WATCH: Chamarri Conner snags late interception to seal upset victory over UNC
Virginia Tech dominated UNC for much of the contest Friday night, but the Tar Heels showed glimmers of life down the stretch.
UNC tried to battle back, but Virginia Tech defensive back Chamarri Conner made sure the ‘Heels would have zero chance of a comeback.
Virginia Tech was up 17-10 late in the fourth quarter, with North Carolina trying to mount one last final drive to send it to overtime.
Then quarterback Sam Howell attempted to throw the ball away as he was being tackled to the ground by Virginia Tech’s Jordan Williams, and Conner snagged the interception. Check the video below.
The interception by Conner pretty much sealed North Carolina’s fate with 37 seconds remaining in the contest. North Carolina had three timeouts left, but Virginia Tech’s Tre Turner finished things off for good with a 12-yard run as the Hokies ran out the final seconds on the clock.
The win was Virginia Tech’s first win against a top 10 opponent since 2009.
Chamarri Conner is a big-time playmaker and he made sure even more people nationwide remember the name after Friday night. He racked up eight tackles against the Tar Heels and the game-sealing interception.
Virginia Tech‘s defense controlled the game in a number of different areas Friday night. The Hokies‘ defensive front dominated the Tar Heels offensive line, racking up six sacks and eight tackles for loss. The Virginia Tech defensive backs blanketed UNC’s receivers all night long, too, forcing quarterback Sam Howell to throw three costly interceptions.
Sam Howell had one of the worst performances of his college football career. His Heisman campaign is effectively finished.
Howell completed 17 of his 32 pass attempts for 208 passing yards, while tossing in three interceptions and just one touchdown. He also threw his first fourth quarter interception of his college football career.
Chamarri Conner bio
Conner was named a 2020 All-ACC Third Team member by Phil Steele. Last year, he racked up 81 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, four pass breakups, four quarterback hurries, and a forced fumble.
The 6-foot, 205-pound defensive back is a native of Jacksonville, Florida. He attended Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville for high school. He helped lead Trinity Christian to a 9-4 overall record in the 5A level as a senior. Known for being a ballhawk in his high school days, Conner racked up 107 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery in his senior year.
Conner’s career stats coming into the 2021 college football season were: 162 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 12 pass breakups, three interceptions, and two forced fumbles.
Josh Downs breakout game
North Carolina sophomore wide receiver Josh Downs was expected to be a breakout star for the 2021 college football season. Friday night he did not disappoint, hauling in eight catches for 123 yards and one touchdown. Downs was one of the fastest wide receiver prospects in the 2020 recruiting cycle, according to On3’s Charles Power. His younger brother, Caleb Downs is a top prospect in the 2023 recruiting class at safety. Downs is ranked as the 15th best overall prospect in America, according to the On3 Class of 2023 rankings.