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Wake Forest at UNC: Gameday Live Blog

Heels, Deacs meet in non-conference showdown

North Carolina looks to move above .500 with a non-conference home game against unbeaten Wake Forest.

The showdown between the two ACC teams completes a two-game home-and-home non-conference series that started in 2019, in part, because the two teams meet so infrequently in conference play, due to the unbalanced ACC schedule.

Of course, with the two non-conference games, UNC and Wake have now played three years in a row, after an ACC contest was added when COVID scrambled the league schedules last year.

Carolina is coming off a loss to No. 11 Notre Dame and will face an even higher ranked team this week. Wake entered the AP top 10 for the first time in school history. The undefeated (8-0, 5-0) Deacs are No. 10 in the AP poll, No. 9 in the coaches poll and No. 9 in the College Football Playoff rankings. Wake will be looking to get an impressive win over a UNC team that started the year in the top 10 to help make its case to the selection committee that it deserves to move up.

North Carolina, meanwhile, is looking to keep a winning record and move toward bowl eligibility at 4-4 on the year. The Tar Heel defense has struggled recently, giving up 121 points in the last three games, while posting a 1-2 mark over that span. Carolina will be hard pressed to contain a Wake offense that has scored 35 or more points in every game this season, with 70 against Army two weeks ago.

The team has also had several transfers over the season, with WR Emory Simmons and DL Kristian Varner the latest to enter the portal.

UNC is wearing light blue helmets and pants, with dark blue jerseys. Wake has white jerseys, black pants and helmets.

The temperature is expected to be 50 degrees with heavy cloud cover at kickoff, and UNC kickoff specialist Jonathan Kim was wearing a knit winter cap while going through pregame warmups. 

Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Football Team and San Francisco 49ers get the coveted press box scout seats this week. 

Wake wins the toss and defers. Sam Howell will get first shot today. 

First snap, Chandler fumbles to Wake Forest. Deacs take over at UNC's 38. 

Wake got to the one, but on a touchdown dive, the Deacs got hit with an illegal formation penalty. They settle for a field goal. 3-0 Wake, 12:42 in the first. 

Tomon Fox got a sack on the field goal drive, moving him past Marcus Jones and Quinton Coples into third on UNC's all-time career sack list. 

On third and 8, Sam Howell manages to bear crawl out of a near sack and run for 14. UNC in the red zone. 

Howell with a beautiful play fake (his second of the drive) and keeps. Bounces off a tackler at the five and drags another for two years to the end zone. Heels up 7-3, 9:47 to go in the first.

Three Wake defenders left their spots to pursue the running back on that play fake, opening a lane for Howell. 

Howell's only pass on the drive was wiped out by a Wake interference penalty. Heels had 69 yards on the ground. 

Some late breaking injury updates: Storm Duck and Caleb Hood both available today. Don Chapman is not--out for the year. 

Wake responds with a touchdown drive. Key play was a 24-yard pass to Roberson on third and 15. Hartman caps it with a six-yard run. 10-7 Wake, 6:46 in the first. 

Heels stopped on a three and out but Cam'Ron Kelly gets an interception on Wake's next drive. UNC starting things at the Wake 42. 

Howell's first pass is a 30-yard dart to Chandler. First down at the 12. 

Howell runs through the pile--at least three Deacs missed tackles--for his eighth rushing score of the year. 12 yard run to give UNC a 14-10 lead, 3:29 left in the first. 

After four scores, two injuries and a replay review, the longest first quarter in football history continues with a second replay review with 36 seconds left. 

On the last play of the first quarter, LB Jeremiah Gemmel gets disqualified for targeting. 

Hartman hits Roberson for a 15-yard touchdown to start the second. 17-14, 14:53 before half. 

Chandler runs for 19 to the one, then takes it in on the next snap. Howell to Downs for 15 also converted a fourth and 7 on the drive. UNC back up 21-17, 9:41 until half. 

I realize this is a UNC-centric blog but just a beautiful beautiful pass from Hartman to Perry for the touchdown. Perfectly placed, and Perry makes a one-handed grab without breaking stride. 32-yard score makes it 24-21 Wake, 8:25 until half. 

Going to go out on a limb and say that 24 points will not be enough to win this game. 

And we get some post-play scuffling after a punt. UNC gets a sideline warning "for breaking it up" according to the press box PA. 

Morin gets open up the middle and Hartman finds him for 37 yards. Wake gets some breathing room: 30-21, 1:09 to go in the half. Wake gets the second half kickoff as well, so UNC needs some points on this last-minute drive. 

Howell deep ball is picked off, but it's coming back. Interference on Wake. UNC at the 30, 23 seconds left. 

UNC gets to the 14 but with four seconds left, Heels will settle for a field goal attempt. Atkins hits from 31 to make it 31-24 at the half.

UNC shuts down Wake on the first drive of the second half. Howell then finds Olson for 45 yards up the sideline. UNC has it first and goal at the six. Olson with a spectacular catch and held on despite a hard fall with someone on top of him. 

Heels can't finish off the drive. Atkins from 23 cuts the Wake lead to 31-27, 12:24 left in the third quarter. 

Wake lines up to go for it on fourth down at its own 45, but the Deacs don't have to. Offside on Kaimon Rucker gives them the first. Hartman then finds Morin for 29. Deacs at the 21. 

Hartman keeps for 21. Wake back up two scores, 38-27, 9:29 left in the third. 

Hartman to Perry for a 66-yard touchdown, and suddenly, Wake is up 45-27. 7:38 to go in the third, UNC needs a spark. Perry got behind the defense and just had to win a 30 yard footrace with a head start 

Howell hits Morales for 11 yards, and that breaks the UNC career record for total offense. Howell then celebrates by hitting Green for a 29-yard score on the next play. Two point conversion to Walston is good, but UNC hit with holding to erase it. The Heels kick instead, which cuts the score to 45-34 Wake, 4:54 left in the third. 

Not over yet…. Chandler breaks tackles & makes it to the end zone. Post play scuffle spills into the sideline.. UNC’s Tucker flagged for taunting. Atkins hits the long PAT and it’s 48-41, 11:22 left 

Picked! Kelly gets his second interception of the game. UNC just outside the Wake 20

Chandler takes it for his third score of the day. We’re all tied up at 48. 10:29 left 

Wake goes for it 4th & 2 from the UNC 30. Vohasek knocks down the pass. UNC ball. 7:58 left 

Howell slow to get up. Criswell in for at least one play

Howell returns but UNC stopped on third. Atkins trying a 25 yarder to take the lead 

Good. 51-48 UNC … 2:12 to go 

Wake stopped on fourth. Chandler takes it 50 for a score 1:12 left. UNC up 10

And the Heels get the upset! 58-55