It’s the D, not the O, most responsible for Carolina’s fast start.

Before the season I asked Lee Pace, who is the best writer of Tar Heel sports around, how he thought Mack Brown’s first team of his second tenure would do. Pace predicted Carolina would be 4-0 going into the Clemson game because a lot of good players were returning on offense and would score points.

Closer to the opener against South Carolina, Pace backed off on his prediction a bit, worried that the defense wasn’t old enough to stop opponents consistently. Put both of Lee’s predictions together, and he was right and wrong. Mack’s Air Raid attack has scored 52 points in two games, but the defense has been a bigger surprise than even Sam Howell, who obviously had the chops coming in.

The Tar Heels had experience on the D-line and in the secondary, but linebacker was going to be a problem, especially in the first two games when suspensions and injuries left inexperienced freshman Chazz Surratt and sophomore Jeremiah Gemmel with some big shoes to fill. Against South Carolina, the defense was a huge factor, holding the Gamecocks to the fewest yards of any foe since 2013, one TD in the second half.

Miami ran up almost twice as many yards, but managed to score only five more points. It was a bend-not-break defense for most of the game against the fast and talented Hurricanes. Even on the heart-stopping last drive, Carolina kept the U out of reasonable field goal range and won when the long kick sailed wide left.

Against a well-drilled Wake Forest team Friday night, the Tar Heels will start their most experienced defense of the season, with seniors Jonathan Smith and Dominique Ross at linebacker joining Surratt, Gemmel, and junior Tomon Fox, who have all played well so far. Losing cornerback Patrice Rene for the season hurts, but true freshman Storm Duck has handled his baptism under fire.

The Deacons have beaten Carolina the last two games in Winston-Salem, and while their wins over Utah State and at Rice are under the radar compared to the Tar Heels’ victories, Wake has had a better program the last three years than UNC. Big, experienced, averse to turnovers and efficient in the red zone, the Deacs of coach Dave Clawson will be the toughest test for Brown’s surprising team.

If the Heels win, the defense will likely be the difference again.

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