Halftime reactions: UNC football holds 17-7 lead over Georgia Tech

It's halftime in Chapel Hill, and the North Carolina football team is leading Georgia Tech, 17-7.

Here are three takeaways from the first half of UNC's matchup:

Drake Maye with a slow first half

Through the first half, Maye has thrown for 108 yards and rushed for 21, although he has yet to score a touchdown. 

Maye has had numerous opportunities to add a score but he’s missed the mark. On the Georgia Tech eight-yard line, sophomore tight end Bryson Nesbit was open in the back of the end zone, but Maye threw the ball low and out of reach of him. Later that drive, UNC would be forced to kick a field goal that gave them a two-possession lead.

After being shut down for most of the first half, Maye was more productive on the team's second touchdown drive. He found Nesbit for a 36-yard completion and then connected for another big gain, this time going for 18 yards. Eventually, the Tar Heels found the end zone when sophomore running back Elijah Green punched in his second score of the night.

Running game moving the chains for North Carolina

Green got the Tar Heels' offense going early, taking the first offensive play of the game all the way to the end zone on an 80-yard run that put UNC up 7-0. However, the running back corps of Green and first-years Omarion Hampton and DJ Jones have had a hard time seriously building upon the early-game touchdown, as the trio has only being able to rush for 48 yards on nine additional attempts. 

In the first half, Hampton received the most carries of the trio with five, but Green's long run and eventual second score has paced the offense thus far. 

Defense taking advantage of the Yellow Jackets offense and backup quarterbacks

With Georgia Tech starting quarterback Jeff Sims out, the Yellow Jackets have elected to use both Zach Gibson and Taisun Phommachanh in relief. 

However, only Gibson has had much luck, recording for 109 yards off of a 6-for-8 passing clip. Phommachanh has only managed to get 13 yards on five attempts, including being picked off by junior cornerback Storm Duck on third down, which gave UNC possession on Georgia Tech’s side of the field.

Due to the failure to get serious momentum going using the passing game, the Yellow Jackets have looked to their running game to pick up yardage. The Tar Heels have been there to stop that as well, allowing only 51 yards on 21 carries, with none of Georgia Tech’s four rushers having more than 20 yards. 

The one knock on the defense was on the Yellow Jackets last possession of the first half. The Tar Heels allowed them  to convert on third down with 2:26 left in the half and then gave up two straight big passing plays. This allowed Georgia Tech to continue to go down the field, eventually scoring a touchdown and ending the possibility of UNC recording its first opening-half shutout of the year.  

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