North Carolina Scores First on a Pick-six and Keeps UConn at Bay
The first score of this game came from North Carolina's defense. Timir Hickman-Collins picked off a pass and took it back 62 yards in the first quarter, and the Tar Heels never trailed on the way to a 38-21 win over UConn. The Huskies tied it once, at 7-7, and that was as close as they got to a lead.
Benjamin Hall ran 39 yards for a score and Billy Edwards Jr. threw a six-yard touchdown to Jordan Shipp in the second quarter, and UNC led 21-7 with 7:41 left in the half. UConn answered with a 24-yard Kalieb Osborne pass to Cam Abshire, but Edwards hit Jelani Thurman from three yards with 24 seconds left in the half to make it 28-14. UConn pulled within 28-21 on a Cyncir Bowers 13-yard run early in the third. Rece Verhoff's 27-yard field goal pushed it back to 31-21, and Edwards to Thurman from three yards again, with 3:38 left, closed it out.
The Tar Heels out-gained UConn 421 yards to 368 and Edwards went 29 for 38. The turnover column was the difference: UConn threw two interceptions and lost a fumble, and UNC threw one pick and lost none. Take the pick-six away and it is 31-21, still a 10-point win. Fine, the pick-six was a bonus.
North Carolina moves to 5-4 and UConn falls to 4-5. For fantasy owners, Edwards led all scorers with 29.2 points, Thurman had 25.4 on two touchdowns, and Osborne, who is always good for a number, still got 24.6 in a loss.