UNC came within a field goal of its first ACC victory, but one costly, fourth-quarter mistake prevented that. Here's our five takeaways from the loss.
The North Carolina Tar Heels' first three losses on the football field occurred in blowout fashion: a 34-point loss to TCU on Opening Night, 25-point disappointment at UCF, then a 28-point defeat to a struggling Clemson team.
That's what makes UNC's 21-18, Friday night road loss at the California Golden Bears even tougher. North Carolina (2-4, 0-2 ACC) put itself in position to take a fourth-quarter lead, driving 50+ yards in 10 plays, but lost a goal-line fumble that ended its comeback attempt.
The Tar Heels played much better defensively compared to their last two outings, holding Cal (5-2, 2-1 ACC) under 300 yards and scoreless after an early, third quarter touchdown. UNC's offense continued its season-long struggles, failing to surpass 300 yards itself, while simultaneously showcasing signs of promise.
Bill Belichick tabbed Gio Lopez, who missed the Clemson game with an injury, his starting quarterback hours before game time. This wasn't a shocking move, as North Carolina spent $4 million to land Lopez from South Alabama, but Max Johnson looked more comfortable leading the Tar Heels' offense in relief.
It was Michigan transfer Benjamin Hall who anchored UNC's rushing attack, leading his teammates with 68 rushing yards on 14 carries – and a first quarter touchdown. Freshman back Demon June burst onto the scene in recent weeks, currently leading North Carolina with 276 rushing yards, but Hall proved to be the guy Friday night.
With how well the Tar Heels played during portions of their road clash with Cal, Friday's loss is tougher to swallow. Keep reading below for our five takeaways.
Defense gave UNC a chance to win
Cal scored 14 first quarter points, creating early panic amongst Tar Heel Nation. Clemson did the same thing two weeks ago in Kenan Stadium, scoring 28 first quarter points en route to a 35-3 halftime lead.
North Carolina locked in after its slow defensive start, holding the Golden Bears scoreless after their touchdown to open the second half. UNC forced three consecutive punts, limiting Cal to 56 yards.
Turnovers killed UNC's chance to steal an upset
You can't expect to win football games when turning the ball over three times. UNC fumbled on its first and last play of Friday's loss, but the costly one came with just under four minutes remaining in regulation, when Brent Austin punched the football out of Nathan Leacock's hands.
Benjamin Hall earned himself another start
Did June's lack of involvement in UNC's ground attack surprise you? How about Davion Gause? The Tar Heels went in a different direction Friday night, feeding Hall the rock.
Belichick's decision to lean on Hall proved to be a smart one, with the Michigan transfer rushing for a season-high 68 yards on 14 carries, scoring North Carolina's first of two touchdowns.
With Virginia coming to town next weekend, Hall earned himself another start. The Tar Heels have a deep, young running back room, with Hall suddenly taking command of it.
Kobe Paysour enjoyed the big game UNC needs from its pass-catchers
Paysour staying in Chapel Hill for his final, college football season gave UNC the experience it lacked amongst a young, talented pass-catching group.
An afterthought in North Carolina's offense through its first five games of 2025, Paysour broke out for a season-best 101 receiving yards – on six catches – Friday night at Cal.
Who knows if the Tar Heels will continue incorporating Paysour into their future offensive plans, but if their struggling unit wants to move the football, it'll be smart to look Paysour's way.
Gio Lopez continued struggling to command UNC's offense
Everyone in Chapel Hill wants Lopez to succeed. Belichick thought highly enough of the South Alabama transfer, giving the latter $4 million in NIL money to be UNC's starting quarterback.
Lopez set a season-high with 167 passing yards during Friday night's loss, but only completed 54.3 percent of his passes. North Carolina is now six games into its 2025 campaign – and across five starts, Lopez lacks a 200-yard passing game.
Of course, if the Tar Heels are winning games, Lopez isn't being criticized for his lack of top-rank production. UNC is one of the ACC's worst teams, though, so critics will continue to pour in.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC football: Five takeaways from one-possession, Week 8 loss at Cal
Category: General Sports
