Howell, Tar Heels make big rally to beat Wake Forest 59-53
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Sam Howell threw for program records of 550 yards and six touchdowns, and scored the go-ahead rushing TD with 4:11 left to help North Carolina rally past Wake Forest 59-53 on Saturday.
Howell’s 20-yard keeper capped a comeback from 21 down midway through the third quarter for the Tar Heels (6-2, 6-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), tying the program record for biggest comeback in a win. That was part of a run of 35 unanswered points after falling behind 45-24, with Howell and the Tar Heels’ offense rolling nearly all day at a record-setting pace.
“I think a lot of teams would’ve just just quit … but we just kept fighting back on both sides of the ball,” Howell said, adding: “I’m just proud of the way we were able to fight back.”
UNC finished with a program-record 742 yards, with coach Mack Brown calling it “one of the best offensive performances that I’ve ever been around.”
“We get mad at them now when there is a stop,” Brown said. “That’s how good they’ve been.”
Howell wasn’t the only one to have a huge output. Receivers Dazz Newsome (10 catches for 189 yards) and Dyami Brown (eight catches for 163 yards) made big plays downfield and each had two TD grabs, including a 75-yard score for Newsome in the first quarter.
Javonte Williams followed Howell’s keeper by running for a 15-yard touchdown run with 2:39 left that helped keep UNC in control late.
Sam Hartman threw for a career-best 429 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Demon Deacons (4-3, 3-3), who had their own huge offensive output with 606 yards. Jaquarii Roberson had 12 catches for 167 yards and two scores while Donavon Greene added eight catches for 170 yards and two scores of his own — the second being an 18-yarder that put Wake Forest up by 21 with 6:56 left in the third.
But UNC’s defense hung in and finally slowed the Demon Deacons, forcing punts on the next four drives to give the Howell-led offense an opening. Then, after Howell’s go-ahead keeper, Chazz Surratt sacked Hartman on fourth down to set up Williams’ score that made it a two-possession game.
Hartman led one final scoring drive, but Williams recovered the onside kick with 56 seconds left to all but end a wild afternoon in the longtime instate series.
“Give North Carolina a lot of credit,” Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson said. “They’re a really good football team. And even when we were up 21, you don’t feel like any lead is safe against them.”
THE TAKEAWAY
Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons entered this one with four straight wins, three coming in ACC play, and just one turnover all season. They looked poised to beat the Tar Heels for the second straight season before coming up empty on five straight drives, while the defense couldn’t take Howell and the Tar Heels out of rhythm as UNC made its move.
“We had to make one more play,” Clawson said. “We had to make one more third-down conversion. We had to make one more third-down stop. We had to get Howell or Williams or (Michael) Carter on the ground one more time. And we didn’t do it.”
UNC: Brown talked this week about wanting to see his team “grow up and mature” and build off a win against Duke without having a setback. That had followed wins against Virginia Tech and North Carolina State, with the Tar Heels falling behind big at Florida State and Virginia before coming up short in frantic comebacks. They flirted with another frustrating loss before turning things around.
“I thought we took a huge step forward today,” Brown said, “because we didn’t come close, we didn’t lose and talk about it (being) within five or within seven or within three. We actually won, and that’s something that we hadn’t been doing.”
UP NEXT
Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons travel to instate foe Duke next Saturday.
UNC: The Tar Heels have an open date before hosting No. 2 Notre Dame on Nov. 27.
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