CHAPEL HILL – Omarion Hampton rushed for 244 yards on 35 carries as North Carolina defeated Wake Forest 31-24 in a late-night Old North State Showdown at Kenan Stadium. The victory improved North Carolina’s record to 6-4 (3-3 ACC), while Wake Forest dropped to 4-6 (2-4 ACC).
Wake Forest opened the scoring with a 33-yard field goal by Matthew Dennis in the first quarter, following a nine-play, 65-yard drive. The Tar Heels responded in the second quarter when quarterback Jacolby Criswell scored on a 4-yard touchdown run, capping an 11-play, 75-yard drive. Noah Burnette added a 24-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, giving UNC a 10-3 lead.
The third quarter saw a flurry of scoring from both teams. Wake Forest’s Demond Claiborne, who finished with 95 yards rushing and two touchdowns, tied the game at 10 with a 2-yard touchdown run. UNC quickly countered when Criswell connected with J.J. Jones for a 15-yard touchdown pass.
The game’s turning point came shortly after when Power Echols intercepted Wake Forest quarterback Michael Kern and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown, extending North Carolina’s lead to 24-10. Wake Forest responded immediately, as Claiborne scored his second touchdown on a 7-yard run following a North Carolina fumble.
In the fourth quarter, Hampton sealed his impressive performance with a 6-yard touchdown run with 2:26 remaining. Wake Forest managed a final score when Kern found Taylor Morin for a 16-yard touchdown pass with 1:15 left, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit.
Despite the loss, Wake Forest’s defense recorded five sacks against Criswell, with Jasheen Davis leading the effort with 2.5 sacks. The Demon Deacons’ defense also registered 11 tackles for loss totaling 57 yards.
North Carolina’s offensive success came primarily on the ground, as they accumulated 230 rushing yards compared to Wake Forest’s 114. The Tar Heels controlled the clock with 35:01 in possession time, while Wake Forest had the ball for 24:59.
The passing game told a different story, with Wake Forest quarterbacks Hank Bachmeier and Michael Kern combining for 240 yards through the air, while Criswell finished with 132 passing yards for North Carolina. However, two critical interceptions thrown by Kern proved costly for the Demon Deacons.
Both teams struggled with penalties, as Wake Forest was flagged nine times for 90 yards and North Carolina ten times for 83 yards. The teams were nearly equal in total offense, with North Carolina gaining 362 yards to Wake Forest’s 354.
Defensively, Wake Forest’s Branson Combs led all tacklers with 14 (11 solo), while Power Echols and Alijah Huzzie each recorded eight tackles for North Carolina.
The game marked North Carolina’s sixth win of the season, making them bowl eligible. Wake Forest will need to win their remaining games to reach bowl eligibility.
.png)
