University of North Carolina Athletics
Saturday, September 16
Chapel Hill
3:30 PM
North Carolina
3-0 , 0-0
31
vs
13
Minnesota
2-1 , 1-0
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Minnesota
0
10
3
0
13
North Carolina
7
14
3
7
31
Team Stats
MIN
UNC
Total Yards
303
519
Pass Yards
133
414
Rushing Yards
170
105
Penalty Yards
25
47
1st Downs
19
26
3rd Downs
3
12
4th Downs
1
1
TOP
26:50
33:10
1st Quarter
MIN 0, UNC 7
UNC - McCollum,Nate 46 yd pass from Maye,Drake (Burnette,Noah kick) 9 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:13
2nd Quarter
MIN 0, UNC 14
UNC - Hampton,Omarion 1 yd run (Burnette,Noah kick), 6 plays, 80 yards, TOP 02:25
MIN 3, UNC 14
MIN - Kesich,Dragan 23 yd field goal 7 plays, 11 yards, TOP 02:29
MIN 3, UNC 21
UNC - Nesbit,Bryson 19 yd pass from Maye,Drake (Burnette,Noah kick) 7 plays, 80 yards, TOP 02:29
MIN 10, UNC 21
MIN - Taylor,Darius 2 yd run (Kesich,Dragan kick), 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:53
3rd Quarter
MIN 13, UNC 21
MIN - Kesich,Dragan 45 yd field goal 9 plays, 48 yards, TOP 04:38
MIN 13, UNC 24
UNC - Burnette,Noah 42 yd field goal 8 plays, 56 yards, TOP 01:26
4th Quarter
MIN 13, UNC 31
UNC - Brooks,British 1 yd run (Burnette,Noah kick), 11 plays, 76 yards, TOP 05:23
Game Leaders
CMP
29
TD
2
YDS
414
INT
2
Players Mentioned
Running Back
/ Football
Defensive Back
/ Football
Linebacker
/ Football
Running Back
/ FootballQuarterback
/ Football
WR
/ Football
Tight End
/ Football
Tight End
/ FootballNate McCollum
Photo by: Andy Mead
McCollum & Maye Lead Carolina By Minnesota, 31-13
September 16, 2023 | Football
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.— Drake Maye threw for 414 yards and two scores and Nate McCollum dazzled in his first action as a Tar Heel with 15 catches for 165 yards and a touchdown as North Carolina beat Minnesota, 31-13 on Saturday afternoon at Kenan Stadium.
It was the second 400-yard passing game of Maye's career and a Carolina debut to remember for McCollum, the Georgia Tech transfer who piled up over 100 receiving yards and a 46-yard touchdown in the first quarter alone. Maye was 4 of 5 passing on the opening drive, with all four completions going to McCollum, whose 15 catches were one away from the Tar Heel single-game record.
UNC, ranked No. 20 by the Associated Press and No. 18 by the coaches, improved to 3-0 this season, while Minnesota, which received votes in both national polls this week, dropped to 2-1.
Maye's career passing high is 448 yards against Wake Forest in 2022. Saturday marked his eighth 300-yard game in two years as a starter.
"I am very happy for our guys," said Tar Heel head coach Mack Brown afterward. "Today was a hard game against a tough and physical team. We knew they would come in and try to run the ball and keep the ball, but we ended up having the ball for 33 minutes to their 27. In their previous two games, teams were averaging 50 plays a game against them and we ended up having 77 plays to their 61. The way we controlled the game is a credit to how our defense played tonight."
Carolina had its way in the first half offensively, scoring a pair of touchdowns and controlling time of possession, but was limited by a pair of first-half interceptions by Maye. The Tar Heels made amends in the closing minutes of the half when Maye made the score 21-3 with a 19-yard scoring toss to Bryson Nesbit.
But just as Minnesota appeared to be teetering on the ropes late in the opening half, the Gophers darted 75 yards in seven plays and under two minutes to make the score 21-10 with 30 seconds left before the break.
