Late-game stinger: Georgia Tech survives UNC football rally, pulls out ACC road win

Try as it might, North Carolina just can’t make enough plays to win close football games.

The Tar Heels were caught up in another tight one Saturday against Georgia Tech at Kenan Stadium and attempted to make a fourth-quarter comeback, only to fall short in a 41-34 loss.

Jamal Haynes’ 68-yard burst for a touchdown with 16 seconds left was the difference. It came just after the Tar Heels had forced a 34-34 tie on a Noah Burnette field goal with 44 seconds remaining.

That’s four straight losses for the Tar Heels — the past three in ACC games against Duke, Pittsburgh and then Georgia Tech. They couldn’t hold a 20-point lead at Duke, trailed Pitt by a touchdown late before losing by 10 and then had another tough-to-take loss Saturday.

The Heels (3-4, 0-3 ACC) did benefit from the longest run of Omarion Hampton’s career, a 71-yard burst, and a 69-yard punt return for a touchdown by Alijah Huzzie. Hampton rushed for 137 yards against Georgia Tech, which led the ACC in rushing defense and had held its last three opponents to fewer than 100 yards on the ground.

When UNC quarterback Jacolby Criswell muscled in on a fourth-down sneak with 3:27 left in the fourth quarter, the Heels were within 34-31.

UNC made a defensive stop after the Criswell TD and reached the Georgia Tech 9, but tight end John Copenhaver couldn’t haul in Criswell’s third-down pass in the end zone. Burnette’s 26-yard field goal with 44 seconds left tied it 34-34.

Haynes, after his game-winning gallop, finished with 170 yards for the Jackets (5-2, 3-2 ACC) and quarterback Haynes King had 107 before being injured. Georgia Tech finished with 371 yards rushing.

But there were other mistakes that were hard for UNC to overcome — a Criswell sack and fumble in the first half, a Nate McCollum fumble after a pass catch in the fourth quarter. Those turnovers were critical in a close game.

Three takeaways from the game:

Jackets too tough in fourth

For the second straight season, the Tar Heels could not stop the Jackets in the fourth quarter with the game on the line. They couldn’t stop Jamal Haynes at the end.

A year ago, the Jackets reeled off 22 straight points in the fourth for a 46-42 victory in Atlanta. On Saturday, the Heels surged late in the third quarter, scoring 10 straight points, only to have the Jackets quickly answer early in the fourth.

Georgia Tech drove 75 yards to extend the lead back to 10 points, then had its defense immediately get the ball back by forcing a fumble on a UNC pass play. The Heels’ Nate McCollum, the transfer from Georgia Tech, made the grab on a Jacolby Criswell pass but had the ball stripped away.

McCollum, who had 10 receptions last week against Pittsburgh, later was open but dropped a Criswell pass that would have given UNC a third-down conversion.

Help from special teams

UNC coach Mack Brown has said it often this season: Special teams have to make a difference.

The Heels have a reliable field-goal kicker in Noah Burnette, a Raleigh native. The coverage teams have been solid enough. But punter Tom Maginness has been shaky and had some punts blocked.

One thing the Heels kept waiting on this season was for Alijah Huzzie to break a punt return. The wait ended Saturday late in the third quarter when the senior gathered in a low punt, weaved his way through traffic, cut back to his right and scored from 69 yards.

Huzzie had a 52-yard punt return TD last year against Pitt. The one Saturday was the longest of his career and, after a 50-yard field goal by Burnette, pulled the Heels within 27-24.

Before Saturday, Huzzie had returned six punts for 58 yards. He now has a big one and can be an extra weapon for UNC.

‘Tylee Strong’ kind of day

The game will go into the record books as a routine ACC matchup in October 2024, but it had special meaning.

It was Cancer Awareness Day at Kenan Stadium and the Tar Heels were honoring Tylee Craft, a member of the football team who has been battling cancer. It was learned after the game that Craft had passed away Saturday morning.

Craft’s presence was felt. Wide receiver J.J. Jones wore Craft’s No. 13 and scored on a short Criswell pass. He also had a 53-yard reception during the game.

The Craft family gathered together on the field after the first quarter and was joined by Mack Brown, who gave Craft’s mother a long, emotional hug as a video was being shown. Brown had on a “Tylee Strong” sweater that he kept at hand all week leading up to the game.