Pinch yourselves Tar Heel fans.

You might just realize that this dream-like season is for real. Not only that,  it’s not over yet.

After clinching the ACC Coastal Division last week against Virginia Tech, the No. 14 UNC football team took care of its other season-long goal in Raleigh on Saturday–defeating the rival NC State Wolfpack 45-34 behind another explosive offensive performance to earn a “State Championship”–the reward for beating all three in-state conference opponents this year.

The school-record 11th consecutive victory has head coach Larry Fedora’s Tar Heels at 11-1, and also completes the program’s first 8-0 finish in the ACC—putting the team in a position to possibly reach the College Football Playoff with a win over No. 1 Clemson in next week’s conference title game.

“It’s incredible,” Fedora said afterwards. “This group of seniors that’s leading this team, and the rest of these guys–they’re doing some things that have never been done here at UNC.

“What a tremendous legacy these seniors are leaving,” he added. “They’re having a lot of fun with each other, and that’s what it’s all about.”

Elijah Hood ran for a career-high 220 yards. (Photo by Smith Cameron Photography)

Elijah Hood ran for a career-high 220 yards. (Photo by Smith Cameron Photography)

Sophomore tailback Elijah Hood gashed the Wolfpack defense for a career-high 220 yards on 21 carries. He also added a pair of touchdowns to help send NC State’s record tumbling to 7-5 overall and 3-5 in the ACC.

“Things were definitely going my way, judging by those stats,” he said with a laugh when informed of his final numbers. “I think we had an excellent gameplan, in all honesty. We came out and played real physical.

“Everyone blocked really well for me out there, from the O-line to the receivers at the second level,” Hood continued. “They gave me a lot of room to make some things happen.”

Hood picked up 52 yards on the opening drive alone, as the Tar Heels got some sweet, symbolic revenge after last season’s 35-7 loss to the Wolfpack in Chapel Hill–going ahead 35-7 in this game before the first quarter ended.

UNC finished the game with a whopping 374 yards on the ground, as speedy second-string running back TJ Logan gave Hood a break in the first quarter by scoring once from 42 yards out, and then again from 40 yards out–and finishing the game with 100 on just six touches.

Through the air, senior quarterback Marquise Williams completed 19-of-30 passes for 174 yards, including a 53-yard touchdown to Mack Hollins during the early explosion. He threw an interception in the second quarter–but it was his first since October 24th at home against Virginia.

“Our thing was, [NC State] thought we were the same team as last year,” Williams said. “We lost to Virginia Tech last year and we came and took care of business [this year]. We lost to Miami bad [last year], came and took care of business. We lost to State bad, came and took care of business.

“We’re the 2015 team, and that’s what I love about this team,” he added. “This team has that grit, and just wants to finish.”

Despite jumping out to the huge lead early in the game, UNC was unable to keep the Wolfpack from clawing their way back into contention.

A pair of lost fumbles in the second half (one by Williams, one by Hood)–led to 13 NC State points, as the Tar Heel offense began to sputter. After piling on 35 in the first 14:09, UNC failed to score in either the second or third quarters.

Wolfpack quarterback Jacoby Brissett completed just 17 of his 37 throws, but picked up 204 yards and two passing touchdowns. A physical, dual-threat player, he also had 128 rushing yards and two scores on the ground to keep his team from being blown out.

UNC vs. NC State

(Photo by Smith Cameron Photography)

By the start of the fourth quarter, after a 3-yard scoring run from Brissett, NC State had shrunk the UNC lead to 35-23.

The fans in Carter-Finley Stadium were beginning to regain hope.

It was a moment reminiscent of the Tar Heels’ sloppy finish against Virginia Tech a week ago, where they allowed two touchdowns in the final three minutes of regulation before winning in overtime.

But an 11-play, 73-yard drive by UNC was capped at the beginning of the final period with Hood’s 1-yard touchdown run–giving the team some much needed breathing room down the stretch.

A fumble by Hood on the next Tar Heel possession looked like it would set up the Wolfpack with another score, but Gene Chizik’s UNC defense forced a field goal, which kept the lead at 16.

After the Tar Heels drove down and got a field goal of their own, NC State finally broke through for another touchdown on a 20-yard pass by Brissett to David Grinnage–but with only 1:50 remaining, it was too little, too late.

UNC recovered the ensuing onside kick, and went into the victory formation to kneel out the game clock–putting the final stamp on its most successful regular season in program history.

Fedora has explained that he began each team meeting this year by stating two goals.

Coastal Division Champs. State Champs.

With both of those goals accomplished, though, he can finally turn his focus elsewhere.

“Well, now it’s time to reset our goals,” the coach said after the game. “Our goal now will be to be ACC Champions.”

North Carolina Tar Heels vs. NC State Wolfpack in Photos

Up Next:

Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte now awaits Fedora and the Tar Heels, where they will get a shot at the nation’s top-ranked team–the 12-0 Clemson Tigers. That game will take place next Saturday, December 5th at 8 p.m.

Game Notes:

  • Elijah Hood has now run for 1,280 yards this season–good enough for the third-best single-season rushing total in school history.
  • The first touchdown of the game was a 5-yard pass to Quinshad Davis by backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky, who entered the game for one play because Williams’ helmet fell off on the play before.
  • The 35 points scored in the first quarter were the most scored in a single quarter in school history.
  • UNC’s previous high-mark for rushing yards this season was 294 against Miami.

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