North Carolina clinches ACC championship ticket with win over Wake

The 8-1 North Carolina Tar Heels took on the 6-3 Demon Deacons in an quaint shoot-out. The Heels got here out on prime and clinched the ACC Coastal division, punching their ticket for an ACC championship bid.

An offensive sport was anticipated, which was delivered as each groups traded scores all evening. The sport did begin with a defensive cease as UNC was capable of power Wake into punt throughout their opening drive. Then the offense explosion began, as North Carolina’s quarterback, Drake Maye, drove the Tar Heels down the sector 91-yards in 10 performs, discovering broad receiver Josh Downs for a 12-yard landing to cap off the drive.

On the subsequent drive, Wake was pressured to a different punt, a fast three and out. UNC’s offense answered with one other landing, this time transferring the ball down the sector for 69-yards in simply 51 seconds of motion ending with an Elijah Inexperienced 5-yard landing run. The Demon Deacons bought on the scoreboard their subsequent drive, with quarterback Sam Hartman discovering broad receiver Taylor Morin for the 7-yard landing.

As you guessed it, the new offense for UNC continued, scoring on their third straight drive with Maye connecting Downs for his or her second landing, this one on a 7-yard landing move. Wake stored up the tempo, returning the favor in a four-minute, 12-yard drive with working again Christian Turner discovering the end-zone on a one-yard speeding landing.

Wake’s protection lastly cooled off UNC’s offense, forcing them to punt, stopping the Heels from scoring of their fourth consecutive drive. Wake stored the offensive fireworks going, tying the rating at 21 every after Hartman discovered broad receiver Donavon Greene for a 7-yard landing. The Heels retook the lead in 5 performs, as Maye discovered Downs for the third time within the first half, steaming from a 20-yard dot. UNC didn’t convert the additional level, lacking the kick, giving them only a six level lead

North Carolina goes into the half up 27-21.

UNC bought the ball on the half first, however Wake bought factors on the board first, with North Carolina turning it over on downs on their second-half opening drive. Wake pushes the ball down the sector 73-yards in simply 9 performs as Hartman finds A.T. Perry for a 32-yard landing.

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North Carolina answered again, down key receivers Antoine Inexperienced and Josh Downs. It was Maye who created magic with a five-yard speeding landing. They went for 2, however even with a redo after a move interference, UNC couldn’t muster up the two-point conversion, main 33-28.

Wake stayed sizzling on the very subsequent drive, with Hartman tossing his fourth landing move of the sport, this time a 60-yard bomb to broad receiver Donavon Greene. Wake had an opportunity to go up by three however, like UNC, couldn’t convert their two-point conversion.

North Carolina opened the fourth quarter in a fourth-and-goal scenario, going for it, however Wake denied the try and retook the ball. After Wake drove the sector 91-yards, UNC had their flip to cease the Demon Deacons on fourth down, doing so with an enormous cease to get the ball again in Maye’s fingers.

UNC had been unable to muster up any factors, as an alternative giving the ball again to Wake with beneath six minutes left to play.

When the ending appeared close to for UNC, the protection got here up with an enormous turnover as Cam’Ron Kelly picked off Hartman to provide North Carolina one other probability. Maye led the Heels down the sector however couldn’t get within the end-zone, settling for a 33-yard subject objective to retake the lead 36-34 with 2:12 left within the sport.

With their final probability to win the ball sport, Wake couldn’t get it achieved because the Tar Heels’ protection made their most important sport cease.

UNC wins it 36-34, clinching the ACC Coastal for the primary time since 2015.

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Story initially appeared on Tarheels Wire