Sam Howell’s record-shattering day rallies UNC past Wake Forest
North Carolina and Wake Forest have been playing football since 1888 and never saw an offensive game like it had Saturday in Kenan Stadium. Even in video game format it would be hard to duplicate. The scoring was that ridiculous.
When it was all settled, the teams combined for the most points in series history and the Tar Heels emerged with a 59-53 victory to cap off the biggest comeback in program history.
UNC trailed by as many as 21 points and entered the fourth quarter down 45-31. But just like it did many times last season – including in its loss in Winston-Salem – it asserted control in the final period.
The Heels outscored Wake 15-3 last season in the fourth. They outscored the Demon Deacons 28-8 on Saturday starting when quarterback Sam Howell connected with Michael Carter on a wheel route on the first play of the quarter for a 46-yard touchdown.
The Tar Heels’ defense, which clearly couldn’t do much of anything against Wake for the better part of three quarters, forced punts on five straight possessions between the third and fourth quarters. Wake had just 4 yards total offense on its first three drives in the fourth.
The much-maligned defense essentially sealed the win with UNC up 52-45 and Wake forced to go for it on a fourth-and-9 from its own 26 with 3:30 left in the game. Linebacker Chazz Surratt dropped quarterback Sam Hartman for an 11-yard loss.
It set UNC up for basically a gimme touchdown in a game that played out like Saturday’s did. Javonte Williams made good on it with a 15-yard touchdown run and a 59-45 lead.
Of course, that wouldn’t be the end of it. The Deacons took their next drive 75 yards on eight plays to score with 57 seconds left and a two-point conversion brought them within 59-53.
But Wake’s attempt at an on-sides kick was recovered by Williams and allowed the Heels to run out the clock on a wild afternoon of scoring.
Howell finished 32 of 45 passing for 550 yards, which set a new school record. His six touchdown passes also tied an ACC record. The Tar Heels rolled up 742 yards total offense and they needed every yard.
It didn’t seem like the game would be a shootout when, for just the second time this season, UNC failed to score a touchdown on its opening drive of the game. The Heels reached the Wake 39 when Williams got stopped short on a fourth-and-2 run. The only other time UNC failed to reach the end zone on its first series was in its 31-28 loss at Florida State.
Wake Forest jumped out to a three-touchdown lead as quarterback Sam Hartman threw for 429 yards and the Deacs gained 606 yards total offense.
And in the first half, Wake seemed to have all the luck to go with its potent offense when a pair of replays worked in its favor. Hartman appeared to throw his first interception of the season, the ruling on the field was overturned. It was deemed that linebacker Chris Collins didn’t control of the ball when he hit the ground. A turnover would have given the Tar Heels the ball in Wake Forest territory.
Howell threw a 49-yard bomb to Dyami Brown with time winding down in the first half, but Wake cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor wrestled the ball away from him as the two came down. The side judge Jamal Shears didn’t signal an immediate call until consulting with back judge Pat Ryan. The on-field ruling was that Taylor intercepted the ball at the Wake Forest 1, which was upheld upon review.
The missed scoring opportunity with 24 seconds left in the half sent UNC to the locker room facing a double-digit halftime deficit for just the second time this season. It trailed the Florida State 31-7 at the half, but shut the Seminoles out in the second half in a 31-28 loss on Oct. 17.
That seemed unlikely after UNC and Wake combined for 782 yards in total offense in the first half. That was the most since Oklahoma State and Oklahoma gained more than 800 total yards in a half in 2018.
Wake scored on its first two possessions of the second half and lead 45-24. It was the second biggest deficit UNC had faced this season. But just like against FSU, the Heels mounted a comeback. Unlike that game, the Tar Heels were able to finish this one off.
This story was originally published November 14, 2020 at 3:58 PM.