Instant Analysis: UNC Can’t Crack End Zone in Punchless Loss at Wake Forest

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — North Carolina’s brief winning streak ran into a fog of offensive deficiencies on Saturday, shrinking its chances of becoming bowl eligible here in coach Bill Belichick’s first season.

The Tar Heels failed to produce a touchdown and fell to Wake Forest 28-12 in ACC football at Allegacy Stadium, a loss bogged down by unproductiveness and littered with inadequacies.

Belichick’s first taste of Tobacco Road became a bitter one. UNC arrived with the opportunity to secure its third victory in row, but instead stumbled behind by margins of 14-3 in the first half and 21-9 in the second half. The Tar Heels didn’t score a touchdown in a game for the first time since October 2016.

At the end, the Demon Deacons led 21-12 and had reached the UNC goal line, content to run out what was left of the clock. But Belichick called timeout with 27 seconds remaining. And on the ensuing fourth-and-goal situation from the 2-yard line, quarterback Robby Ashford proceeded to dive into the end zone for a touchdown to put a bow on things for Wake Forest.

Now, Carolina (4-6 overall, 2-4 ACC) must defeat its principal rivals — Duke next week and NC State on Thanksgiving weekend — in order to unlock bowl eligibility for the seventh season in a row. The Tar Heels haven’t missed the postseason since the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

UNC had five drives travel inside the Wake Forest 30-yard line on Saturday, but was left settling for an insufficient collection of four Rece Verhoff field goals (from 40, 57, 42 and 47 yards). The Demon Deacons blocked two other field goal attempts by Verhoff.

In the third quarter, the Tar Heels were within 14-9 when Wake Forest’s Ashford zipped a pass to Carlos Hernandez for a 70-yard touchdown on a catch and run. Hernandez scored a pair of long-distance touchdowns. The Demon Deacons (7-3, 4-3), under first-year coach Jake Dickert, have won five of their last six games.

Wake Forest outgained UNC 414-257 in total yards. The Tar Heels managed just 56 rushing yards on 24 carries. Gio Lopez went 21-of-36 passing for 201 yards, and UNC finished 4-for-14 on third downs.

School Record Cuts Carolina’s Deficit

Carolina trailed 14-6 by halftime, after Verhoff connected on the longest field goal in school history. He booted a 57-yarder that tumbled over the crossbar with just enough distance as the first half expired, sending the Tar Heels in the halftime locker room with at least some degree of momentum.

Jordan Shipp went up to haul in a 13-yard contested catch to put UNC in position to attempt the kick from extra long range. One play earlier, the Tar Heels appeared stuck inside their own 25-yard line with less than 20 seconds remaining in the half. But Wake Forest’s Aiden Hall personal foul penalty on the sideline left the door cracked open for UNC.

Still, Saturday marked the third straight game that the Tar Heels failed to score a touchdown in the first half. And on offense, Carolina reached halftime without a running play generating 10 yards or a passing play producing 15 yards. Earlier in the second quarter, Carolina was in business at the Demon Deacons’ 31-yard line, after defensive back Gavin Gibson pounced on a fumble forced by linebacker Khmori House.

But UNC did nothing with that opportunity, including a trick play on second down that had the receiver Shipp attempting a pass to tight end Jake Johnson. Then, Verhoff’s kick from 39 yards was blocked by Wake Forest’s Nick Andersen, who hurdled over the UNC line, and the Demon Deacons to lead 7-3.

Wackiness Works in Wake Forest’s Favor

In the last two minutes of the first half, with Wake Forest knocking on the door, Belichick chose to decline an illegal shift penalty against the Demon Deacons. Accepting the penalty would’ve pushed Wake Forest into a first-and-15 from the Carolina 18-yard line, rather than having second-and-9 from the 12.

Demond Claiborne proceeded to scamper in for a touchdown on the next play, moving the Demon Deacons ahead 14-3. It was that kind of first half, where things regularly blew up in the Tar Heels’ faces.

This game began with some wackiness working in Wake Forest’s favor. On the fifth play from scrimmage, UNC’s Gibson put a hit on the Wake quarterback Ashford, who fumbled. Gibson appeared to pounce on the loose ball for a recovery, but it squirted out a pile of bodies to the receiver Hernandez. And he scooped it and raced off for a touchdown from 51 yards out, and the Demon Deacons quickly led 7-0 fewer than two minutes into the game.