WINSTON-SALEM – Gio Lopez waited nine months to get hit again.

Once he did, Wake Forest's new quarterback could get back to doing what he came to Winston-Salem to do.

The North Carolina transfer threw for 350 yards and three touchdowns as Wake Forest raced to a 28-3 halftime lead and opened its season with a 38-16 victory over Akron on Thursday night at Allegacy Financial Stadium.

Lopez completed 21 of 32 passes without an interception and helped the Demon Deacons pile up 559 yards of offense. Wake Forest averaged 8.2 yards per play and scored touchdowns through the air from 27, 72 and 78 yards. 

For Lopez, it was his first game action since suffering a broken fibula the last time he was tackled.

“I was like, ‘I haven't been tackled in like nine months,’” Lopez said. “You get that first hit, you're like, ‘All right, we're good.’”

Wake Forest didn't need long to settle in.

Lopez capped an eight-play, 82-yard opening possession with a 27-yard touchdown pass to Ke'Shawn Shanks. Connor Calvert added a 25-yard field goal later in the first quarter to make it 10-0.

Then the Demon Deacons started producing the explosive plays that broke the game open.

Lopez connected with Antonio Meeks for a 72-yard touchdown less than four minutes into the second quarter. After another Calvert field goal, Lopez found Carlos Hernandez for a 78-yard score, giving Wake Forest a 28-0 advantage with 4:57 remaining before halftime. Akron's only first-half points came on a 28-yard field goal. 

“I felt very in control,” Lopez said. “I trust Coach Ezell when he's telling me what the play is or whatever the check is. So it's full belief in Coach Ezell just to get us in the right situation, and I just go and execute the play that he called.”

Hernandez became Lopez's biggest target, catching five passes for 165 yards. Kam Shanks finished with five receptions for 55 yards, while Antonio Meeks had three catches for 93.

Lopez credited his receivers for turning throws into big gains, something Wake Forest couldn't fully simulate during practices designed to limit contact.

“They did a really good job with the ball in their hands,” Lopez said. “To see those guys make plays with the ball in their hand after the catch was super exciting for me just to be a fan and watch those guys play.”

His connection with Hernandez goes beyond football.

“That's my best friend,” Lopez said. “We're super close off the field and super close on the field.”

Wake Forest also found explosiveness on the ground. Running back Ty Clark rushed seven times for 105 yards, including a 57-yard run, while Deuce Lawrence added 52 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown. 

Yet coach Jake Dickert wasn't interested in allowing a comfortable season-opening victory to obscure Wake Forest's mistakes.

“Success can be an illusion,” Dickert said. “I thought we were sloppy in a lot of phases of this game.”

Wake Forest managed only three points in the third quarter and was outscored 13-7 in the fourth as Akron scored twice against the Demon Deacons' reserves. Dickert also wanted more physicality from the running game and was disappointed with how his defense finished.

“There's so much to clean up from this tape,” Dickert said. “We'll show them the good, we'll be excited about where we go from here, but we've got to be a better football team in nine days.”

Lopez offered a similar assessment.

“I think we did a really good job executing the playbook,” he said. “I think we've got to be better in the second half, just overall keeping the energy going.”

The degree of difficulty now increases.

Wake Forest travels to West Lafayette, Indiana, in nine days to face Purdue at Ross-Ade Stadium.

“I think we're super excited to go to Purdue,” Lopez said, “go to their stadium and play in a stadium that isn't ours, but try to win a game.

Gardner-Webb fires football coach Kris McCullough after one game; Pete Bennett takes over as interim coach

BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner Webb University has dismissed head football coach Kris McCullough, ending a tenure that lasted one game and placing the Runnin’ Bulldogs under interim leadership early in the 2026 season.

McCullough, hired in December 2025, arrived in Boiling Springs as a rising offensive mind after successful head coaching stops at East Central and UT Permian Basin. His hiring followed the departure of former coach Cris Reisert, who led Gardner Webb for two seasons, including a 7 5 campaign in 2025, before leaving to become Toledo’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. McCullough inherited a program that had experienced recent postseason success under Tre Lamb and remained competitive in conference play, but his Gardner Webb tenure ended before it could develop beyond the opening week.

University officials announced that McCullough’s contract had been terminated, effective immediately, and said the school would have no additional comment. The dismissal came two days after Gardner Webb suspended him pending the outcome of an ongoing investigation; the university has not publicly disclosed the cause of the investigation or the reason for the firing. McCullough coached one game for the Bulldogs, a 35 17 season opening loss at Austin Peay.