Maye completed 18 of 23 first-half passes for 287 yards, two scores and two interceptions. McCollum caught 11 passes for 130 yards and a TD in the first two quarters.
UNC dominated first-half time of possession by a margin of almost six minutes, converting 7 of 9 third-down tries and nearly doubling the Gophers' offensive output, 321-162, despite just 34 rushing yards in the first 30 minutes.
The Gophers received the second-half kickoff but remained stymied by a Tar Heel defense that allowed just 133 yards through the air in the game and limited them to just 3 for 12 on third down.
Meanwhile, Carolina was 12 for 17 on third down and able to maintain its offensive possessions throughout.
How It Happened
First Half
• What a splash by McCollum, a transfer from Georgia Tech, making his season debut for UNC on Saturday. Maye targeted him repeatedly on the first drive of the game, completing 4 of 5 passes with all four completions going to McCollum, including a 46-yard touchdown to cap a nine-play, 75-yard drive for a 7-0 lead.
• On the subsequent Minnesota possession, its first of the game, the Gophers drove 50 yards into UNC territory before the Carolina defense made an impact with a turnover. Power Echols intercepted an Athan Kaliakmanis pass after a Gopher receiver bobbled the pass in the middle of the field.
• Carolina made it 14-0 shortly thereafter. Maye completed a 55-yard throw over the deep middle of the field to Kamari Morales down to the one-yard line. Omarion Hampton dove up the middle for the score on the next play.
• UNC forced a three-and-out by Minnesota on next drive, only to see the Gophers intercept Maye deep in the Tar Heel end of the field. Carolina's defense came up big once again and the Tar Heels were fortunate to hold Minnesota to just a field goal after the turnover.
• The score was 21-10 Carolina at the half.
Second Half
• Both teams settled down into more of a defensive struggle after halftime. Minnesota made a quarterback change to Cole Kramer, who didn't do much throwing the ball but led a Gopher offense that ran for 170 yards in the game. Kaliakmanis later returned under center for Minnesota.
• The Golden Gophers kicked a field goal to slice the UNC advantage to 21-13 in the third quarter, then threatened again until Armani Chatman intercepted Kramer in the end zone with 2:52 remaining in the third quarter to snuff out the rally. Minnesota never got another opportunity to make it a close contest.
• Holding a 24-13 lead midway through the fourth quarter, Maye led Carolina on a methodical, 11-play, 76-yard drive in 5:23, culminating in a British Brooks one-yard rushing score to ice the victory.
Inside the Box Score
• Saturday's game was the first-ever matchup between Carolina and the Golden Gophers.
• It also was Minnesota's first road contest of the 2023 season. The Gophers entered the game 19-1 against non-conference opponents since 2017 under head coach P.J. Fleck prior to Saturday's loss.
• Minnesota were 2-0 and had allowed just one opponent touchdown through two weeks prior to UNC's explosion for 31 points.
• Maye now has thrown for at least 200 yards in all 17 starts of his career and has tossed multiple TD passes in 14 of those starts.
• The UNC single-game record for catches is 16 by three players, most recently Ryan Switzer in 2016 versus Pittsburgh.
• McCollum had six catches on UNC's first two offensive drives. He had seven catches for 101 yards and a TD in first quarter.
• Carolina has won the last eight times it's scored 30 or more points, including all three games this season.
• Carolina improved to 53-22 as a ranked team in 15 seasons under head coach Mack Brown.
• UNC has won the last 12 times it gained 400 or more yards (it tallied 519 total yards vs. Minnesota).
• The Tar Heels entered the game having completed 62 percent of their third-down attempts this season (16 of 26). They dominated and went 12 for 17 on third down on Saturday (70.6 percent).
• After completing passes to nine different receivers in the season-opening win over South Carolina, Maye connected with seven receivers against Appalachian State last week and eight vs. Minnesota.
Up Next
Carolina will play its first road game of the season and its 2023 ACC opener when it visits Pittsburgh on Saturday Sept. 23 at 8 p.m. on the ACC Network.
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