The North Carolina Tar Heels are currently spiraling on the football field. Whatever preseason anticipation UNC had from hiring 8-time Super Bowl Champion Bill Belichick – is completely gone.
North Carolina started its 2025 campaign with a disheartening, 48-14 loss against TCU. Maybe that result was just one bad loss, but the Tar Heels’ 38-10 dud against Clemson proved their are deeper issues in Chapel Hill.
Gio Lopez started UNC’s first four games, but left both the TCU and UCF losses with second-half injuries. Turns out, Lopez dealt with a previously-undisclosed injury – this time, before the season opener.
According to WRAL News’ Brian Murphy, Lopez was involved in a car crash days before North Carolina faced TCU. This might explain Lopez leaving that clash early, but there’s no direct evidence pointing to that.
Good news: Lopez appears mentally okay from his crash, was not at fault for the accident and felt good enough to play in a college football game.
Lopez struggled before leaving the Tar Heels’ Week 1 clash, completing just four of his 10 passes for 69 yards, while also tossing an interception. It makes sense if Lopez’ struggles correlated to his crash, though.
QB Gio Lopez was taken to hospital after being involved in a car crash days before the Tar Heels’ loss to TCU in the season opener. Lopez completed 4-of-10 passes and left the game with an injury. https://t.co/PTwmYTGjqJ
— Brian Murphy (@murphsturph) October 6, 2025
Through nearly four full games, Lopez has 430 passing yards, four total touchdowns, three interceptions and 69 rushing yards to his name. Max Johnson started against Clemson, due to Lopez still recovering from his UCF injury, but UNC’s second bye week may give Lopez enough time to recover.
Regardless of who North Carolina starts for its Friday, October 17 nighttime visit to the California Golden Bears, a quarterback change won’t fix the on-field issues.
It’s a good thing Lopez is okay from his crash, though, because the Tar Heels invested plenty to lure him into their program.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC QB Gio Lopez involved in car crash according to WRAL News report
