Drake Maye sets multiple school records in Holiday Bowl loss to Oregon

Drake Maye made history despite playing well in North Carolina’s Holiday Bowl loss to Oregon. Maye tied the school record in touchdown passes and set a new record in passing yards, both for a single season, in the 28-27 defeat at the hands of the Ducks.

Maye finished his season with 4,321 yards, 38 touchdowns, seven interceptions and a 66.2% completion percentage. Maye was already clear of Mitch Trubisky in terms of the passing yardage, as the latter is second all time (3,748 yards). 

However, Maye equaled his predecessor Sam Howell with 38 on the year. Howell hit that mark in 2019 and is also third all-time with 30 in 2020, tied with Trubisky’s 2016 total.

Maye finished the game against the Ducks 18-of-35 passing for 206 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. However, it was not enough as Oregon scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to steal the win.

The Tar Heels trailed 14-7 but eventually took a 24-14 lead midway through the fourth quarterback. Heroics from Bo Nix and the Ducks offense stole the game.

“Very disappointed that we didn’t win, but we’ve got to make a play here or there, and they’re a great football team,” North Carolina coach Mack Brown, who brought Texas to the Holiday Bowl five times between 2000 and 2011, said postgame. “Nobody gave us a chance in the game and we had a chance with one second left. That’s all we could ask for in this situation.”

Following Nix’s final touchdown pass with just 19 seconds left, the Tar Heels went into desperation mode.

Two completions from Maye got North Carolina to the Oregon 41 yard line and then with one second left, UNC had one final play. However, Maye’s final pass fell incomplete.

In the first half, it looked like the game was going to turn on its head once Nix threw an interception.

“I was ticked off,” Nix said. “I was mad I put my team in that position. It wasn’t a great play on my part. … (But) it goes back to the 22 guys who are out there playing; if one of us falls down, they pick us up.”

However, the Ducks rallied in the second half down 10. Nix led a touchdown drive and after the Oregon defense held the Tar Heels to a field goal, the Auburn transfer took over again.

Nix finished 23-of-30 passing for 205 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Oregon finished the season 10-3 in Dan Lanning’s first at the helm while North Carolina dropped to 9-5 on the year.