Wake Forest vs UNC live updates: Record-setting day by Sam Howell paces UNC win

UNC hosts Wake Forest at noon Saturday on the ACC Network. The News & Observer’s C.L. Brown is at Kenan Memorial Stadium to cover the game and help provide live updates here throughout the day.

Final score: UNC 59, Wake Forest 53

UNC sophomore quarterback Sam Howell set school records with six touchdown passes and 550 passing yards, helping the Tar Heels rally from three touchdowns down in the second half for a wild ACC football win at Kenan Stadium.

Howell added a 20-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter that put the Tar Heels in front for good.

Jaquarii Roberson TD: UNC 59, Wake Forest 53

The Demon Deacons stayed alive as Jaquarii Roberson caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Sam Hartman with 57 seconds to play. Wake Forest added a two-point conversion. But UNC recovered the on-sides kick.

Javonte Williams TD: UNC 59, Wake Forest 45

Make it 35 unanswered points for North Carolina as Javonte Williams scored on a 15-yard run with 2:39 to play.

Sam Howell TD: UNC 52, Wake Forest 45

On an third-and-10 play, UNC quarterback Sam Howell scrambled 20 yards for a touchdown with 4:11 left giving UNC its first lead of the second half. Howell has accounted for seven touchdowns, helping the Tar Heels erase Wake’s 21-point, second-half lead.

Garrett Walston TD: Wake Forest 45, UNC 45

Once down 21 points, UNC tied the game with 8:19 left when quarterback Sam Howell tossed a 10-yard touchdown pass to tight end Garrett Walston. Howell has thrown for six touchdowns and 547 yards, both school single-game records. He’s the first UNC quarterback to throw for more than 500 yards in a game.

Michael Carter TD: Wake Forest 45, UNC 38

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Sam Howell’s pass to running back Michael Carter on a wheel route resulted in a 46-yard scoring pass -- the fifth TD pass of the day for Howell. Wake’s lead, once 21 points, shrunk to a touchdown.

Dyami Brown TD: Wake Forest 45, UNC 31

UNC ended Wake Forest’s streak of 24 consecutive points scored when Dyami Brown caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Sam Howell with 4:43 left in the third quarter. Howell has thrown for four touchdowns, two being caught by Brown. This is now the highest scoring game in the Wake-UNC series history which dates back to 1888.

Donavon Greene TD: Wake Forest 45, UNC 24

Redshirt freshman wide receiver Donavon Greene continued to torture UNC’s defense as he caught his second touchdown pass of the game. This 18-yard scoring strike from Sam Hartman, with 6:56 left in the third quarter, gave Wake Forest a 45-24 lead. Greene has eight catches for 170 yards and two scores.

Nick Sciba FG: Wake Forest 38, UNC 24

Wake Forest took the second-half kickoff and drove into UNC territory before settling for Nick Sciba’s 41-yard field goal with 12:30 left in the third quarter. Sam Hartman’s 29-yard pass to Jaquarii Roberson was the drive’s biggest play.

Kenneth Walker TD: Wake Forest 35, UNC 24

In a rarity in this back-and-forth game, a team has actually extended its lead. Kenneth Walker scored his second touchdown of the game, on a 1-yard run with 1:28 left until halftime, giving Wake Forest an 11-point lead.

Sam Hartman TD: Wake Forest 28, UNC 24

Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman attempted to run for a touchdown. He fumbled at the goal line but recovered it in the end zone giving the Demon Deacons the lead 10:26 left until halftime.

Dazz Newsome TD: UNC 24, Wake Forest 21

UNC’s Dazz Newsome caught his second touchdown pass of the game, this one a 44-yard strike from Sam Howell with 12:45 left in the second quarter. Newsome has already caught six passes for 146 yards in the game.

Donavon Greene TD: Wake Forest 21, UNC 17

One play after he made a superb play on a 37-yard reception, Wake Forest wide receiver Donavon Greene caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Sam Hartman over the middle with 14:55 left until halftime.

Dyami Brown TD: UNC 17, Wake Forest 14

A wild first quarter continued as Dyami Brown caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from Sam Howell giving the Tar Heels a three-point lead. The touchdown came with 29 seconds left in a back-and-forth first quarter.

Jaquarii Roberson TD: Wake Forest 14, UNC 10

Wake Forest needed just three plays to move 80 yards and regain the lead on Jaquarii Roberson’s 40-yard touchdown catch from Sam Hartman with 2:06 left in the first quarter.

Grayson Atkins FG: UNC 10, Wake Forest 7

After a spectacular play by wide receiver Dyami Brown moved UNC inside the Wake Forest 10, the Tar Heels’ drive stalled before Grayson Atkins booted a 26-yard field goal with 3:01 to play in the first quarter. Brown set up the score on a play that first appeared to be a Wake Forest interception by Ja’Sir Taylor. But Brown grabbed the ball out of Taylor’s hands for a 54-yard reception to the Wake Forest 9.

Dazz Newsome TD: Wake Forest 7, UNC 7

On the first play from scrimmage after Wake took the lead, the Tar Heels struck back as Dazz Newsome caught a 75-yard touchdown pass from Sam Howell with 7:47 left in the first quarter.

Kenneth Walker TD: Wake Forest 7, UNC 0

Wake Forest’s defense came up with a fourth-down stop and the Demon Deacons proceeded to drive 63 yards for the game’s first touchdown. Kenneth Walker ran 2 yards for the score from a wildcat formation with 7:58 remaining in the first quarter. It’s Walker’s 12th touchdown run of the season.

UNC opening drive stopped

For just the second time this season, North Carolina failed to produce a touchdown on its opening drive. Wake stopped running back Javonte Williams on a fourth-and-2, marking the first time since Florida State that the Heels did not score on their first possession.

UNC injury update

As previously announced, cornerback Storm Duck and wide receiver Beau Corrales are out for the Tar Heels, each with lower body injuries. Starting center Brian Anderson was announced as a game time decision. Anderson participated in warm ups, but is unable to play. Freshman Quiron Johnson made his first start in Anderson’s place.

Wake Forest players return

According to Wake Forest beat writer Conor O’Neill, who’s at the stadium for the News & Observer today, the following Demon Deacons players, whose availability for today’s game were in doubt, are in uniform: Defensive backs Luke Masterson and Nasir Greer, and linebackers Ja’Cquez Williams and Chase Jones.

Wake Forest vs UNC betting odds

As of Saturday morning, UNC was a 13.5-point favorite over Wake Forest. The over/under was 69.5.

How to watch or stream Wake Forest-UNC

Today’s kickoff between North Carolina and Wake Forest will be broadcast on the ACC Network. You can stream the game using the ESPN app or on WatchESPN.com with a valid subscription to a cable or satellite package that includes the ACC Network or by subscribing to ESPN-plus.

This story was originally published November 14, 2020 at 11:49 AM.