Reflections on UNC's Demoralizing Loss to Wake Forest

On this episode of the Tar Heels Insider Podcast, beat writer Grant Chachere breaks down the embarrassing performance put together by North Carolina in its 28-12 loss to Wake Forest.

To hear what Grant had to say, check out the video below.

Here is a partial transcript from Jordan Shipp's postgame presser.

Your offense had some good field position and made a few plays, including a field goal and a touchdown. What was Wake Forest's defense doing to make things difficult for you? On the other hand, was there anything your team could have done to generate more offensive success?

Nothing, just self-inflicted wounds. That's all it is, man, self-inflicted wounds. And that's something that, like, we got to own up to. I got to own up to it myself. And, you know, a couple missed things and off like they did, of course. They're a great team, great defense. They played full score.

They played hard. You know, another first step for those guys over there. 11 (Langston Hardy) is a great player. 5 (Davaughn Patterson) is a great player. You know, 23 (Barylon Johnson), Wake Forest had a lot of great players the other end. But, I mean, I feel like we just was killing ourselves tonight.

I hear what you're saying, but do you think that self-inflicted wounds when you don't score a touchdown is sort of oversimplifying the problems?

I mean, of course, that could be a thing. It could be a bunch of different things. I mean, just like I said, just self inflicted wounds. Tell it goes back to, you know, and once we get back, we look at the iPads, we're like, damn, very messed up here. I mean, it's just like I said, self inflicted wounds.

And of course, there could have been some stuff they were doing to trigger those wounds, you know, like, I mean, there's a bunch of different things that they were doing. Like I said, they were well coached team, a very physical team. So, I mean, they just, they just outplayed us. They beat

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. Mandatory Credit: Wake Forest Athletics via Imagn Images | Wake Forest Athletics via Imagn Images

Do you think at this point that you guys need to shake some things up on offense, whether it's a quarterback or another position?

Nah, man. I mean, like I said, we're killing ourselves. It's not, it's not Gio's fault. It's not the center's fault, guards fault, the tackles, receivers, running back. It's just everybody's taking their turns on “my bad.” One “my bad” ruins the whole play. You have, what? Three my bads on a drive.

Nov 8, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver Jordan Shipp (1) celebrates with quarterback Gio Lopez (7) after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

That's 20 something “my bads” throughout the game, you know? That's 20-some plays down the drain, you know. So, I mean, like I said, it's not one person, it's the overall team. You know, Coach McGee says 11 is one. We're all moving as one. 11 is one.

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