North Carolina heads to Jerry Richardson Stadium on Saturday night looking for a reset after a rough opener. It is Bill Belichick’s first road game as a college head coach, and the 73-year-old is still searching for his first win at UNC. Charlotte welcomes the Tar Heels to its campus venue after opening the season uptown at Bank of America Stadium.
North Carolina’s response game
UNC’s loss to TCU exposed issues the staff pinpointed right away: penalties, missed tackles, and stalled drives. The biggest question sits at quarterback. Gio Lopez left the opener in the third quarter with a back issue, and veteran Max Johnson came on to lead a touchdown drive. Belichick kept the decision close to the vest this week, so expect both to be ready. Up front, the Tar Heels need a cleaner night after being outgained and losing the line-of-scrimmage battle on Monday.
Charlotte’s familiar face under center
The 49ers hand the offense to Conner Harrell, a former UNC starter who knows the Tar Heels’ personnel and tendencies. He threw a touchdown in last week’s loss to Appalachian State and will lean on tempo and timing throws to settle in. First-year head coach Tim Albin said the jump from Week 1 to Week 2 is where he expects real improvement, especially with new faces across the two-deep.
Trenches and tempo
This matchup likely swings with protection and early-down success. UNC wants to establish rhythm with quick throws and a steadier run game to stay ahead of schedule. Charlotte needs to keep Harrell clean and find balance so the Tar Heel pass rush cannot tee off. Special teams could matter, too, after both sides had uneven moments in the opener.
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Health and depth
Lopez’s back, UNC’s offensive line reshuffle, and a couple of defensive pieces working back to full speed are storylines to monitor pregame. Charlotte listed a few skill players as day-to-day, and the staff will adjust rotations if needed. Depth in September is often decisive, especially on a short week.
The setting
This one is in an NFL city but on a compact campus stage, which should make the energy feel close and loud. North Carolina needs composure and cleaner execution. Charlotte gets a shot at its biggest on-campus crowd of the year with a quarterback who would love nothing more than to play spoiler against his former team.
Kickoff is Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.
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