Special teams coordinator and tight ends coach Pete Bennett will continue as interim head coach for the remainder of the 2026 season. The move continues a period of transition for Gardner Webb football, which has now gone from Tre Lamb to Reisert to McCullough to Bennett in a short span. The program’s recent history has included conference titles, FCS playoff appearances and a rebuilt identity, but frequent leadership changes have made sustained momentum difficult.

Gardner Webb now turns its focus to stabilizing the season while determining its next long term direction. Bennett inherits a team still near the beginning of its schedule, with the Bulldogs trying to regroup quickly after an abrupt coaching change and a season opening loss. Gardner Webb is scheduled to continue its road swing next week at Wofford, with kickoff set for 1:30 p.m. Saturday in Spartanburg.

UNC Pembroke football rallies from 13-point halftime deficit to upset No. 19 Wingate, 21-13

PEMBROKE – UNC Pembroke delivered a season-opening statement Thursday night, rallying from a 13-point halftime deficit to knock off No. 19 Wingate 21-13 at Grace P. Johnson Stadium. After a slow start and a weather-delayed opening half, the Braves controlled the final two quarters, leaned on long possessions, and finished the comeback with a defensive touchdown in the closing minutes.

Wingate took command before halftime behind a second-quarter surge. The Bulldogs broke through with 6:32 left in the period, putting together a 10-play, 83-yard drive that ended when Brooks Brien found Aaron Griffin for a 15-yard touchdown. Although the extra point was missed, Wingate had the first momentum swing of the night. The Bulldogs added to it after a short field, moving 36 yards in six plays before Ethan Wallace scored from a yard out with 1:12 remaining. Mason Suber’s kick pushed the lead to 13-0, and Pembroke’s final chance before the break ended with a missed 49-yard field goal as time expired.

The game turned after halftime. Wingate opened the third quarter with a promising march to the Pembroke 12, but Suber missed a 29-yard field goal, leaving the Bulldogs empty on a chance to make it a three-score game. UNC Pembroke answered with the kind of drive that changed the tone of the night: 15 plays, 80 yards and more than nine minutes off the clock. Quarterback Josh Ehrlich carried the series both through the air and on the ground, eventually forcing his way into the end zone from one yard out on fourth down. Jared Navidad’s extra point trimmed the deficit to 13-7 and gave the Braves life heading into the final stretch.

Pembroke’s defense then tightened the game completely. Wingate managed just 63 yards on 23 second-half offensive plays, and the Braves repeatedly forced the Bulldogs into uncomfortable passing situations. Meanwhile, the Pembroke offense stayed patient. A drive that began late in the third quarter continued deep into the fourth, eventually covering 71 yards in 16 plays and consuming 8:50. Ehrlich kept the chains moving, including a key fourth-down sequence aided by a Wingate roughing-the-passer penalty, before finding Jake Davids for a six-yard touchdown. Navidad’s kick gave UNC Pembroke its first lead, 14-13, with 7:31 to play.

From there, the Braves protected the margin with defense and field position. Wingate reached midfield on its next possession but turned the ball over on downs at the Pembroke 48. The Braves were forced to punt, giving the Bulldogs one more opportunity with 1:50 left at their own 20. Ten seconds later, Myles Hudson delivered the decisive play, intercepting Brien and returning it 22 yards for a touchdown. The pick-six stretched the lead to 21-13 and capped Pembroke’s 21 unanswered points.

Wingate still had one final possession and moved to its own 43 after a pass interference penalty, but Pembroke’s secondary finished the job. Four straight incompletions, including a fourth-down breakup, sealed the win and ended the Bulldogs’ comeback bid.

Statistically, the game was tight, but Pembroke controlled the details that mattered most. The Braves outgained Wingate 216-204, held a 16-14 edge in first downs and dominated time of possession, 37:59 to 22:01. Ehrlich completed 20 of 31 passes for 122 yards and a touchdown while adding 69 net rushing yards and another score. Avery Curtis was his most frequent target, catching 11 passes for 49 yards, while Davids supplied the go-ahead touchdown reception.

For Wingate, Wallace led the offense with 86 rushing yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, while Brien threw for 68 yards with one touchdown and one interception. The Bulldogs’ defense had strong individual efforts, including nine tackles from Tyson Brown and 3.5 tackles for loss with 1.5 sacks from David Squires, but three turnovers and a scoreless second half proved costly. UNC Pembroke, meanwhile, opened the season 1-0 by ending a six-game skid against Wingate and earning a ranked win built on resilience, ball control and a closing defensive flourish.

