CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Gio Lopez threw for two second-half touchdowns and North Carolina’s defense relentlessly pressured Elijah Brown as the Tar Heels beat Stanford 20-15 Saturday for their second straight victory in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
Jordan Shipp led the Tar Heels (4-5, 2-3 ACC) with 83 yards receiving on five catches. His 55-yard touchdown grab extended the lead to 20-3 early in the fourth quarter. Lopez, who was 18 of 25 for 203 yards passing, also connected with Davion Gause for a 20-yard score.
Brown, a redshirt freshman making his first start this season and the second of his career, threw for 268 yards with one touchdown and one interception but was also sacked nine times.
Two late touchdowns, including a 24-yard catch by CJ Williams, made it a one-score game with 1:48 to play, but it was too little, too late for Stanford (3-7, 2-5 ACC).
Williams finished with six catches for 61 yards, while Caden High added 10 receptions for 102 yards.
The first half featured just 147 total yards and as many punts (six) as points.
Fittingly, North Carolina’s defense set up the first score when Andrew Simpson stripped Brown, allowing Smith Vilbert to recover at the Stanford 7. That led to a Rece Verhoff 27-yard field goal.
The Tar Heels’ 3-0 lead after the first quarter was their first since a Sept. 13 win over Richmond.
Ethan Kenney converted a 38-yard field goal on the half’s final play, making up for an earlier miss.
The takeaway
Stanford: A quarterback change didn’t do much for the Cardinal, who dropped their third straight game.
North Carolina: Considering how bleak things have looked early in Bill Belichick’s tenure, the Tar Heels will take all the wins they can get. Sneaking into a bowl game is still a possibility.
Up next
Stanford hosts California on Nov. 22 following a bye.
North Carolina visits Wake Forest next Saturday.