WINSTON-SALEM – Wake Forest used a balanced offensive attack and a stifling defensive effort to defeat North Carolina 28-12 on Saturday night at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium, improving to 7-3 overall and 4-3 in conference play.
The Demon Deacons rushed for 223 yards on 39 carries while holding the Tar Heels to just 56 yards on the ground. Wake Forest quarterback Robby Ashford contributed both through the air and on the ground, throwing for 191 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 52 yards and another score.
Carlos Hernandez proved to be the game's most dynamic player, accounting for 181 all-purpose yards. He rushed for 51 yards and a touchdown on a single carry, caught six passes for 100 yards and another score, and added 30 yards on kick and punt returns. His 70-yard touchdown reception from Ashford in the third quarter extended Wake Forest's lead to 21-9 and effectively put the game out of reach.
Demond Claiborne anchored the Wake Forest ground game with 98 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. He scored from 12 yards out late in the second quarter to give the Demon Deacons a 14-3 halftime advantage.
North Carolina relied almost exclusively on kicker Rece Verhoff for its scoring. The Tar Heels made four field goals but never reached the end zone, settling for kicks of 40, 57, 42, and 47 yards. Verhoff also had two attempts blocked, including a 39-yarder in the second quarter and a 45-yarder at the end of the third quarter.
The Tar Heels managed just 257 total yards compared to Wake Forest's 414. North Carolina quarterback Gio Lopez completed 21 of 36 passes for 201 yards but was sacked twice and struggled to sustain drives in the red zone. The Tar Heels converted just one of three red zone opportunities into points, settling for Verhoff's 40-yard field goal on their first scoring drive.
Wake Forest opened the scoring on its first possession, taking just 1:49 to march 75 yards in five plays. The drive culminated in Hernandez's 9-yard rushing touchdown, though the score came in unusual fashion. Ashford fumbled after a 9-yard rush, but Hernandez recovered the loose ball and raced 51 yards to the end zone with 13:11 remaining in the first quarter.
The Tar Heels (4-6, 2-4) showed brief signs of life in the first half. After Gavin Gibson forced and recovered a Claiborne fumble at the Wake Forest 31-yard line early in the second quarter, North Carolina drove to the 21-yard line before Verhoff's 39-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Nick Andersen.
Wake Forest capitalized on the momentum shift, driving 79 yards in 13 plays over 5:40 to extend its lead to 14-3. The drive featured several key conversions, including a fourth-and-one that Ashford converted with a quarterback sneak after an official review confirmed the first down.
North Carolina managed a 57-yard field goal from Verhoff as time expired in the second quarter, cutting the deficit to 14-6 at halftime. The kick followed a drive aided by a 15-yard personal foul penalty against Wake Forest defensive back Aiden Hall.
The third quarter proved decisive. After the Tar Heels kicked a 42-yard field goal to make it 14-9, Wake Forest responded immediately. Ashford hit Hernandez in stride on a crossing route, and the versatile playmaker outran the North Carolina defense for a 70-yard touchdown just 52 seconds later.
North Carolina's offense struggled with third-down efficiency, converting just four of 14 attempts. The Tar Heels also lost the time of possession battle 29:58 to 30:02, despite appearing to control tempo for stretches of the third quarter when they held the ball for 10:20.
Wake Forest's defense recorded six tackles for loss and two sacks while breaking up six passes. Aiden Hall led all tacklers with nine stops. The Demon Deacons held North Carolina to an average of just 4.2 yards per play.
Ashford sealed the victory with a 2-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-two with 22 seconds remaining. The 10-play, 55-yard drive consumed the final 4:59 of game time and featured several crucial third-down conversions.
Jake Johnson led North Carolina receivers with five catches for 54 yards, while Demon June rushed for 32 yards on nine carries. Khmori House paced the Tar Heels defense with nine tackles, including a sack.
The loss dropped North Carolina to 4-6 overall, putting bowl eligibility in jeopardy with just two regular-season games remaining. Wake Forest has now won three of its last four games.
Top Performers:
- Carlos Hernandez, WF: 181 all-purpose yards, 2 TDs (1 rushing, 1 receiving)
- Demond Claiborne, WF: 98 rushing yards, 1 TD on 23 carries
- Robby Ashford, WF: 191 passing yards, 1 TD; 52 rushing yards, 1 TD
- Rece Verhoff, UNC: 4-of-6 on field goals, including 57-yarder
- Aiden Hall, WF: 9 tackles, 1 TFL
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