Fayetteville State football rallies past Shaw 33-20 in 2026 season opener

FAYETTEVILLE, NC — Fayetteville State spent the opening half chasing Shaw. By the end of the night, the Broncos had turned special teams and defense into the difference in a 33-20 season-opening win Saturday at Luther “Nick” Jeralds Stadium.

Shaw built a 12-0 lead and appeared to have Fayetteville State on its heels, but the Broncos flipped the game before halftime with two unusual scoring plays. Fayetteville State’s first points came after a blocked extra-point attempt, which Terrell Ford ran back 100 yards for a defensive two-point conversion. Late in the second quarter, the Broncos added another two points when Shaw’s punt attempt went out of the back of the end zone for a safety, cutting the Bears’ lead to 12-11 at the break.

Those plays changed the feel of the opener. Shaw controlled much of the early action, but Fayetteville State stayed within reach without needing its offense to carry the full comeback. Once the Broncos found rhythm after halftime, they scored 16 points in the third quarter and took control.

Shaw struck first when Trey Thorpe scored on a 10-yard run, giving the Bears a 6-0 lead after the missed extra point. The Bears extended the margin in the second quarter on Alexander Marsh’s eight-yard touchdown pass to Keyshaun Powell. But the conversion attempt turned into Fayetteville State’s first momentum swing, with Ford’s return making it 12-2 instead of 13-0.

Fayetteville State’s offense then produced its first touchdown late in the half. Jamir Dismukes led an 11-play, 60-yard drive and finished it with an eight-yard touchdown pass to Calvin Parker with one minute left in the second quarter. John Hernandez-Vargas added the extra point, and the Broncos trailed only 12-9.

Shaw’s next possession moved backward, and the Broncos cashed in again without the offense touching the ball. The Bears were backed up near their goal line when the punt attempt resulted in a safety with 25 seconds left, sending Fayetteville State into halftime down by a single point.

Fayetteville State took the lead for good on the opening possession of the third quarter. Braylon Vinson, who led the Broncos with 88 rushing yards on 21 carries, capped an eight-play, 73-yard drive with a six-yard touchdown run. Hernandez-Vargas’ extra point made it 18-12, giving the Broncos their first lead.

The Broncos kept building from there. Dismukes broke loose for a 29-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter, stretching the lead to 24-12. Hernandez-Vargas later added a 34-yard field goal, pushing the margin to 27-12 after Fayetteville State’s third scoring drive of the quarter.

Dismukes finished 14 of 20 for 144 yards and a touchdown without an interception. He also rushed for 56 yards and a score on 10 carries, helping Fayetteville State finish with 292 total yards. Marcus Fleming led the Broncos’ receivers with three catches for 43 yards, while Unique Kelly added four receptions for 41 yards.

Shaw made one last push in the fourth quarter with a long, methodical drive. Landon Melton finished a 19-play, 75-yard march with a three-yard touchdown run, and Marsh completed the two-point try to Antrel Gibson to cut Fayetteville State’s lead to 27-20 with 7:26 remaining.

But Fayetteville State’s defense had the final answer. With Shaw trying to drive late, Zyking Patillo intercepted Marsh and returned it for a touchdown with 1:38 left. Hernandez-Vargas’ extra point attempt was missed, but the defensive score gave the Broncos a 33-20 lead and effectively sealed the opener.

Shaw finished with 216 total yards and was held to 7-of-22 passing. Marsh completed seven of 20 passes for 81 yards with one touchdown and one interception, while Thorpe led the Bears with 53 rushing yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. Fabian Diggs added 41 yards on eight attempts.

Fayetteville State’s defense repeatedly put Shaw behind schedule, recording seven sacks and holding the Bears to 5 of 16 on third down. Osirus Rhodes and Joseph Woodard each finished with six tackles, while Christopher Gordon had five tackles and one sack.

The Broncos also overcame 13 penalties for 123 yards, relying on special teams, a sharp third quarter and Patillo’s late defensive touchdown to start the season with a CIAA win. For a program picked third in the conference preseason poll, it was not a clean opener, but it was the kind that showed how many ways Fayetteville State can change a game.

