CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Antonio Williams threw a 75-yard trick-play touchdown pass to T.J. Moore on the first offensive snap to start Clemson's dominating show in a 38-10 win at North Carolina on Saturday.
The coaching matchup of Clemson's Dabo Swinney and North Carolina's Bill Belichick became a romp by the Tigers (2-3, 1-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), who quickly overwhelmed the Tar Heels (2-3, 0-1) then cruised through the second half.
Clemson scored 28 points while averaging 15.8 yards per play in the opening quarter. Cade Klubnik threw four TD passes by halftime — two each to Adam Randall and Christian Bentancur — before giving way in the third to reserve Christopher Vizzina.
Max Johnson threw for 213 yards in starting for the injured Gio Lopez for UNC, while Benjamin Hall ran for a fourth-quarter touchdown with the outcome long decided.
The Tigers had largely driven most of the home fans to the Kenan Stadium exits by halftime with a 35-3 lead, another telling visual of how UNC's bet on hiring the 73-year-old Belichick as a first-time college coach has gone so far.
The takeaways
Clemson: The preseason ACC favorite opened the year ranked No. 4 in the AP Top 25, only to go 1-3 for the worst start in Swinney's long tenure. But they were never threatened to start October.
UNC: The school is paying Belichick — who won six Super Bowl titles leading the NFL's New England Patriots — at least $10 million guaranteed for three seasons as part of an upgraded football investment. His debut was a 48-14 flop against TCU, with Kenan largely empty in the third quarter. There was also a 34-9 loss at UCF. Add Saturday, and UNC now a touchdown on 4 of 29 drives (13.8%) against power-conference opponents, not counting drives stopped by halftime or game's end.
Up next
Clemson: The Tigers visit Boston College on Oct. 11.
UNC: The Tar Heels get another open week before visiting California on Oct. 17.
___
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
