The North Carolina Tar Heels secured a 38-20 victory over Charlotte on Saturday, with quarterback Conner Harrell shining in his first start. Harrell threw for two touchdowns and added a rushing score, amassing 219 passing yards with one interception. He took over as the starter after Max Johnson’s season-ending leg injury in the season opener.

Despite a strong performance from North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton in the first half, gaining 77 yards rushing on 11 carries, he did not play in the second half due to a leg injury. Harrell connected with Christian Hamilton for a 58-yard touchdown, extending the Tar Heels’ lead to 28-13.

Charlotte quarterback Max Brown suffered a first-half injury, completing 8 of 12 passes for 175 yards before being sidelined. Backup Deshawn Purdie led the 49ers to a touchdown on their first possession of the second half, with a 5-yard pass to Bryce Kennon and a later 28-yard TD pass to Henry Rutledge.

North Carolina’s dominance was evident as they led 21-6 at halftime, with Harrell orchestrating a 94-yard scoring drive early in the game. The Tar Heels overcame the absence of injured edge rusher Kaimon Rucker, showcasing their depth on both sides of the ball.

Looking ahead, Charlotte will face FCS opponent Gardner-Webb at home, while North Carolina is set to host FCS North Carolina Central. The Tar Heels, with 490 total yards of offense, demonstrated resilience in adapting to key injuries, while Charlotte aims to find consistency in their offense, especially with their starting quarterback’s injury complicating matters.