Campbell football beats East Tennessee State 49-37 behind Kamden Sixkiller’s four touchdowns

JOHNSON CITY, TN – Campbell opened its season with the kind of offensive performance that can travel. Behind a huge night from quarterback Kamden Sixkiller, the Camels outlasted East Tennessee State 49-37 on Saturday in a game that featured 1,042 combined yards, 12 scoring drives and a late fourth-quarter answer that finally put the Buccaneers away.

Sixkiller carried Campbell throughout, completing 29 of 42 passes for 343 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. He also led the Camels on the ground, rushing 10 times for 95 yards and two more scores. His final touchdown, a 14-yard keeper with 1:53 remaining, capped an 82-yard drive and gave Campbell breathing room after ETSU had trimmed the deficit to five.

Campbell never trailed by more than seven and answered nearly every ETSU push with one of its own. Sixkiller started the scoring with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Evan Austin, finishing an eight-play, 75-yard opening drive. ETSU tied it on Max Mims’ 18-yard touchdown pass to T.J. Weary, but Campbell responded late in the first quarter when Elijah Lawrence scored from three yards out.

The second quarter turned the game into a back-and-forth shootout. ETSU took a 21-14 lead on rushing touchdowns by Jermaine Albritton and Travon Peyton, but Campbell answered with a seven-play, 75-yard drive that Sixkiller finished with a five-yard touchdown run. After an ETSU missed field goal, Campbell moved 64 yards in 1:23 and went back in front on Sixkiller’s 26-yard touchdown pass to Stevie Keener with 25 seconds left in the half.

ETSU still managed to add a 44-yard Ewan Johnson field goal as time expired, cutting Campbell’s halftime lead to 28-24. The score reflected the pace of the first half, when the two teams combined for 527 yards and seven scoring possessions.

Campbell created separation late in the third quarter. Devin Thomas finished a six-play, 65-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run, then added a one-yard score early in the fourth after the Camels turned an ETSU fumble into a short field. That touchdown gave Campbell a 42-24 lead, its largest of the game.

ETSU did not go quietly. Mims, who completed 33 of 41 passes for 373 yards and two touchdowns, led the Buccaneers back with a fourth-quarter push. Da’Quan Rucker scored on a four-yard run with 10:34 remaining, and Mims later found Brandon Winton for a six-yard touchdown that pulled ETSU within 42-37 with 5:34 left.

That set up the game’s decisive drive. Facing third-and-2 at the Campbell 40, Sixkiller broke free for a 42-yard run to the ETSU 18, flipping the field and draining the clock. Three plays later, he kept the ball again and scored from 14 yards out to restore the 12-point cushion.

Campbell finished with 514 total yards, including 343 passing and 171 rushing. Austin led the receiving group with four catches for 93 yards and a touchdown, while Aaryn Tate added 55 yards, Spencer Jones had 49 and Jon Gullette caught seven passes for 43 yards. Keener’s lone touchdown catch gave Campbell a halftime lead it never lost.

The Camels also won the turnover battle, recovering two ETSU fumbles and turning one into points. Caleb Battaglia led Campbell defensively with 12 tackles, including eight solo stops and a forced fumble. Vincent Sheppert added seven tackles and also forced a fumble.

ETSU outgained Campbell 528-514 and had 28 first downs to Campbell’s 24, but the Camels were more efficient in the red zone, finishing 5-for-5 with five touchdowns. Campbell also converted three of four fourth-down attempts and held the ball for 32:53.

For Campbell, the difference was the ability to finish drives and answer late. On a night when neither offense had much trouble moving the ball, Sixkiller’s dual-threat performance gave the Camels the final response they needed.

CHARLOTTESVILLE – NC State opened the 2026 season with a 34-8 loss to Virginia, falling to 0-1 for the first time since 2018. The Wolfpack was shut out in the first half and managed only one touchdown as Virginia built its lead with a steady running game, timely passing and short fields created by NC State turnovers and punts.

The Wolfpack offense struggled from the start, opening with a three-and-out and punting again on its next possession. A tipped pass on another early series became an interception by Brandyn Hillman, giving Virginia the ball at the NC State 32. Four plays later, Xavier Brown scored on a one-yard run.

The sequence put NC State in a 10-0 hole after Virginia had already opened the scoring on Will Bettridge’s 47-yard field goal. The Wolfpack punted again, and the Cavaliers answered with another touchdown when Beau Pribula connected with Brown for a 45-yard score.

NC State quarterback CJ Bailey finished 12 of 23 for 84 yards with one interception and added 33 yards rushing. The Wolfpack generated little through the air, with tight end Vander Ploog’s 21-yard catch standing as the longest completion. Ploog finished with two catches for 35 yards.

