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CHARLOTTE – As bad looks go, this was eye-squinting, look-away bad.

Forget the stats since we’ve been told many times like total yards and first downs don’t entirely mean much, it’s all about points: How many you score, and how many you give up.

That is why North Carolina cannot take any solace from its 39-10 loss to Clemson in the ACC championship game on Saturday night at Bank of America Stadium. None whatsoever.

This is a team that was 9-1 and hinting at a Heisman Trophy and spot in the CFP just three weeks ago. Now, it’s a limping zebra feverishly trying escape the oncoming clenches of a hungry lion in the Kalahari.

For the third week in a row, Carolina lost to a backup quarterback. For the third week in a row, UNC’s once-efficient red zone offense fell over a cliff.

For the third week in a row, the Tar Heels were dominated in the sack margin. For the third week in a row, UNC QB Drake Maye had a pedestrian game because, for the third week in a row, his receivers couldn’t find much grass with teams dropping eight in coverage.

For the third week in a row, Carolina’s offensive game plan didn’t help the Heels navigate an opponent dropping eight in coverage. For the third game in a row, UNC failed to register a conventional sack.

For the second time in three games, UNC failed to score a single point in the second half, and this was after not scoring in a quarter ONCE through the first 10 games. ONCE!

And for the third game in a row, North Carolina lost a football game. Only this time, given how it played out, the Tar Heels didn’t stand a chance.

Yes, they were marching toward the end zone in the third quarter looking to cut Clemson’s lead to 24-17, but that’s when Maye threw the first of two interceptions. This one went wide and high away from John Copenhaver and right into Nate Collins’ hands. The sophomore returned it 98 yards for a touchdown.

Adding a dash of salt into the wound, the Tigers faked the extra point and the holder ran untouched into the end zone for a two-point conversion. Clemson 32, Carolina 10. And the game was over.

The Heels also had a punt blocked, and a fumble by Omarion Hampton gave the Tigers the ball at the UNC 23-yard-line, which they cashed in three plays later. That’s an 18-point swing on just 23 offensive yards for Clemson.

But good teams that are used to these stages make opponents pay for their mistakes. Teams not ready for this stage make miscues that are costly.

UNC Coach Mack Brown understands this.

“Good for us to get here; now we've got to learn how to play,” he said. “Got to learn how to win. We've got to learn how to win.”

The Tar Heels have won nine times this season, their second most in a campaign since Brown left for Texas in 1997. So, he’s obviously doing plenty right.

But this process is nowhere near complete, and it doesn’t appear as far along as some of us thought a few weeks ago. Perhaps we should have known better. Perhaps projecting a team collapsing under the umbrella of prosperity – Coastal Division title, six straight wins, Heisman talk, CFP chatter – isn’t easy at all. It really isn’t.

Yet, that is what happened. And the wart on this program, among the tactical, player development, and execution issues, might be that it is a ways away from having the same kind of championship mindset that oozes out of Clemson’s pores.

That’s UNC’s desired path, one that appears well into the distance.