The North Carolina players who were suited up last night deserved better.

I hope the Carolina football players who are ultimately determined to have done wrong in the NCAA and UNC investigations are ashamed at not being able to help the Carolina football players who were on the field fighting against powerful LSU.

Ultimately falling 30-24, the Tar Heels also fought inexperience and the corresponding errors that come with that. Two plays – a dropped sure touchdown by one inexperienced back and a booted kickoff return in the end zone that another inexperienced player chose to run out of the end zone (ultimately getting to the three-yard line) – really were the difference between victory and defeat.

Carolina got a field goal instead of a touchdown on the dropped pass play and then a center snap when the QB wasn’t ready (after the ill-advised runback) led to a safety. That’s six points right there. A chip-shot field goal in the fourth quarter would have won it.

Still, the Tar Heels were inches away at the end from beating LSU, which was a two-touchdown favorite. And, make no mistake, the Heels should have won. Sure-handed tight end Zack Pianalto failed to haul in a catchable pass in the end zone with six seconds left and then, with time expiring, he dropped a perfect pass from T.J. Yates.

“It was pretty simple – I just dropped both of ’em,” Pianalto said after the game. To be fair, the first pass was a bit behind him and banged off his shoulder pad and the second pass was dropped while a defender grabbed a shoulder pad, prompting Yates to ask officials for a penalty.

Yates answered critics by going 28 of 45 with three touchdowns and 412 yards, the third most passing yards in a game in Carolina history. He also hooked up with Jheranie Boyd on a 97-yard touchdown pass, the longest in Carolina history, in the second half to get the Heels back in it at 30-17 after the Heels trailed 30-10 at the half.

Boyd, taking on the role of suspended Greg Little, had six receptions for 221 yards – that’s the second highest single-game receiving yards in Carolina history.

Carolina had more total yardage than LSU – 436 to 313 – and the defense shutout LSU in the second half.

But an explosive five minutes in the second quarter by LSU doomed the Heels – a 50-yard TD run on a reverse play, an 80+ yard punt return for a TD and 51-yard TD pass.

UNC had a lot of miscommunication, especially early, and some muffed snaps and fumbles but make no mistake about it, the Heels could have, and probably should have, won that game – even without the shamed players left home.

Random Thoughts: Coach Butch Davis said the Heels burned eight redshirt players – in other words eight guys who would have sat out the season and had four more years of eligibility had to play.

All of the seven defensive starters who sat out the game would have been on special teams, which was the area that ended up being the difference. LSU had 244 return yards in the first half alone as the Tigers ran out to the 30-10 lead.

Carolina might have gotten one more play at the end but it appears the Heels didn’t realize the clock was going to start after the ball was set following a stoppage of the clock for an injury with 19 seconds to go. The clock ran from 19 to 15 before the ball was snapped.

Everybody was talking about the losses on defense but the loss of runningbacks Ryan Houston and Shaun Draughn, at least for this game, turned out to be a big impact as well as the Heels managed only 24 yards on the ground.

If some of the players not allowed to play are able to come back, this game could be a plus as key depth was born in the form of many Carolina players, including walk-ons, who got significant time and gained experience and confidence in a big game.

Marcell Dareus, the Alabama player involved in the NCAA investigation revolving around players’ relationships with sports agents, has been ruled ineligible for only two games and will have to repay $1,800 in expenses for partying with agents.

UNC’s Marvin Austin and Greg Little are being investigated for similar offences. Could this be good news for Carolina? Perhaps but if the penalties are similar, why not announce them at the same time? Still, it does give UNC some hope that a ruling is near, and that the penalties might not be as severe as most suspect. It might not matter for Austin who was suspended indefinitely for breaking unrelated team rules.

Marvin Austin has been suspended indefinitely and now AP reports that leading receiver Greg Little will be left in Chapel Hill when North Carolina travels to Atlanta to take on LSU Saturday – this as a result of an NCAA investigation into inappropriate perks from sports agents.

With all the talk about that investigation and a UNC internal investigation into players turning in papers written for them by a tutor, a lot has flown under the radar. For instance, all the talk may actually benefit UNC quarterback T.J. Yates who would have been the biggest story heading into the season. Sure there will be pressure for him to answer critics, many of which booed him at a Carolina basketball game earlier this year, but imagine the spotlight that would have shined on him without the scandal.

Also, LSU must be feeling overlooked with most of the national attention on the Carolina troubles. This could motivate them to show that there should have been more talk about them.

Many are saying that Carolina doesn’t have a chance if seven defensive starters believed to be involved in the academic scandal don’t play. That has to irritate the backup players who probably believe they are ready to start and play well. As Yates said, no one comes to play backup at Carolina – everyone wants to start.

This is probably the most intriguing game of the opening week. Who will play for Carolina? How good are those substituting for the projected starters? Do the intangibles go to LSU, which feels overlooked, or Carolina, which is tired of hearing about the scandals and wants to prove that they can beat LSU regardless of who’s on the field.

Like Las Vegas, I haven’t a clue as to how this game is going to go and how Carolina will react to the adversity. If the Heels overcome it all and manage to win, this could still be a special season. If they lose, especially if they lose badly, it could be a long season.

UNC Coach Butch Davis made it clear before answering questions that he wasn’t going to answer questions – at least unless it related directly to the LSU game itself.

“I just don’t have the ability to be able to answer questions other than things that directly relate to the LSU game,” he said.

A couple of journalists attempted to get some answers about player availability for the LSU games in light of the NCAA and school investigations. But precious little was revealed and no specific names were mentioned.

“We’re in a holding mode,” Davis said. “Right now we’re just preparing for the game… We’re trying to prepare for all scenarios.”

Davis did mention individual LSU players including second-team All-America cornerback Patrick Peterson and new starting quarterback Jordan Jefferson.

He said he can tell from the practices this week that it’s game week. “Guys are tired of practicing against themselves,” Davis said. “It’s time to go and play and be able to put some of these distractions behind us and focus legitimately on an opponent.”

Davis said that the game plan against LSU will be the same regardless of which UNC players are on the field.

I’m not sure what else Coach Davis can do but you’d think that some 72 hours before the first game, he could throw some crumb regarding who definitely will be available to play.