Tar Heels WR Downs Set For Big Day Against Duke

The North Carolina Tar Heels (2-2 overall, 1-2 ACC) look forward to improving upon their disastrous performance last weekend against Georgia Tech in the UNC loss. They will have to do it against their arch-rivals, the Duke Blue Devils (3-1 overall).

Look for Sophomore Wide Receiver Josh Downs (Suwannee, Georgia), to make a strong impact. Currently, he’s in the running for the 2021 Biletnikoff Award Watch List, an award that recognizes the best Wide Receiver from the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Downs is having a spectacular year so far. The athletic wide receiver leads the Tar Heels and is top 10 nationally, with 32 receptions, 452 receiving yards, and five touchdowns.

Should Downs win the award this year, he will be the first Carolina player to win it, as well as the first ACC player since Calvin Johnson for Georgia Tech, in 2006.

Also, look out for the Junior Quarterback from Indian Trail, NC, named Sam Howell. While being bruised and battered by the defenses of Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech, he is having a strong start to the season with 1,173 passing yards and 14 touchdowns.

I strongly believe they will use their prosperous offense to propel over the Duke Blue Devils, in front of a raucous crowd in Kenan Stadium. Sam Howell will definitely play his best game in the rivalry, as he had the worst game in his career against the Blue Devils, despite a 20-17 victory in 2019. In that game, he was just 10-for-26 passing attempts (38.5%) with 227 yards and two touchdowns. However, he had negative 18 rushing yards.

The game will be at Noon on ESPN2 on Saturday, October 2nd.