Derek McDonald’s 82.8 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus was the highest of any North Carolina player in the 31–30 overtime loss to Syracuse, a full 6.4 points ahead of the next-best Tar Heel, while quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. finished near the bottom of the offensive rankings. PFF grades players on a 0–100 scale, and the numbers show a Carolina team that leaned heavily on the pass, wore down its defense with a lopsided snap count, and struggled most when Edwards was pressured. UNC ran 70 offensive snaps to Syracuse’s 89, and 49 of those 70 (70%) were pass plays against only 21 runs.
