North Carolina traveled to Atlanta hoping to reverse years of bad mojo here, and rebound from its first loss of the season. The Tar Heels didn’t do either, and suffered a 46-42 loss against Georgia Tech on Saturday night that was almost as stunning as the one UNC suffered a week earlier against Virginia. Quick takeaways from the Tar Heels’ loss: UNC’S ATLANTA CURSE CONTINUES, BUT … What is it about this city and UNC football? Much was made of the Tar Heels’ Atlanta woes entering Saturday night — their 2-10 record here since 1997 and, with that record, an impressive collection of creative ways to lose.

There’d been close losses. Not-so close losses. Losses that derailed seasons. Losses that came in seasons already derailed. So much was made of all the UNC losing here, in fact, that it just seemed like one more loss wasn’t all that likely. Something had to give, right? This is a Tar Heels team that had started 6-0, after all. And a Georgia Tech team that, frankly, hasn’t been all that great or even good, for most of the season.

But, well. This is why fans have a difficult time not believing in curses. That’s one way to look at this defeat. Another: UNC deserved it, given its inability to hold a lead and especially its inability to stop Georgia Tech in the fourth quarter. (More on that in a minute.) The Tar Heels held leads of 21-7, 35-24 and 42-32 and … could never find a way to put the Yellow Jackets away. Again and again, UNC allowed Georgia Tech back in it. The Yellow Jackets hung around and hung around and hung around … and then outscored UNC 22-7 in the fourth quarter.

The Tar Heels were 2-10 in their past 12 games in this city. Now they’re 2-11, with this loss instantly becoming the worst of all of them. All that positive mojo UNC had going in its first six games is completely gone. This is a team that’s suddenly spiraling (especially on defense).