Assessing UNC’s Failures All Around in Demoralizing Wake Forest Loss

North Carolina failed to extend its two-game winning streak, falling to in-state rival Wake Forest, 28-12.

It was an embarrassing game for Bill Belichick and his staff, as UNC (4-6) was not only outplayed but outcoached as well. The Tar Heels face a challenging path ahead, with games against Duke and NC State looming if they hope to become bowl eligible. Obviously, losing either game eliminates them from bowl contention. Losing both would be detrimental to the perception of the first season of the Belichick era.

With that said, here are my grades for UNC’s performance—or lack thereof—on offense, special teams and defense against Wake Forest (7-3).

Offense - F

Nov 15, 2025; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Benjamin Hall (28) runs with the ball against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. | Wake Forest Athletics via Imagn Images

The Tar Heels' offense struggled, gaining just 257 total yards. North Carolina had five drives inside the opponent’s 30-yard line but failed to score a touchdown on any of them. The offense went 1-for-3 in the red zone and converted only 4 of 14 third-down attempts. It was the program’s first game without a touchdown since 2016, when Larry Fedora was head coach and Mitchell Trubisky was quarterback.

Gio Lopez turned in an uninspiring performance, completing 21 of 36 passes for 201 yards. He averaged 5.4 yards per attempt and went just 6-for-16 on passes thrown to the left side. Only two passes resulted in gains of 15 yards or more, and none of his attempts traveled more than 15 yards downfield for a completion.

North Carolina continued its struggles on the ground, finishing with just 56 rushing yards. Demon June led the Tar Heels with nine carries for 32 yards, averaging 3.5 yards per attempt. Benjamin Hall added eight carries for 21 yards, averaging 2.6 yards per attempt.

Defense - D+

UNC — Oct 17, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick reacts against the California Golden Bears in the first quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eakin Howard-Imagn Images | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

Did the defense do some good things? Yes. Did they do a lot of bad things? Absolutely.

Wake Forest tallied 414 yards of total offense, with 223 yards on the ground. Robby Ashford completed 15 of 25 passes (60%) for 191 yards and a touchdown, and added 52 rushing yards and another score.

Notably, the Demon Deacons entered the game ranked No. 89 in total offense, No. 86 in rushing, No. 85 in passing yards, No. 112 in passing efficiency, and No. 97 in scoring. Yet, the Deacons delivered a strong performance.

Ashford gained 10 yards on a run up the middle but lost the ball, resulting in a frantic scramble. UNC’s Gavin Gibson had a chance to recover, but the ball slipped through his hands and past several diving Tar Heels. Wake receiver Carlos Hernandez finally secured it and sprinted 50 yards for a touchdown.

Another big play occurred when Ashford effectively went through his progressions and connected with Hernandez for a 70-yard touchdown, giving Wake a commanding 21-9 lead with 5:54 left in the period. This play would arguably prove to be the biggest difference-maker in the game.

Special Teams - B+

UNC — Sep 13, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels place kicker Rece Verhoff (90) kicks a field goal in the first quarter at Kenan Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Rece Verhoff converted 4 of 6 field goal attempts Saturday, highlighted by a school-record 57-yarder for North Carolina. It marked the sixth game this season in which Verhoff made a field goal of at least 40 yards. He was 4-for-5 from 40 to 49 yards in this game, with successful kicks from 49 yards at Charlotte, 48 at Stanford last week, 43 at Syracuse, 41 at California, and 40 at UCF this season.

Two field goal attempts, from 39 and 45 yards, were blocked. The first was attributed to a breakdown on the offensive line that allowed too much penetration, while Verhoff took responsibility for the second, saying after the game that he did not strike the ball cleanly.

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