001: Carolina 🏈: bend don't break defense

Plotting the bend don't break defense that is Carolina football.

Carolina is 8-1 and 15th in the College Football Playoff rankings.

Quarterback Drake Maye has a great chance to be the school's first ACC Player of the Year since 1980. Maye is receiving national recognition as a Heisman candidate too.

The offense has been elite so far.

The defense? Not great.

The Heels rank 99th in defense using SP+ rankings and 122nd in the country in yards per game allowed. It's a bend don't break brand of defense that attempts to limit big plays. There is a emphasis on situational defense - late downs, red zone or short fields, turnovers - too.

Seven of Carolina's nine opponents have scored on consecutive drives this season. The Commonwealth of Virginia, both the Cavaliers and Hokies, are the only opponents that haven't scored on back-to-back possessions.

Appalachian State and Notre Dame both scored on six straight possessions. It's hard to win a game when you can't break serve.

This week's chart aims to show the importance of consecutive stops or scores. Carolina is undefeated in ACC play because of its elite offense, but also its timely defense? The defense has turned in at least three or more consecutive stops in every league game.

Carolina travels to Winston-Salem on Saturday night to meet Wake Forest. The Deacs have scored 108 points in the last two meetings against the Heels, and lost both games. Wake Forest scored on 17 of its 31 drives in those two games, while Carolina scored of 19 of its 32 drives.

If Carolina continues its undefeated conference record, it's likely because the defense turned in consecutive stops. Oh, and probably Drake Maye too.

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check out the code for this chart