PHOTO | TROY HULL

North Carolina receiver Josh Downs (left) went over 100 yards receiving, but Clemson linebacker Barrett Carter and his Tigers teammates walked off with a 39-10 in the ACC football title game Saturday at Bank of America Stadium.

North Carolina’s late-season derailment reached a new low against Clemson in the ACC title game.

The Tar Heels made their first championship appearance since 2015 after winning the Coastal Division early in November. At the time, they were rolling, playing some of their best football offensively during a six-game win-streak, but the script flipped in a head-scratching loss to Georgia Tech, and they haven’t played well since.

For the best statistical offense in the ACC, North Carolina’s problem has been scoring touchdowns, especially in the red zone. Before Saturday’s 39-10 loss at Bank of America Stadium, it was a concern with UNC scoring only one touchdown in five red zone trips against Georgia Tech and three in seven trips against North Carolina State.

In the season’s biggest game, the issue never got any better.

UNC scored only one touchdown in five red zone opportunities, and that one score came on its first offensive possession. The next four trips ended in a blocked field goal, a made field goal, a Clemson pick-six, and turnover on downs.

That aspect of the offense’s struggles was brought up almost immediately in head coach Mack Brown’s postgame press conference where he said subpar red zone production “(wasn’t) going to win many games.”

Brown’s opening statements were short and ended with a simple line: “We’ve got to score more points in the red zone.”

When asked what’s specifically causing issues to the offense when it gets close to the goal line, he said he’d have to look at the film for an answer.

“If I could answer that tonight, I’d be making more money than I am coaching,” Brown said. We'll have to go back and look at it tonight and see what it is. It's been a consistent problem the last three weeks, and it wasn't the first 10, so I don't have any idea.”

From quarterback Drake Maye’s perspective, the red zone issues are a combination of his own play, defenses taking away the Tar Heels’ best playmakers, and field position near the goal line.

“I think they’re keying on the best player down there in Josh [Downs]. Had a chance with Antoine [Green] on the fade, (but) I gotta make a better throw,” Maye said. “Feel like every time we get down there, it’s like we always start at first and nine. So, it’s tough to get nine yards down there, you know, it feels so condensed.”

Downs had a productive night with 11 receptions and 100 yards, but didn’t get into the end zone, the third time this season he went for 100 yards or more without a score.

Although Clemson’s defense did a good job of keeping Downs contained in the red zone, UNC didn’t do much to help themselves. For example, the Tar Heels were able to get to Clemson’s 14 after the Tigers capitalized on a UNC fumble for a seven-point lead. With 35 seconds left in the first quarter, UNC had a chance to cut the deficit to four and gain some momentum, but the field goal was blocked, negating the progress the offense made on that drive.

Down 24-10 coming out of halftime, the Tar Heels made it to the Clemson 5 with a chance to make it a one-possession game. However, on third down, Maye was intercepted by Clemson’s Nate Wiggins for a 98-yard Tigers touchdown.

Maye finished with two interceptions and zero touchdowns – the second time this season he failed to connect with a receiver in the end zone.

Downs attributed the Tar Heels’ red zone struggles to the defenses they’ve played of late, with Clemson the best they’ve seen all year. Although statistically, the Tigers didn’t have the best red zone defense in the ACC (Georgia Tech, Syracuse and UNC were slightly ahead), their front seven pressured Maye all night, making it difficult for him to find open receivers downfield and connect on short yardage situations near the goal line.

With the loss, the Tar Heels missed out on their second opportunity at an Orange Bowl berth in three seasons. Once again, a year with so much promise quickly fizzles out to another disappointing finish under Brown.

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