North Carolina tops Appalachian State in double OT as Heels overcome another tight battle with Mountaineers

No. 17 North Carolina outlasted Appalachian State 40-34 in a double-overtime thriller  to move to 2-0 on the season Saturday night. Star quarterback Drake Maye scored the eventual game-winner for Tar Heels, cruising in from 13 yards out in the top half of the second overtime frame. 

The North Carolina defense held strong when it counted as well. Kaimon Rucker pressured Mountaineers quarterback Joey Aguilar’s, forcing an errant pass on a fourth-and-5 from the 20-yard line to seal the game. 

Maye will get all of the publicity, but running back Omarion Hampton was the true star of the night for the Heels. The sophomore carried the ball 26 times for 234 yards and three touchdowns, including a 68-yarder in the second quarter. He notched all three carries in the bottom of the first overtime period including a 17-yard score. 

North Carolina came in with momentum after a big 31-17 win over South Carolina. The expectations are high for the Tar Heels this season and, even though the defense struggled on Saturday, Hampton’s success shows just how many weapons Brown has at his disposal.