CHAPEL HILL – Finishing strong has been a problem for North Carolina.
The Tar Heels have ended the season on a winning streak just once since the 2010 campaign, coming in Mack Brown’s first year back in Chapel Hill. In fact, the Tar Heels have an uninspiring 3-8 record in bowl games during that span.
After a four-game losing streak across September and October, UNC dropped to under .500 and seemed destined for a similar fate.
Then, the bye week happened.
Returning from an off date, the Tar Heels turned in their best performance of the season against Virginia cruising to a 41-14 victory.
“We all kind of went into that game expecting to win. There was no what if. We were like ‘Okay, we’re going to win this ballgame,’” said quarterback Jacolby Criswell. “Moving forward, we still can accomplish the things that we want to accomplish. Obviously, we’ll have to win out. That’s the goal. We want to win out and just go out on top, the way we usually do.”
The first step in finishing strong for North Carolina did not come in Charlottesville against the Cavaliers, or in the week leading up to the game. It started with referencing the past, as it flushed the losing streak and hit the reset button.
The Tar Heels recognized that they were talented enough to win those games, but understood that there’s nothing they could do to change the results. So, instead of harping on it, they turned the defeats into lessons.
“You’re going to make some mistakes, so you have to use those mistakes to learn from them instead of let them kill you, and you get down and you think you’ve lost the game,” said North Carolina head coach Mack Brown. “You use it as a way to learn.”
Learning has been a constant within the UNC program this season, having gone through more trials and tribulations than most programs do in years. That includes off the field, with the passing of Tylee Craft.
Craft’s situation not only puts the Tar Heels’ woes into perspective, but continues to inspire them across the season’s final five games.
“We’ve had to fight through so much and honestly, it goes back to Tylee. He’s fought so much," said Criswell. “We know what Tylee would want for us, and that’s for us to win out. We’re going to keep swinging for him. That’s the only thing on our mind.”
North Carolina carries “Keep Swinging” and “Tylee Strong” signs both at home and on the road, a reminder of Craft’s presence and impact.
The victory over Virginia marked the Tar Heels’ first game without him, making for an emotional post-game locker room. It reminded them of the loss they suffered, but at the same time, proved what they’re capable of as a team.
“We see what we can do when we all execute, when we all trust each other, and we’re all being disciplined in our responsibilities,” said Campbell. “That’s definitely adding a boost to the rest of the season. We feel like we can put that display on every Saturday or better.”
A matchup with Florida State gives UNC the next step in finishing strong, or, in better words, the chance to keep swinging.
