Omarion Hampton stars as North Carolina pulls away late vs. NC Central

Field Level Media|published: Sat 14th September, 21:37 2024

Sep 7, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Davion Gause (21) scores a touchdown as Charlotte 49ers defensive lineman Chantz Williams (14) defends in the fourth quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Omarion Hampton rushed for three touchdowns and 210 yards, but North Carolina had a surprisingly difficult time pulling away from visiting North Carolina Central in a 45-10 victory Saturday night in Chapel Hill, N.C.

The Tar Heels scored 21 points in an eight-minute stretch of the fourth quarter to clinch the outcome, ending up with 28 points in the last quarter to break open a 17-10 game.

Quarterback Jacolby Criswell replaced North Carolina starter Conner Harrell, who didn't get the offense moving, and at times they were rotated. Criswell was 14-for-23 for 161 yards in the air, while Harrell was 2-for-6 for 22 yards.

The Tar Heels finally got some breathing room when Criswell's short pass to tight end John Copenhaver turned into a 23-yard touchdown play with 14:12 to play. That put North Carolina up 24-10.

After Kaleb Crist's interception, North Carolina needed five plays to go 30 yards with Hampton plowing up the middle on a 4-yard scoring run.

Hampton, a junior preseason All-America, had 25 carries and eclipsed the 200-yard mark on the ground for the second time in his career.

The final touchdowns came on Davion Gause's 1-yard run and Charleston French's 45-yard run.

NC Central (1-2), a Football Championship Subdivision team coming off a 22-point home loss to Elon a week earlier, was held to 167 yards of total offense.

The Eagles didn't score in the second half, but by holding the Tar Heels without a third-quarter point there was some suspense remaining.

North Carolina's problems mounted in the first half, partly because of 10 penalties prior to halftime.

The Eagles, who used more than seven minutes on the game's first possession, had the Tar Heels off balance until the second quarter. J'Mari Taylor ran five yards for NC Central's touchdown.

North Carolina took its first lead almost 20 minutes into the game on Hampton's second touchdown run.

It was the first-ever football meeting between the schools that are located about 12 miles apart.

--Field Level Media

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