TEMPE, Ariz. -- When the Arizona Cardinals allow themselves to finally take a breath after the season, whether that's on a beach in Cabo or on a couch in Arizona, and start dissecting how 2025 went, they'll keep coming back to one question. What went wrong? For a team that won eight games in 2024 and had playoff aspirations, this season fell far below expectations. At 3-13, the Cardinals have tied their worst record in the modern era. A loss Sunday will give them their worst single-season record since the 1970 merger.
Having lost 10 straight road games dating back to last season, the Cardinal makes one last road trip this season to face the Tar Heels. Redshirt freshman Elijah Brown (47 of 79 passing for 492 yards, three TDs and three INTs in six games) makes his second collegiate start in place of Ben Gulbranson, whose 10 interceptions are the second-most of any FBS QB. No team in FBS has fewer rushing yards as a team since the start of Week 4 than Stanford (324).
North Carolina coach Bill Belichick is turning to senior quarterback Max Johnson to start Saturday's game against Clemson, a source told ESPN. Gio Lopez, who opened the season as the Tar Heels starter, is a game-time decision because of a lower body injury, but if he is available, he will serve as Johnson's backup, the source said. Johnson replaced the injured Lopez two weeks ago during a 34-9 loss to UCF.