Ploog’s biggest play came during NC State’s best first-half opportunity. Trailing 17-0, the Wolfpack converted a third-and-21 and moved to the Virginia one-yard line, but Bailey fumbled on a quarterback run. Virginia recovered, ending NC State’s first trip into the red zone.

NC State entered halftime scoreless for the first time in a season opener since 2009 against South Carolina. The 17-0 deficit reflected a first half in which the Wolfpack reached the Virginia seven-yard line but came away empty.

Virginia widened the margin immediately after halftime. Pribula completed passes to TyLyric Coleman and Kameron Courtney before finding DaShawn Martin for a 47-yard touchdown, capping a three-play, 75-yard drive that made it 24-0.

NC State finally scored on its next extended opportunity. Will Wilson entered at quarterback and finished the drive with a one-yard touchdown run after Ploog’s fourth-down reception moved the Wolfpack to the Virginia one. NC State added a two-point conversion pass to Deandre Desinor, cutting the deficit to 24-8.

Wilson provided one of NC State’s few offensive bright spots, rushing six times for 21 yards and the Wolfpack’s only touchdown. Bailey remained NC State’s leading passer, while Jayden Scott added 20 yards on seven carries. The Wolfpack finished with 76 net rushing yards.

No NC State receiver reached 40 yards. Jojo Trader had two catches for 19 yards, Davion Dozier caught two passes for 14 yards and Ploog led the team with 35 receiving yards. The lack of explosive plays left the Wolfpack with few chances to climb out of the early deficit.

The NC State defense faced a heavy workload, especially against the run. Virginia finished with 251 rushing yards on 53 attempts, the most rushing yards NC State had allowed against the Cavaliers since last season’s meeting in Raleigh. It was also the first time since 2020 that the Wolfpack allowed an opponent to run the ball more than 50 times.

Linebacker Popo Aguirre led both teams with 18 tackles, NC State’s highest single-game total since Peyton Wilson recorded 19 against Duke in 2020.

Ronnie Royal III and King Mack each added seven tackles, while Harvey Dyson III and LaCorian Hodge combined for the Wolfpack’s only sack.

Virginia responded to NC State’s touchdown with a 23-play, 75-yard scoring drive that put the game out of reach. The Cavaliers converted three fourth downs during the possession before Xavier Davis scored on a one-yard run.

Bettridge later added a 42-yard field goal, his second of the game, to close the scoring. Virginia scored in every quarter, while NC State scored only in the third.

The final numbers reflected NC State’s offensive struggles. Virginia outgained the Wolfpack 413-168, held an 18-10 edge in first downs and controlled the ball for 38:04 compared with NC State’s 21:56.

NC State punted seven times and committed two turnovers, Bailey’s interception and fumble. Virginia turned both into scoring chances, with the interception leading directly to Brown’s touchdown.

The result also ended several streaks in the series. Virginia beat NC State for the first time since 2012 and won in Charlottesville for the first time since 2006. The Wolfpack still leads the all-time series 38-23-1 and is 4-1 against Virginia under Dave Doeren.

NC State will look for its first win when Richmond visits Carter-Finley Stadium on Friday, Sept. 11. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU.

DUBLIN – North Carolina opened its 2026 season with a 15-10 victory over TCU at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. The Tar Heels leaned on a pair of field goals, a safety and one goal-line rushing touchdown to hold off a TCU offense that controlled the ball for nearly 29 minutes but repeatedly came up empty in scoring position.

The numbers were tight, but Carolina was slightly sharper where it mattered. The Tar Heels held narrow edges in total yards, 322-312, and first downs, 20-18, while averaging 5.6 yards per play to TCU’s 4.4. TCU converted 7 of 17 third downs compared with Carolina’s 3 of 11, but the Horned Frogs went just 1 of 5 on fourth down and were stopped twice inside the UNC 10.

The opening quarter set the tone for a back-and-forth start. Carolina drove 73 yards on 10 plays to open the game, with quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. connecting with tight end Jelani Thurman for gains of 20 and 35 yards before Aeron Burrell capped the drive with a 20-yard field goal. TCU answered on its first possession, moving 62 yards on a drive that included a 48-yard run by Jeremy Payne, setting up a 31-yard Kyle Lemmermann field goal to tie the game at 3.

