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Postgame Notes - at FBS No. 17 North Carolina

Postgame Notes
No. 17 North Carolina 49, Western Carolina 9
Kenan Memorial Stadium
Chapel Hill, N.C. | Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020
Att: 3,535
 
With the loss…
  • Represents Western Carolina's fifth-consecutive loss dating back to last season and third-straight to open the 2020-21 campaign;
  • Southern Conference teams finished the fall semester 0-11 (The Citadel, 0-4; Mercer, 0-3; Western Carolina, 0-3; and Chattanooga, 0-1);
  • Is WCU's third-straight loss to North Carolina in the all-time series – each coming since the 2017 season … WCU is 0-3 all-time vs. the Tar Heels with each game in Chapel Hill, N.C.;
  • WCU fell to 0-59 all-time against NCAA FBS competition and 0-32 all-time against teams currently in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
 
Postgame Notes:
  • Western Carolina's nine points scored were more than one of North Carolina's conference opponents this season – the Tar Heels limited Syracuse to six points in the season-opener back on Sept. 12;
  • North Carolina's 42 first half points MATCHED its most in a single-half against an opponent this season – the Tar Heels also scored 42 in the first half against rival Duke (led 42-10 at halftime, 21 points in the first and second quarters) … UNC defeated the Blue Devils, 56-24;
  • WCU outscored North Carolina in the fourth quarter, 6-0 … the Tar Heels entered the game +57 on their opponents in 2020 and are now +51, second in the nation only to Coastal Carolina (+61) … Over the past two seasons, UNC is +120 in scoring against opponents in the fourth quarter;
  • Western Carolina's defense came away with three takeaways at North Carolina – forcing and recovering three fumbles and intercepting a pass in the second half … WCU's defense also scored its second touchdown of the fall season as LB #44 Nigel Manns scooped a fumble created on a sack by LB #27 Trevor Childers and rumbled 42 yards for a touchdown … It was WCU's second scoop-and-score of the fall as DT #99 Ricky Palao accomplished the same at EKU;
  • Junior CB #13 Ronald Kent recorded his first career interception in the third quarter, returning it 58 yards for a touchdown only to have it called back on an illegal blindside blocking penalty … Kent was credited with a 24-yard interception return to the spot of the penalty;
  • Junior LB #33 Curtis Roach set a career-high with eight tackles at North Carolina, adding a fumble recovery while transfer CB #2 Aaron Gethers finished with a career-best four stops … Freshman S #24 Quintin Talley matched his career-best with eight tackles, his second, eight-tackle performance of the season … Sophomore DT #93 Roman Johnson matched his career-best with five total stops and redshirt freshman SPUR #30 Micah Nelson had a career-high two tackles including half a tackle for loss;
  • Freshman PK #46 Paxton Robertson was successful on his second career field goal attempt, splitting the uprights from 40 yards away into a gusting wind … Robertson is 2-for-2 on the season with both attempts coming from 40+ yards – he nailed a career-long 52-yard field goal at EKU on his first career attempt;
  • Sophomore PK #89 Richard McCollum saw his streak of nine-straight made PAT's halted on a fourth quarter PAT miss as the attempt was partially blocked by UNC's Tomon Fox;
  • Freshman tailback #22 Mikai Stanley rushed for a career-best 46 yards against the Tar Heels that included a career-long run of 16 yards … He carried the ball a career-best 11 times in Chapel Hill … Stanley earned his first collegiate start at UNC as the Catamounts had a two-back set to open the game;
  • Freshmen quarterbacks Kason Lincke and Cade Snotherly saw their first collegiate action at North Carolina … Lincke entered the game at the 12:26 mark of the second quarter in the WCU backfield – he finished the game with 17 rushing yards despite being sacked once, while completing all three of his pass attempts for 21 total yards … Snotherly saw action on special teams as the holder on a pair of placekicks … He was the holder on a field goal attempt where an errant snap forced him to attempt a pass that just missed connecting with TE #86 Clayton Bardall;
  • In addition to Lincke and Snotherly, WCU redshirt freshman Joaquin Layno and Tristan Sens saw their first career action at North Carolina;
  • WR #17 Reggie Jones, a converted defensive back, completed his first career pass on an end-around wide receiver pass, finding TE #84 Owen Cosenke for a 40-yard completion – WCU's longest play from scrimmage at North Carolina … Jones added a 10-yard reception and returned three kickoffs for 65 total yards including a long of 31 in Chapel Hill;
 
Miscellaneous Notes:
  • WCU's captains for Saturday's game was senior LB #27 Trevor Childers … WCU won the opening coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff;
  • Senior RB #20 Donnavan Spencer carried the United States flag in the pregame run-out while senior OL #51 Matthew Bair carried the "All You Got" flag.
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Matthew Bair

#51 Matthew Bair

OL
6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
Clayton Bardall

#86 Clayton Bardall

TE
6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
Trevor Childers

#27 Trevor Childers

LB
6' 1"
Senior
Owen Cosenke

#84 Owen Cosenke

TE
6' 3"
Senior
Roman Johnson

#93 Roman Johnson

DT
6' 3"
Sophomore
Reggie Jones

#17 Reggie Jones

WR
5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
Ronald Kent Jr.

#13 Ronald Kent Jr.

CB
5' 10"
Junior
Joaquin Layno

#60 Joaquin Layno

DT
5' 10"
Redshirt Freshman
Richard McCollum

#89 Richard McCollum

K
5' 9"
Redshirt Sophomore
Micah Nelson

#30 Micah Nelson

SPUR
6' 3"
Redshirt Freshman
Ricky Palao

#99 Ricky Palao

DT
6' 2"
Senior
Curtis Roach

#33 Curtis Roach

SPUR
6' 1"
Redshirt Junior

Players Mentioned

Matthew Bair

#51 Matthew Bair

6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
OL
Clayton Bardall

#86 Clayton Bardall

6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
TE
Trevor Childers

#27 Trevor Childers

6' 1"
Senior
LB
Owen Cosenke

#84 Owen Cosenke

6' 3"
Senior
TE
Roman Johnson

#93 Roman Johnson

6' 3"
Sophomore
DT
Reggie Jones

#17 Reggie Jones

5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
WR
Ronald Kent Jr.

#13 Ronald Kent Jr.

5' 10"
Junior
CB
Joaquin Layno

#60 Joaquin Layno

5' 10"
Redshirt Freshman
DT
Richard McCollum

#89 Richard McCollum

5' 9"
Redshirt Sophomore
K
Micah Nelson

#30 Micah Nelson

6' 3"
Redshirt Freshman
SPUR
Ricky Palao

#99 Ricky Palao

6' 2"
Senior
DT
Curtis Roach

#33 Curtis Roach

6' 1"
Redshirt Junior
SPUR