Tar Heels clinch ACC Coastal with another close road win. UNC beats Wake Forest 36-34
North Carolina coach Mack Brown made a decision in the Tar Heels’ 36-34 win at Wake Forest trailing by one with just under six minutes left in the game that probably left some fans cringing.
The Demon Deacons had run up 456 yards in total offense on Carolina and scored touchdowns on two of their last three drives and hadn’t punted at all in the second half. And the Tar Heels faced a fourth and 4 from their own 33.
“I had to make a decision on fourth and (4),” Brown said. “Do you trust our defense? Or do you have to go for it?”
Brown opted to take out quarterback Drake Maye, his potential Heisman Trophy candidate who, at that moment in the game, led a unit that had rolled up 542 yards in total offense. And Carolina punted with the confidence it would get another shot.
There’s a reason why Brown has so much confidence.
Carolina won its sixth road game in a season for the first time in program history even with its defense following a familiar pattern. It gives up yards, explosive plays too, but more often than not it comes up with a stop when it matters most.
This time, it was safety Cam Kelly who came up with the game’s only turnover.
“I really can’t point to one thing that makes that happen,” linebacker Cedric Gray said.
Yet, it has happened every time in the Heels’ six road wins in which their biggest margin of victory was a 35-28 win at Georgia State.
The Heels (9-1, 6-0 ACC) started the game forcing punts on Wake’s first two drives and ended the game with stops on three straight possessions to clinch their victory at Truist Field. Never mind that Carolina finished having allowed 490 total yards.
It made the play that mattered.
Wake receiver Donovan Greene had burned the Heels for two touchdowns on three catches and quarterback Sam Hartman was eyeing him again on a crossing pattern. But Hartman didn’t see Kelly hawking the ball and his 23-yard interception return set Carolina up at the Wake 48.
“We were in a man coverage, I was on the opposite side of field,” Kelly said. “I was just keying off the quarterback’s eyes, and I saw a dig developing. He looked down the dig the whole time and I just undercut it.”
Maye connected with Josh Downs for a 43-yard gain to set Carolina up at the Wake 5. Downs finished with 11 catches for 154 yards and three touchdowns. But the Heels were unable to find him for a fourth score on that drive.
Maye was sacked on first down and the drive stalled to set up the game-winning 34-yard field goal by Noah Burnette.
It put an exclamation mark on clinching the ACC Coastal Division title.
Maye, who finished the game 31 of 49 passing for a career-high 448 yards and three touchdowns, said Brown made the right decision by punting the ball, even though it made for another close call for the Heels.
“That’s been the story I guess, it has been the story in all our games,” said Maye, who later added, “It’s just trust. Trust in the defense and the defense trusting us.”
On a prior drive to start the fourth quarter, Brown opted to go for it on fourth down from the Wake 1. That drive ended when Maye’s pass attempt was batted down.
Carolina had a chance to break the game open late in the second quarter. The Heels scored on Downs’ third touchdown reception to take a 27-21 lead with 2:22 left.
At the time of his score, it was about the only time during the game when rain was pretty steady. That may be the reason why kicker Burnette hooked his extra point attempt to the left of the goal post.
The Heels had another chance to extend their lead when Carolina’s defense came up with its second three-and-out of the first half. When Jahvaree Ritzie and RaRa Dilworth dropped Hartman on a third down sack, it gave UNC the ball back with 1:48 left in the half.
Had the Heels scored before halftime knowing they would get the ball first to start the second half, it would have changed their decision making at the start of the third.
But Maye’s deep throw to Gavin Blackwell was just a bit long and a sideline pass to J.J. Jones was dropped. Maye was forced to scramble on third down and held for no gain, leading Carolina to just its second punt in the first half.
UNC led 27-21 at half, but without a score on that last possession, Brown chose to go for a fourth down at the Wake 27 to start the third quarter, instead of attempting a field goal.
Carolina ended with its first turnover on downs of the game instead of having, at the least, a two-score lead. But ultimately, it didn’t matter. The Heels still managed another road win.
“They’re doing the things they need to do to find ways to win,” Brown said. “And they’re not panicking.”
This story was originally published November 12, 2022 at 11:16 PM with the headline "Tar Heels clinch ACC Coastal with another close road win. UNC beats Wake Forest 36-34."