3 Biggest X-Factors For UNC to Defeat Uconn

As the North Carolina Tar Heels prepare for their upcoming game against the UConn Huskies, the team knows that they let a win slip away last week.

North Carolina almost took down the Miami Hurricanes, but they fell short in the end against the top team in the nation. However, the Tar Heels can take their performance from this game to help them build some momentum for the rest of the season.

Here are three biggest X-Factors for the Tar Heels to get another win this week against the Huskies:

1. Billy Edwards Jr. Efficiency

Edwards has seen an up-and-down year for the Tar Heels this season so far, but against Miami last week, he stepped up massively. The signal-caller threw for 341 yards and four touchdowns, giving the team a real chance to take down the top team in the entire country.

If Edwards can put together another strong outing, it would not only help North Carolina get a win this week, but also give him confidence for the rest of the year. His play this week will be a major talking point, but it remains to be seen whether he can replicate the success from a week ago.

2. Third Down Defense

So far this season, the Tar Heels defense has been very poor on third down, ranking 123th in conversion for the other team. North Carolina has allowed opposing teams to convert 44.2 percent of third downs this year, and this won't get the job done at all.

Against UConn, the Tar Heels are going to have to find a way to change this, making sure to get timely stops to give the ball back to it offense. If they are able to pull this off, North Carolina should be able to generate enough points to come away with the win this week.

3. Slow Down Kalieb Osborne

The Huskies quarterback has put together a nice season so far, and he has the talent to give the Tar Heels some problems this week. For the year, Osborne has thrown for 1,857 yards with 14 touchdowns and two interceptions, showing his worth on the field.

If the Tar Heels can pressure him early on, avoiding him getting into a rhythm in the game, it could help. North Carolina can't afford to drop this game, so making sure to slow down Osborne will be a key in this matchup.