CHAPEL HILL – As one of the biggest games in recent North Carolina football history approaches, quarterback Drake Maye was asked this week to give his take on Clemson, its defense, and a Tigers running back he knows pretty well.

UNC’s offense has scored just 41 points in regulation the last two weeks, and Maye has put forth his two least productive performances of the season. The offense has only scored five touchdowns in two games after averaging five touchdowns per game in the first 10 games of the season.

Hence, the Tar Heels lost to Georgia Tech and NC State at home to conclude the regular season.

But Saturday night, the Heels have a chance to wash away the negatives of the last two weeks, but to do so, they must find a way to consistently move the ball against Clemson’s stout defense.

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"Being good on first down, sometimes we get stagnant on first down," Maye said. "An incomplete pass or a one-two yard run will put us behind the chains. Starts on first down and gain some yards. On second down, you have two options: take a shot or run a play action. Being good on first down and being patient (are keys)."

So, what kind of defense must Maye and the Tar Heels navigate Saturday night in the program’s attempt at winning its first ACC championship since 1980.

"Their front seven is about as good as it gets in football," Maye said. "They rotate some guys on the d-line; the d-line is unbelievable."

With the game at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, the area in which Maye grew up, he is familiar with some of the Tigers including Trenton Simpson. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound linebacker played high school football at Mallard Creek.

"They have good linebacker play,” Maye said. “I think maybe two of the kids from my class, Trenton is from Charlotte from right around where I grew up. I saw him play in high school, and he was a fantastic player.

"They've got some athletes on the back end. There's talent all around."

Maye knows Clemson’s defense will have something designed to slow and possibly stop the Heels. The ACC Player of the Year understands the faster he figures out what the Tigers are doing, the better chance the Tar Heels will move the ball.

"They are going to try to stop the run, that's their identity," Maye Said. "We are just going to try to find a way to exploit them. They're going to mix up the front and stuff. They will try to mix up the coverage just like any other defense. I am just going to try to figure out what they are going to do against us and go from there"

There is a bit of personal stuff for Maye in this game. One absolute is stuff on Twitter basically never dies. So when the pairing for the ACC championship game was determined, someone resurfaced a tweet by Maye from a few years ago when Shipley announced he was committing to Clemson.

It read: "See you in the ACC Championship.”

"I knew him in high school well, I have seen him at camps and stuff," Maye said. "He tweeted his commitment to Clemson; I think I said congratulations and I will see you in the ACC championship. Two years later, we are at this moment.

“I will see him pregame; he's one of my good friends. I keep up with him, and it's fun to watch him.”

Maye said he talks with Shipley, but their last interaction was more about exchanging pleasantries.

"I haven’t since during the week,” Maye said. “Not sure what we really said besides, ‘I will see you Saturday and good luck.’"