TCU then took its only lead of the game late in the first quarter. After an electric punt return by Ed Small put the Horned Frogs in scoring position, Jon Denman capped a four-play, 25-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run, and Lemmermann's extra point made it 10-3. Carolina answered immediately. Edwards led a seven-play, 70-yard drive that featured a 21-yard completion to Trech Kekahuna and an 18-yard strike to Jordan Shipp before Jaylen McGill punched it in from 9 yards out to tie the game at 10 with just over a minute left in the quarter.

The second quarter was defined by field position and mistakes. Both offenses struggled to sustain drives, and the period's most consequential moment came with 1:49 left in the half. Facing fourth-and-9 from its own 31, TCU saw a high snap sail over punter John Hoyet Chance’s head. Chance eventually kicked the loose ball out of the back of the end zone, giving Carolina a safety and a 12-10 lead. The Tar Heels then gave the ball back before halftime when Trech Kekahuna was stripped after a reception and TCU’s Max Carroll recovered, but the Horned Frogs could not turn the takeaway into points before the break. Carolina still carried a 12-10 lead into the locker room.

North Carolina extended its lead in the third quarter on the back of its defense. TCU's opening drive of the second half reached midfield before Melkart Abou Jaoude forced a sack-fumble on Jaden Craig that Jaylen Harvey recovered at the TCU 31. The Tar Heels turned the short field into Burrell’s 28-yard field goal, pushing the lead to 15-10 and closing the scoring for the day.

TCU had two more real chances to answer. A drive that started already in great field position in the third quarter reached the Carolina 5-yard line, but Payne was stopped for a loss on fourth-and-1, turning the ball over on downs. Carolina's defense made a similar stand in the fourth quarter, stuffing a 15-play, 66-yard TCU drive at the Carolina 10 when Craig's fourth-down pass intended for Jeremy Scott fell incomplete.

Carolina had a chance to add to its lead in the fourth quarter but missed a 42-yard field goal attempt wide right. TCU's offense, powered mostly by Payne on the ground, kept searching for room, but three sacks and repeated red-zone failures limited the Horned Frogs to 10 points despite running 71 plays to Carolina’s 57 and holding the ball for 28:53.

Carolina's final possession, aided by Demon June's rushing over the closing minutes, ran the clock down before a TCU offsides penalty gave the Tar Heels a first down as time expired.

Statistically, the numbers were close. North Carolina held a narrow edge in total yards, 322-312, and first downs, 20-18, while TCU owned the better third-down rate, converting 7 of 17 compared with the Tar Heels’ 3 of 11. But red-zone execution, fourth-down defense and special teams shaped the outcome. Carolina went 3 of 4 in the red zone, TCU went 2 of 4, and the Horned Frogs were stopped on four of five fourth-down attempts. Although TCU got three points after a Carolina turnover, the bigger swing came on special teams, when the safety gave the Tar Heels a lead they never gave back.

Edwards finished 16 of 28 for 232 yards with no touchdowns and was sacked three times, spreading the ball to eight different receivers. Thurman was Carolina’s leading receiver by yardage with four catches for 94 yards, and Shipp added five catches for 71 yards. On the ground, Carolina rotated Benjamin Hall (11 carries, 36 net yards), McGill (5 carries, 33 yards, 1 TD) and June (6 carries, 25 yards).

For TCU, Craig completed 20 of 32 passes for 175 yards with no touchdowns and was sacked three times. Ed Small led all receivers with nine catches for 65 yards, and Payne was the workhorse on the ground with 25 carries for 142 net yards, including the long 48-yard run in the first quarter.

Defensively, Xavier Lewis paced Carolina with seven tackles, 2.0 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss, while Derek McDonald led the team with 11 total tackles. Abou Jaoude supplied one of Carolina’s biggest defensive plays with his third-quarter strip-sack. For TCU, Max Carroll had nine tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, and Ansel Din-Mbuh added 2.0 sacks.

Key performers:

• Billy Edwards Jr. (UNC): 16-28-0, 232 yards passing
• Jelani Thurman (UNC): 4 catches, 94 yards
• Jeremy Payne (TCU): 25 carries, 142 yards
• Ed Small (TCU): 9 catches, 65 yards
• Aeron Burrell (UNC): 2 of 3 on field goals, including a 28-yarder that produced the game’s final points
• Melkart Abou Jaoude (UNC): forced fumble that set up Carolina's final points
• Xavier Lewis (UNC): 7 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 4.5 TFL

Up Next:

North Carolina (1-0) returns to Chapel Hill for an early bye week before hosting East Tennessee State on September 12.