensive PFF Grades

UNC — Oct 25, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick with the team before the game at Kenan Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Offense: 58.5
Pass : 72.5
Pass Block 74.6
Receiving 47.5
Run: 70.1
Run Block 50.6

North Carolina posted its best offensive numbers of the season, finishing with 353 total yards, its highest output so far. While not a flashy stat line, it’s a sign the offense is making progress.

Excluding the sacks quarterback Gio Lopez took, the Tar Heels rushed for 163 yards, averaging 4.5 yards per carry. Benjamin Hall led with 11 carries for 50 yards, Demon June added 39 yards, and Davion Gause had 30 yards on three carries. Gause also caught a nine-yard touchdown in overtime before UNC’s failed two-point try.

Lopez turned in his best performance of the season, completing 23 of 36 passes (63.8%) for 208 yards. He threw 10 first-down passes, including four on third downs, and for much of the game, outplayed Virginia’s Chandler Morris.

A large part of Lopez’s success came because of the emergence of other pass catchers not named Jordan Shipp and Kobe Paysour. Here are the final receiving stats:

WR Madrid Tucker: 8 catches for 41 yards
WR Jordan Shipp:7 catches for 67 yards
WR Kobe Paysour: 3 catches for 53 yards
RB Jaylen McGill: 2 catches for 23 yards
WR Nathan Leacock: 1 catch for 12 yards
RB Davion Gause: 1 catch for 9 yards, TD
RB Demon June: 1 catch for 2 yards

Oct 25, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver Kobe Paysour (8) is ruled to loose control as he attempts to score resulting in a touchback as Virginia Cavaliers safety Corey Costner (18) and defensive back Donavon Platt (28) defend in the first quarter at Kenan Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

However, North Carolina’s downfall was that it gave the ball away three times, twice in the red zone. Lopez also threw two interceptions.

The first came after Lopez hit Paysour for 13 yards. Paysour, reaching for the pylon, appeared to score, but a review ruled him down at the 1-yard line and ruled a fumble before crossing the goal line—a touchback for UVA.

On the next turnover, Lopez’s red-zone pass bounced off Shanard Clower and was intercepted by Virginia defensive end Mitchell Melton, ending another scoring threat in the third quarter.

The final turnover happened when Lopez went deep to Tucker, who tipped the ball into the air and into the arms of Virginia’s Antonio Clary in the final 30 seconds of regulation. Had Tucker made the catch, UNC would have had a prime shot at a game-winning field goal.

Top Player Performances

TE Connor Cox

North Carolina Tar Heels mascot Rameses hit the field hours before the Duke's Mayo Bowl between North Carolina and South Carolina at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte on Thursday, December 30, | JESSICA GALLAGHER/ Staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

22 snaps (18 run block, three pass, one pass block)
70.8 Offense, 76.9 Run Block
Key asset in helping UNC rush for 145 yards (highest against a Power 4 opponent this season)