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Five takeaways from UNC football's Week 10 Halloween victory at Syracuse
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- Five takeaways from UNC football's Week 10 Halloween victory at Syracuse
They finally did it. On Friday night – for the first time since September 13, the North Carolina Tar Heels won a football game.
UNC marched into the JMA Wireless Dome and, after a sluggish first half, dominated the final 30 minutes for a 27-10 domination of Syracuse.
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Bill Belichick preached progressive improvement for his team in recent weeks – and it showed big-time on Halloween.
North Carolina totaled 425 yards and 27 points, both season-high against a Power Four opponent. The Tar Heels (3-5, 1-3 ACC) held the Orange (3-6, 1-5 ACC) to three offensive points, making life miserable for freshman quarterback Joseph Filardi. Demon June showcased why he should be UNC's top backfield option going forward, out-gaining Syracuse in yardage himself, while Gio Lopez played his best game in Carolina Blue.
North Carolina looked bleak in the first half, failing to finish drives and allowing Syracuse to pick up chunk yardage. But unlike weeks' past, the Tar Heels didn't break. They responded, limiting the Orange to 147 yards. Melkart Abou-Jaoude made a difference on the edge, leading UNC with six total tackles, 2.5 TFLs, two sacks and a forced fumble.
Turnovers doomed North Carolina in each of its past two losses, with a combined six giveaways. The Tar Heels fumbled once in the first quarter, which Syracuse ran back for its lone touchdown, but didn't turn the ball over once after.
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Winning cures plenty – and in Chapel Hill, vibes are high right now. Look at our five takeaways from tonight's big UNC win.
Demon June needs to be the feature back
Oct 31, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Demon June (12) runs between Syracuse Orange linebacker David Reese (left) and linebacker Anwar Sparrow (12) in the third quarter at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
June thrived in a lead-back role Friday night, totaling 182 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns. June led all Tar Heels with 101 rushing yards and 81 receiving yards, showcasing his potential as a dual-threat back.
Benjamin Hall took a majority of UNC's RB workload in recent weeks, but after tonight, June has to be that guy. North Carolina won big – and June played a major part in that.
Melkart Abou-Jaoude is the Tar Heels' best transfer portal addition
Oct 31, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; Syracuse Orange quarterback Joseph Filardi (13) loses a fumble on a tackle by North Carolina Tar Heels defensive lineman Melkart Abou Jaoude (9) in the fourth quarter at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
UNC needed to replace its entire defensive line last offseason, landing the likes of Pryce Yates, Smith Vilbert and CJ Mims in the transfer portal.
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It's Delaware transfer Melkart Abou-Jaoude, though, making the greatest difference on North Carolina's defensive line.
Abou-Jaoude continued his 2025 tear on Halloween, leading the Tar Heels with six total tackles, 2.5 TFLs, two sacks and a forced fumble. Abou-Jaoude now has 7.5 TFLs, seven sacks, five quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles, all of which lead UNC and rank amongst the ACC's best.
Gio Lopez finally looked comfortable running UNC's offense
Lopez looked poised in the pocket Friday night. When plays broke down, Lopez scrambled for extra yards. Lopez finished his night with 15 completions, a season-high 216 passing yards and two passing touchdowns – one to June and the other to Jordan Shipp.
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Lopez didn't turn the ball over, which plagued him against UVA. North Carolina doesn't need Lopez to be perfect, just to play well enough for a win. Lopez exceeded expectations on Friday, leaving fans encouraged for Week 11 against Stanford.
The Tar Heels' defense is a difference-maker
Oct 31, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels defensive lineman Xavier Lewis (90) tackles Syracuse Orange quarterback Joseph Filardi (13) in the first quarter at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
Filardi only completed four passes. Syracuse failed to total 150 yards. You can thank the Tar Heels' defense for those marks.
UNC generated three sacks and five TFLs. Kaleb Cost and Marcus Allen each broke up passes. Virtually everyone on North Carolina's defense made an impact.
If the Tar Heels' defense plays like it did on Halloween, reaching a bowl game isn't an unreasonble ask.
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Bill Belichick's process is finally working
2025 is Belichick's first year coaching college football. Bumps and hiccups are to be expected, but also good moments like Friday night's.
North Carolina played complementary football throughout – strong defense in the first half, then electric offense in the second.
The Tar Heels carry plenty of new players on their roster, but chemistry appears to be rounding into form. Belichick was happy addressing his players in the locker room postgame, which means his process is starting to work.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC football: Five takeaways from Week 10 Halloween win over Syracuse
