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ATLANTA – Adversity is a part of football, and the teams that usually handle it the best win games.

North Carolina certainly faced some self-induced hardship Saturday at Center Parc Stadium.

Three turnovers, all in the second half, and a failed attempt on fourth down at your own 39-yard-line, clearly qualifies.

Making the latter play even more damaging, was that UNC’s fourth-and-two lost eight yards when Drake Maye was sacked, giving Georgia State the ball at the Carolina 31.

Yet, the Panthers didn’t score on the ensuing possession, and managed only three points after gaining possession via turnovers or downs, as UNC’s defense bowed up and helped the Tar Heels to a 35-28 victory.

UNC got away with the four snafued possessions, because the defense stepped up and got stops.

“It was just the mindset,” said UNC linebacker Power Echols, when asked about the stops.

Carolina seemingly took control of the game in the second quarter taking a 21-3 lead, and with it 21-10 and 1:31 remaining before halftime, UNC Coach Mack Brown opted to go for it.

“I think you should make fourth-and-two, the percentages are really high,” Brown said. But the Heels didn’t convert giving GSU the ball at the 31. Yet, after three plays gaining four yards, UNC defensive tackle Myles Murphy blocked an attempted 43-yard field goal.

Following Carolina quarterback Drake Maye’s only intercepted pass of the season, to go with 11 touchdowns, the Panthers moved 29 yards on seven plays to covert a field goal cutting the margin to 21-20 UNC. It was the only time Georgia State would score after UNC’s turnovers.

Two second-half fumbles by UNC were followed by forced three-and-outs totaling eight yards.

“I felt like during the week, and I said this on Wednesday, that the offense was probably feeling too good about themselves, I’ve been doing this long enough, and that the defense would be embarrassed over some things that happened last week,” Brown said. “So, the defense was going to be determined to straighten it up and fix it and play better, and they did.”

In all, following the three turnovers and failed fourth down, Georgia State ran 15 plays gaining only 41 yards, which is an average of 2.7 per snap.

The Tar Heels (3-0) faced some adversity, and the defense fed off of it.

“Honestly, when those things happened, we were excited to go back on the field because we knew how we were playing,” Echols said. “And we know the defense we are, we know who we are on the inside.”

And Saturday, they were tough on the inside and outside in difficult scenarios.