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Sam Howell sets UNC touchdown record in dominant 56-7 win over Mercer

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First-year quarterback Sam Howell (7) throws the ball down the field in Kenan Memorial Stadium on Saturday Nov. 23, 2019. UNC beat Mercer 56-7.

Sam Howell rolled out to his right for a normal play.

But when he found tight end Jake Bargas in the end zone, the touchdown was anything but normal.

In UNC football's 56-7 win over Mercer on Saturday, Howell set the UNC record for single-season touchdown passes with the four-yard toss, passing Mitch Trubisky’s mark of 30 touchdowns.

“I wasn’t even thinking about it,” Howell said. “I knew I was close, people talk about it, but I saw it on the video screen and everyone just kinda came around me. It was pretty cool.”

Howell wasn’t the only one that found out he broke the record from the video board. That was probably why he got mobbed: it was a sense of shock and a proud moment for all of the players.

“I had no idea, I had no idea,” senior running back Antonio Williams said. “I’m telling you, we really don’t talk about statistics. But I saw it on the board and I was like, ‘Wow.’ I told him that from here on out, every season coming up, if he doesn’t break the record I’m gonna come back and I’m gonna fight him.”

The touchdown was Howell’s 31st through the air on the season, a milestone number. He not only broke the UNC record, but he now has more passing touchdowns by a true first-year in a single season than ever before. He bested Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s mark on the touchdown pass.

The record for any first-year is 40 touchdowns, set by Florida State’s Jameis Winston. Howell just needs eight more to tie it. Whether he reaches that record or not, there are sure to be more milestone’s in Howell’s future.

“I really don’t think about records,” Howell said. “My goal is not to break records. If they happen, they happen and that’s kinda how I feel about that.”

Although Howell doesn’t like to talk about individual stats, he has put together quite the year for the Tar Heels and that culminated with him setting those milestones.

“I do feel good about it, things like that are always pretty cool,” Howell said. “But it's really not my goal, I just wanna come out here and win games.”

The result was never in doubt Saturday’s game, but performing to a certain standard was a point of emphasis for UNC. And Howell did just that, going 10-13 for 152 yards and three touchdowns in the first half before being pulled at halftime.

There was even a point in the game when Howell had completed five of five passes for 120 yards and three touchdowns, a perfect stat line, and his consistent play has been the reason that the Tar Heels have performed above expectations.

“We couldn’t be playing as well as we have this year without the play that Sam’s had,” Brown said.

Howell has already submitted himself into North Carolina football history. But he will have a chance to continue to build his legacy next Saturday as UNC attempts to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2016. The Tar Heels will need another stellar performance from their first-year phenom.

“Thank goodness that was the first stop we made, to get Sam here,” Brown said. “Because he’s given us a chance every week to win a game.”

@matt_chilson

@DTHSports | sports@dailytarheel.com

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