Facing a possible dooms’ day scenario, Carolina pulled out an improbable victory in what the Tar Heels hope will be the first step of a November to remember.
The only thing they could bank on when falling behind unbeaten and top 10 Wake Forest by 18 points in the third quarter was an almost identical situation eight days short of one year ago on the same field.
This time, Mack Brown’s team on the brink and unable to stop the Deacons’ slow-motion “mesh” run-pass option for the first 45 minutes abruptly became the Steel Curtain of college football, even without star linebacker Jeremiah Gemmel, who had been ejected for targeting in the first half. UNC forced three straight stops in the process of outscoring Wake Forest 31-3 and pulling off a victory that truly showed how much college football has changed.
An annual in-state rivalry since 1888 that UNC had dominated (with more wins than over any other opponent) all but dissipated when the ACC formed two divisions in 2004. It returned with a rare home-and-home series of non-conference games and one in the middle rescheduled by the ACC during the COVID season.
The Deacs had won four of the last seven intermittent match-ups, but no fervent UNC alum ever believed the two programs belonged on the same field. Yet, after the Tar Heels’ rally “outlined against a blue, gray sky” in chilly temperatures, the Carolina Crazies emptied the student section and celebrated like it was another sport and rival.
When the black-and-gold guests pulled ahead 45-27 midway the third quarter, it looked like Brown’s third edition of his second stint would end the day with a 4-5 record after it began the season as the top 10 team. And with trips left to 25th-ranked Pitt and 7-2 NC State, the Heels might have kissed their third straight bowl bid goodbye.
Suddenly, a defense that had been ravaged for 500 yards came to life, as if coordinator Jay Bateman who had moved to the coaches’ box high above the fray discovered something from his altered view.
Wake was almost scoring at will, but Carolina finally held the Deacons to a field goal and cut the deficit to seven points early in the fourth quarter on the second of four touchdowns by emerging star Ty Chandler, who would later score the tying and decisive go-ahead touchdowns.
On the Deacs’ next possession, Cam’Ron Kelly jumped the route of their leading receiver and picked off his second pass of the game (his fourth interception of the season). Two snaps later, Chandler found the endzone to make it 48-48 as a once-concerned Homecoming crowd went bananas.
The Heels’ rejuvenated “D” stopped the Deacs two more times, the first when nose tackle Ray Vohasek blocked a pass on fourth down as the UNC sidelined exploded over this unlikely turn of events. After a neat 5-minute drive that ran out most of the clock, Grayson Atkins kicked his third field goal for a 51-48 lead.
Carolina scored again when Chandler broke free at midfield and sprinted right past the visiting sideline for his 10th touchdown in the last four games and a 10-point advantage with the stands now going Bananas Foster. It held up despite a celebration penalty and bad prevent defense that let the 58-55 final look closer than it really was.
Playing at Pitt, their third straight ranked opponent on Thursday night, and the Wolfies on the Friday after Thanksgiving, the Tar Heels hope the amazing start to the month ends with much more than the bowl bid assured by the victory that closely mirrored last year’s over Wake in more ways than the score (59-53, one digit different).
Before Chandler burst into stardom, the game within a game was who would be elected President of Sam’s Club, two North Carolina kids and good friends in the off-season.
Wake’s Sam Hartman won the statistical battle with 476 total yards and responsible for seven touchdowns (a record against UNC). But his inability to keep the pedal to the medal led to his team’s first loss of a season that will get even harder with games remaining against State and visits to Clemson and BC.
Carolina’s Sam Howell had a relatively modest afternoon only by his standards, accounting for 330 total yards in becoming UNC’s all-time leader in that department, throwing a touchdown pass in his 34th consecutive college game (as in all of them) and blasting through the Deacons for two more scores, his fifth game this season as such a dual threat.
On his team’s decisive drive, he was knocked out of breath when he fell on the football inside the 10-yard line and had to miss a play. Understudy Jacolby Criswell protected the possession until Howell returned and Atkins put the Tar Heels ahead for good in a game that had just about everything except an apparent Carolina victory.
The family of Chris Smith, the young man who died recently of ALS, officially anointed the Kenan Stadium field in his name during a timeout in which Mack Brown jogged over and hugged the dad, long-time UNC supporter Eddie Smith.
The Tar Heel Legend of the Game was former All-ACC linebacker Bruce Carter, who surprised his girlfriend during the brief ceremony by dropping to one knee and proposing. She hesitated, then said yes.
And on Military Appreciation Day, when the overcast sky impeded much of the pre-game flyover, the soldiers on hand joined the cheerleaders to do a push up for every point scored, as in 58.
By the end of the delirious day, where there was once little joy in Hillville, thousands of berserko civilians joined them to rejoice a win over little ol’ Wake Forest, which has one of the smallest student bodies in the country and one of the best football teams. The older and wiser Deacons have more than 20 players who have already earned undergraduate degrees.
In these crazy days of college sports, go figure.
Photo via AP Photo/Gerry Broome
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