North Carolina wins the shootout against Wake to clinch the ACC Coastal, earning them a bid in the ACC championship game.
The 8-1 North Carolina Tar Heels took on the 6-3 Demon Deacons in an old fashioned shoot-out. The Heels came out on top and clinched the ACC Coastal division, punching their ticket for an ACC championship bid.
An offensive game was expected, which was delivered as both teams traded scores all night. The game did start with a defensive stop as UNC was able to force Wake into punt during their opening drive. Then the offense explosion started, as North Carolina’s quarterback, Drake Maye, drove the Tar Heels down the field 91-yards in 10 plays, finding wide receiver Josh Downs for a 12-yard touchdown to cap off the drive.
On the next drive, Wake was forced to another punt, a quick three and out. UNC’s offense answered with another touchdown, this time moving the ball down the field for 69-yards in just 51 seconds of action ending with an Elijah Green 5-yard touchdown run. The Demon Deacons got on the scoreboard their next drive, with quarterback Sam Hartman finding wide receiver Taylor Morin for the 7-yard touchdown.
As you guessed it, the hot offense for UNC continued, scoring on their third straight drive with Maye connecting Downs for their second touchdown, this one on a 7-yard touchdown pass. Wake kept up the pace, returning the favor in a four-minute, 12-yard drive with running back Christian Turner finding the end-zone on a one-yard rushing touchdown.
Wake’s defense finally cooled off UNC’s offense, forcing them to punt, stopping the Heels from scoring in their fourth consecutive drive. Wake kept the offensive fireworks going, tying the score at 21 each after Hartman found wide receiver Donavon Greene for a 7-yard touchdown. The Heels retook the lead in five plays, as Maye found Downs for the third time in the first half, steaming from a 20-yard dot. UNC failed to convert the extra point, missing the kick, giving them just a six point lead
North Carolina goes into the half up 27-21.
UNC got the ball at the half first, but Wake got points on the board first, with North Carolina turning it over on downs on their second-half opening drive. Wake pushes the ball down the field 73-yards in just nine plays as Hartman finds A.T. Perry for a 32-yard touchdown.
North Carolina answered back, down key receivers Antoine Green and Josh Downs. It was Maye who created magic with a five-yard rushing touchdown. They went for two, but even with a redo after a pass interference, UNC could not muster up the two-point conversion, leading 33-28.
Wake stayed hot on the very next drive, with Hartman tossing his fourth touchdown pass of the game, this time a 60-yard bomb to wide receiver Donavon Greene. Wake had a chance to go up by three but, like UNC, could not convert their two-point conversion.
North Carolina opened the fourth quarter in a fourth-and-goal situation, going for it, but Wake denied the attempt and retook the ball. After Wake drove the field 91-yards, UNC had their turn to stop the Demon Deacons on fourth down, doing so with a massive stop to get the ball back in Maye’s hands.
UNC were unable to muster up any points, instead giving the ball back to Wake with under six minutes left to play.
When the ending seemed near for UNC, the defense came up with a massive turnover as Cam’Ron Kelly picked off Hartman to give North Carolina another chance. Maye led the Heels down the field but could not get in the end-zone, settling for a 33-yard field goal to retake the lead 36-34 with 2:12 left in the game.
With their last chance to win the ball game, Wake could not get it done as the Tar Heels’ defense made their most significant game stop.
UNC wins it 36-34, clinching the ACC Coastal for the first time since 2015.
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