UNC's Forbes Proud Despite National Championship Loss Against Oklahoma

The North Carolina Tar Heels fell to the Oklahoma Sooners 13-2 on Monday night in Game 3 of the College World Series National Championship.

It was obviously a disappointing performance by the Tar Heels, but head coach Scott Forbes took the positive route in this postgame press conference.

Forbes' Thoughts

June 7, 2026; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Scott Forbes coaches outfielder Carter French (18) during the ninth inning against the USC Trojans at Boshamer Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

"I sure hope so," Forbes said of North Carolina eventually winning the National Championship. "We’re going to try. That’s for sure. That’s something that we’re always going to do. We’re going to work our tails off to get back here."

"And the more you get to a place, hopefully you can knock that door down," Forbes continued. "We’ve just got to keep the main thing the main thing, and that’s the players, and helping them get better and leave here better people."

Jun 12, 2026; Omaha, NE, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Scott Forbes walks to the mound during the seventh inning against the Mississippi Rebels at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

"And you’ve got to feel like eventually that winning will take care of itself and eventually we’ll find a way to be on the other end."

Moments after the game, North Carolina's players remained on the rails in the dugout, watching Oklahoma's players celebrate the win. Forbes explained what he told each player.

May 31, 2026; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels infielder Gavin Gallaher (5) fist bumps head coach Scott Forbes at third against the East Carolina Pirates during the Chapel Hill Regional at Boshamer Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | William Howard-Imagn Images

"I was just telling them that I love them," Forbes said. "That’s it. And I thanked them. Because they’re the ones that brought us here. Coaches, head coach especially, get way too much credit. You know, it’s everybody else — the staff, it’s the strength coach, it’s the assistant coaches, it’s the administration."

"But at the end of the day, I also — I made my last out in the Division III World Series and I know what that pain feels like. The pain’s the pain. And I just wanted them to know how grateful I am for what they’ve taken us all on. And it’s been an amazing ride from being down to Southern Cal, to playing to the very last day of the college baseball season. And that’s pretty cool."

Overall Takeaways

Jun 22, 2026; Omaha, NE, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels left fielder Tyler Howe (12) sits in the dugout before the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Obviously, it was not what the Tar Heels had planned when they extended the series to three games, following a 6-2 win on Sunday. That being said, North Carolina's season should not be viewed as a failure by any stretch of the imagination. Reaching the National Championship is a major milestone. Now, it goes without saying that North Carolina would have loved to have sealed the deal, but unfortunately, that did not happen.

The Tar Heels simply were outmatched by a team clicking on all cylinders, as the Sooners were the hottest team in baseball down the stretch. Oklahoma overpowered its opponents en route to its third national title in program history. While you never want to play the blame game, North Carolina's pitching was the main culprit in the loss. The Tar Heels came up just short of their season-long goal, but with Forbes at the helm, this program should be in contention each and every year.

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