True freshman Jace Ruder became the fourth quarterback to step behind center for the UNC football team this season on Saturday at Kenan Stadium, but his presence ultimately provided just the latest sliver of false hope for the Tar Heels—who suffered a 38-28 loss to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
Ruder entered the game in place of starter Nathan Elliott midway through the second quarter after Georgia Tech had reeled off 21 consecutive points to go ahead 21-7.
With UNC’s lone first half touchdown coming on a fumble return from defensive end Malik Carney, Ruder made his debut with the Tar Heel faithful hoping he could finally be the one to give the offense the spark it has sorely lacked this year.
For a brief moment, he did just that.
UNC receiver Anthony Ratliff-Williams was responsible for 103 of the Tar Heels’ 208 receiving yards against Georgia Tech. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
The Kansas native completed four of his five passes for 80 yards—including a nine-yard touchdown pass to tight end Carl Tucker–and carried the ball three times for 21 yards.
As it turned out, though, the football gods once again demanded that Elliott return to the lineup just one quarter later when Ruder left the game with an injury to his left arm—joining Chazz Surratt and Cade Fortin as backups of Elliott’s who have suffered similar fates this season for head coach Larry Fedora.
“It’s part of the game, you know,” Fedora told reporters afterwards. “We’ve worked hard with those young guys. And both of them have worked extremely hard to put themselves in a position where they could help the football team.
“They got out there and they were doing a good job,” the coach added, in reference to Ruder and Fortin. “But unfortunately they didn’t make it through the game.”
With his hand forced yet again, Fedora was still able to get an inspired effort out of the Tar Heels down the stretch despite once again coming out on the wrong end of the scoreboard.
A 46-yard run from Michael Carter set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Antonio Williams in the fourth quarter, while Elliott found Anthony Ratliff-Williams for the game-tying two-point conversion.
This completed a stretch of 18 unanswered points for the Tar Heels, who then proceeded to give the game away in crunch time once again.
Elliott threw a pair of backbreaking interceptions in the fourth quarter, once with a chance to take the lead and another in the final minutes trying to tie things back up.
Georgia Tech took the lead for good with three minutes remaining on a short touchdown run from quarterback Tobias Oliver. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)
In between, the prolific Georgia Tech triple option attack broke through with a quick touchdown drive that ended up as the difference.
Speaking with the media following the game, Elliott refused to let anyone but himself take the blame.
“The coaches can’t be taking responsibility for these losses,” Elliott said. “I take full responsibility for this one. We’ve got to make plays. Players have to make plays. I’ve got to make plays.”
The loss marks the fifth straight for the Tar Heels, who fell to 1-7 on the season.
Ruder’s brief time leading the offense was about the only thing different for the team, however, as the fourth quarter woes continued to cost them a chance at their elusive second victory.
With only three chances left to get back into the win column in 2018—and one of those being against a lower-level opponent in Western Carolina—UNC is quickly running out of time to talk about how close it is to breaking through.
“It’s a challenge,” Fedora said. “It’s a challenge when you don’t have success. But I don’t worry about the guys in that room getting back up off the mat. I don’t worry about what they have inside of them.
“There’s no doubt in my mind what kind of grit they have,” he continued. “And that they will continue to battle and give everything they have.”
Up Next:
A rivalry showdown at Duke awaits the Tar Heels next Saturday, with that game set to kick off at 12:20 p.m.
Game Notes:
- Malik Carney’s 20-yard fumble return for a touchdown early in the first quarter was UNC’s first defensive score of the season so far.
- After throwing an interception late in the first half, Nathan Elliott’s streak of 219 consecutive pass attempts without one was snapped.
- UNC senior linebacker Cole Holcomb had 22 tackles and forced three fumbles in the game, including one recovered by the Tar Heels in the fourth quarter with the teams tied 28-28.
Cover photo via Gerry Broome (Associated Press)
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