The North Carolina football team fell behind 17-0 early and couldn’t recover in a 50-35 loss at Clemson Saturday night, dropping to 2-2 on the season.

With the win, the Tigers evened their record up at 2-2 on the year. For the third straight season, the Tar Heels have now dropped their conference opener

Clemson  freshman signal caller Deshaun Watson threw for 435 yards and set a school record with six touchdown passes in his first ever start to lead the Tigers to the victory.

The 19-year-old didn’t shrink in the spotlight. Watson completed 27 of his 36 passes.

Watson’s six TDs tied the ACC record and only Tajh Boyd has thrown for more yards in a game for Clemson.

The Tar Heel defense continued to struggle, giving  up 528 yards, and has now allowed its opponent to gain more than 500 yards in the past three games.

Mike Williams had six catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns for Clemson, which has scored 49 or more points in five of its last 10 ACC games.

UNC was clamping down on the run game, but Watson excelled.

Watson had a 50-yard TD pass to Hopper in the second quarter, waiting in the pocket until the last moment to drop the pass right into the receiver’s hands. Clemson gained 218 yards in the first half, with Watson’s two long passes accounting for more than half that total.

Elijah Hood led UNC in rushing yards (UNC Athletics)

Elijah Hood led UNC in rushing yards (UNC Athletics)

In the second half, Watson had two 33-yard touchdown passes and a 24-yard scoring throw before tight end Jordan Leggett jumped high in the end zone to pull in the freshman’s record-breaking TD pass.

Clemson needed Watson’s passing as the Tigers gained only 71 yards on the ground.

Artavis Scott had eight catches for 66 yards and a touchdown, while Hopper caught three passes for 139 yards and 2 TDs.

Ammon Lakip hit a 27-yard and a 45-yard field goal. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney stuck with the junior kicker after he missed two field goals in last week’s overtime loss to No. 1 Florida State.

The Tar Heels are still struggling, a week after allowing the most yards, points and first downs in school history. On Saturday night, the Tar Heels had 15 penalties, one off the school record, for 130 yards, which was 20 yards away from their worst game.

Marquise Williams was 24-of-38 for 345 yards for North Carolina and threw to 13 different receivers. Elijah Hood ran 13 times for 71 yards to lead the team in rushing.

Next up for the Tar Heels is a home contest in Chapel Hill against ACC Coastal foe Virginia Tech on Saturday, Oct. 4.

FINAL BOX SCORE

Related Stories
‹
Tar Heels Come Up Short In ACC Title Game: Clemson Wins 45-37
Charlotte — Entering Saturday it had been 35 years since the UNC football team last won an ACC Championship. That number will now go to 36, as the nation’s number one team–the Clemson Tigers–defeated the No. 10 Tar Heels 45-37 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte behind an incredible effort from their star quarterback, […]
ACC Championship a "Legacy Game" For UNC
It all comes down to this. Back in Charlotte at Bank of America Stadium, the same place where it picked up its first—and only—loss of the season, the No. 10 UNC football team now finds itself playing for the ACC Championship and a chance at the College Football Playoff. The only obstacle? The undefeated Clemson […]
UNC Defense Still Struggling To Find Its Form
The UNC defense improved against the run Saturday night at Clemson, but the big plays down the field engineered by freshman Tiger quarterback Deshaun Watson doomed the Tar Heels.
Tar Heels Hoping To Tame Tigers In Death Valley
The 2-1 North Carolina football team will open its ACC schedule with a trip down to Death Valley to face the 1-2 Clemson Tigers Saturday night for a nationally-televised 7 p.m. kickoff.
Scouting Report: A Chat with Clemson Coach Dabo Swinney
WCHL's Matt Oakes caught up with Tiger head coach Dabo Swinney as his squad prepares to host the Tar Heels Saturday night.
Failed Two-Point Conversion in Final Minutes Prevents UNC From Shocking Upset Over No. 1 Clemson
Just two yards from a program-changing upset over No. 1 Clemson on Saturday at Kenan Stadium, UNC freshman quarterback Sam Howell was stopped short on a two-point conversion attempt in the final minute—allowing the Tigers to escape Chapel Hill with a 21-20 victory. Expected by many to get blown out by the defending national champions, […]
UNC Ready For Season's Toughest Test, Hosting No. 1 Clemson
The UNC football team faces its stiffest test of the season this Saturday at Kenan Stadium, as the defending national champion Clemson Tigers come to town looking to extend their winning streak to an even 20 games. Coming off back-to-back losses to Wake Forest and Appalachian State, the Tar Heels head into this week’s game […]
Former Clemson QB Kelly Bryant Will Transfer to Missouri, Had Considered UNC
One of the first recruiting visits made by new UNC head football coach Mack Brown was to see former Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant, who had announced his intentions to transfer from the program earlier in the season after losing his starting job to freshman standout Trevor Lawrence. Bryant visited UNC twice during the year and […]
Former Clemson QB Kelly Bryant to Visit UNC This Weekend
Desperately in search of a top-flight quarterback, the UNC football team will have a chance this weekend to impress one of the nation’s best–as former Clemson signal-caller Kelly Bryant will visit the school this weekend with the Tar Heels hosting Virginia Tech. Bryant–a 6-foot-4, 220-pound dual threat quarterback–is seeking to transfer from Clemson for his […]
Art’s Angle: Deja Blu
Saturday's mistake-prone 31-20 loss by UNC football to Clemson was reminiscent of their last matchup — and further buried Carolina's season.
›