CHARLOTTE, N.C. — North Carolina spent the better part of the week before facing South Carolina in the Duke's Mayo Bowl wondering if it would be played. The Tar Heels spent most of Thursday's game at Bank of America Stadium trying to play catch up. They never did in their 38-21 loss to the Gamecocks before a crowd of 45,520.
If it ends up being the final game of UNC quarterback Sam Howell's career, it's not the storybook ending he hoped for against the Gamecocks. Howell finished 12-of-20 passing for 205 yards and a score.
Here's what we learned from the Tar Heels' loss:
Slow starts
The Duke's Mayo Bowl marked the fourth game this season that the Heels fell behind double digits. The season opener against Virginia Tech, it was 14-0. At Pittsburgh it was 17-0. The regular-season finale against N.C. State, it was 14-0.
The Gamecocks continued that trend by scoring on their first three possessions in the first quarter and grabbing an 18-0 lead.
It was a bad combination for UNC, the offense had consecutive three-and-outs after moving the ball into South Carolina territory on the opening drive. Defensively, the Heels gave up a pair of 60-plus yard touchdowns to tight end Jaheim Bell.
Defensive let down
Those Bell touchdown receptions began a trend of big plays allowed by the Tar Heels. South Carolina totaled eight plays of more than 20 yards, which included a 35-yard touchdown run by Juju McDowell.
But even without the big plays, the Heels defense never got a handle on what was coming from South Carolina's emergency quarterback Dakereon Joyner. The 6-foot-1 junior primarily played receiver this season, where he had 24 catches for 221 yards. Joyner hadn't played quarterback for a full game since high school and hadn't attempted a pass for the Gamecocks all season.
On Thursday, Joyner completed all nine of his attempts for 160 yards and a score. The Gamecocks didn't miss not having Jason Brown, who started the last four games but entered the transfer portal before the bowl game.
Powered by Joyner, the Heels allowed the Gamecocks to roll up a season-high 543 yards in total offense.
Field goals instead of touchdowns
Mack Brown has lamented all season the Heels need to get better scoring touchdowns in the red zone. His worries were justified considering two of their first-half drives ended with Grayson Atkins field goals.
Both drives were ultimately sabotaged by one play. Trailing 18-7, the Heels reached the SC 13 after a 23-yard catch by Antoine Green. But on second down, Howell Wass dropped for a 10-yard loss. Facing third-and-20, Howell threw an incompletion to Josh Downs and Atkins came on to kick.
Trailing 25-10 with two minutes left before halftime, the Heels marched to the SC 14 where they faced a fourth-and-1. A false start penalty by right tackle Justin Tucker moved UNC coach Mack Brown to kick a field goal. So instead of being down 25-21, had they scored touchdowns, the Heels trailed 25-13.
Brooks next year
UNC fans could have gotten a glimpse of their top running back for next season in senior British Brooks. The former walk-on who rushed for 124 yards against N.C. State in the regular-season finale, set a bowl record with his second quarter touchdown.
Brooks set both the longest scoring run in Duke's Mayo Bowl, and school bowl, history with a 63-yarder he took up the middle of the field virtually untouched.
Graduate transfer Ty Chandler, who led the Heels with 1,063 yards rushing this season, was the most experienced back but exhausted his eligibility. Unless they add a veteran runner through the transfer portal, Brooks will be the oldest player in their running back room.
And thanks to his last three games, Brooks will have the confidence in the team that he can be a lead back. He totaled 89 yards and two touchdowns against Wofford, and he finished with 72 yards against the Gamecocks on just five attempts. The Heels didn't run as much after falling behind 18-0 in the first quarter.
