Hampton & Burnette Lead Football Past Gophers, 19-17

Thursday, August 29

Minneapolis, Minn.

9 PM

North Carolina

1-0 , 0-0

Minnesota

0-1 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

North Carolina

Minnesota

Omarion Hampton

Photo by: ANTHONY SORBELLINI

August 29, 2024 | Football

Box Score Final Stats (.pdf)Postgame Notes

By: Matt Bowers

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.— Omarion Hampton had a big night on the ground and Noah Burnette hit four field goals as North Carolina won at Minnesota, 19-17, to start the 2024 season on Thursday night in Huntington Bank Stadium.

The Golden Gophers missed a field goal in the closing seconds after Burnette had given the Tar Heels a two-point lead with a 45-yard field goal with 1:44 remaining.

Hampton, who was fifth in the FBS with 1,504 rushing yards last season, ran for 129 yards on 30 carries (4.3 yards per attempt) to steady a UNC offense that managed 105 yards passing on the night. He also became the 19th Tar Heel with 2,000 rushing yards in his career (he has 2,024).

The Tar Heel defense pitched in with a strong start to the season with five sacks, limiting Minnesota to 244 total yards, including just 78 on the ground on 33 carries (2.4 per carry).

Max Johnson started at quarterback for Carolina and completed 12 of 19 passes for 71 yards with an interception and a rushing score. He left the game in the third quarter after an injury. Conner Harrell replaced him late and was 2 for 4 for 34 yards passing.

Carolina is 1-0 to begin the 2024 campaign, while the Gophers start the year 0-1. A year ago, Carolina beat the Gophers, 31-13, in Kenan Stadium.

Minnesota scored back-to-back touchdowns in the final eight minutes of the second quarter to take a 14-7 halftime lead. The Gophers limited Carolina to 28 yards passing in the opening 30 minutes, its lowest output in a half in five years. Hampton ran for 55 yards on 11 first-half carries to lead UNC in the early going.

Burnette hit three consecutive field goals in the first 20 minutes of the second half to give the Tar Heels a 16-14 lead midway through the fourth quarter.

Minnesota's field goal with 3:40 remaining gave the Gophers a brief lead before Harrell led UNC on a six-play, 48-yard drive for the winning field goal with 1:44 to go. Harrell connected with J.J. Jones for a 32-yard completion to key the clinching drive.

The start of the game was delayed by an hour due to thunderstorms in the area prior to the scheduled start time of 7 p.m. Central.

Up Next
Carolina will play its home opener next Saturday Sept. 7 at 3:30 p.m. against Charlotte in the first of three consecutive contests in Kenan Stadium. Tickets are available now.

Follow Tar Heel football on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.