Wake Forest Falls to No. 15 North Carolina

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Wake Forest lost to No. 15 North Carolina on Saturday inside Truist Field, 36-34. Despite the loss, redshirt junior quarterback Sam Hartman tossed four touchdowns while completing 18-of-31 passes for 320 yards.

With his four touchdown passes, he is now at 100 for his career and just seven behind Tajh Boyd's (Clemson) Atlantic Coast Conference record of 107 career passing touchdowns.

In addition on offense, redshirt sophomore wideout Taylor Morin led the receiving corps with 106 yards, the second 100-yard performance of his career. Additionally, redshirt sophomore receiver Donavon Greene found the end zone twice, highlighted by a 60-yard score in the third quarter.

Redshirt junior wide receiver A.T. Perry reeled in a 32-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter, the 24th of his career. The Lake Worth, Fla. native is now just one away from tying Ricky Proehl's program record of 25 career touchdown catches.

Defensively, senior linebacker Ryan Smenda, Jr. posted a career-high tying 16 tackles for the second-straight week, helping him surpass his career-high in single-season tackles with 91.

Last week, he became the fourth Demon Deacon since the turn of the century to achieve at least 300 tackles in his career and he has now totaled 329 over his five-year career. He trails Aaron Curry (2005-08, 332 Tackles) for the most tackles by a Wake Forest defender since 2001.

Also on defense, sophomore defensive end Jasheen Davis recorded four tackles, two sacks and 2.5 tackles-for-loss. Those two sacks came on one drive in the second quarter to halt a Carolina potential scoring drive.

In front of a near-sellout crowd (31,346) and 4,024 Wake Forest students inside Truist Field on Saturday night, the Demon Deacons fell to 6-4 overall and 2-4 in the ACC with the loss. The Tar Heels improved to 9-1 overall and 6-0 in ACC play. Wake Forest returns to Truist Field next week for Senior Day on Saturday, Nov. 19 against Syracuse at 8 p.m. on ACC Network.

Fans are encouraged to stay tuned to GoDeacs.com and Wake Forest's social media channels for more information on next week's game, including specific student-athletes who will be participating in the pregame Senior Day ceremony. Several football student-athletes being honored next Saturday have remaining eligibility and following this season will assess the potential of returning for the 2023 season.

HOW IT HAPPENED

North Carolina won the toss and deferred to the second half as Wake Forest opened the game with the ball.
Despite a 20-yard rush from Justice Ellison on the first play of the game, North Carolina forced a Wake Forest punt on the first offensive possession of the game.
The Tar Heels found the end zone on the ensuing possession with a 12-yard touchdown pass that capped off a 10-play, 91-yard drive.
North Carolina extended its lead to 14-0 with a five-yard rushing touchdown with 7:13 left in the first.
Wake Forest answered with a seven-yard touchdown pass from Sam Hartman to Taylor Morin, trimming North Carolina's lead to 14-7 with 3:21 left in the first.
- On the 11-play, 78-yard scoring drive, Hartman was 5-of-6 for 56 yards. Morin caught three passes for 36 yards, while A.T. Perry pulled in two catches for 20 yards.
After regaining possession, North Carolina added to its lead (21-7) with a seven-yard touchdown pass with 13:23 remaining in the first half.
The Deacs answered with a one-yard rushing touchdown by Christian Turner, cutting the Tar Heel advantage to 21-14 with 9:13 remaining in the second quarter.
- A 40-yard pitch and catch from Ke'Shawn Williams from Hartman on 4th and 2 kept the drive alive and took Wake Forest to North Carolina's two-yard line.
Jasheen Davis registered two sacks to force a Tar Heel punt with 6:14 on the clock in the second quarter.
- A facemask penalty during the return pushed the Demon Deacons into North Carolina territory to start its next offensive drive.
After a 22-yard completion to Morin on 4th and 2nd, the Deacs tied the game at 21 as Donavon Greene reeled in a seven-yard touchdown pass from Hartman in the back corner of the end zone.
North Carolina responded with a touchdown toss of its own less than two minutes later. The score increased the Tar Heel lead to 27-21 after a missed extra point.
The teams traded punts on their next offensive possessions as Wake Forest took over on offense at their own 5-yard line with 1:01 remaining in the half. The Deacs ran out the clock to force halftime.
- Da'Shawn Williams broke up a deep pass to the end zone on 1st and 10 before the Demon Deacons forced another incompletion and a gain of zero on 3rd and 10.
Wake Forest forced a turnover on downs to open the second half, highlighted by a pass breakup by Ryan Smenda, Jr. on 4th and 2.
- The Deacs regained offensive possession with 11:47 left in the third.
The Demon Deacons took its first lead of the game after Hartman found Perry for a 32-yard touchdown toss with 8:35 left in the third.
- This marked Hartman's third touchdown pass of the night. Additionally, Perry snagged the 24th touchdown of his career, one away from tying the Wake Forest program record for career touchdown receptions.
The Tar Heels regained the lead with a five-yard touchdown scamper. A failed two-point conversion kept North Carolina's lead at five (33-28) with 5:27 left in the quarter.
Hartman found Greene streaking past the Tar Heel defense for a 60-yard touchdown through the air, pushing Wake Forest back into the lead.
- Wake Forest's two-point conversion was unsuccessful as North Carolina took over at their own eight-yard line trailing by one (34-33).
Wake Forest's defense made a huge goal line stand to open the fourth quarter, forcing a turnover on downs at their own one-yard line.
- Isaiah Wingfield made a huge play to preserve Wake Forest's lead, breaking up a pass on 4th and goal.
The Demon Deacons manufactured a 11-play, 91-yard drive that took five minutes of game action before North Carolina forced a turnover on downs at Wake Forest's own eight-yard line.
Wake Forest forced a North Carolina punt on its next possession as the Deacs took over with 5:47 left.
An interception six plays later gave North Carolina the ball back with 4:20 remaining in the game. The Tar Heels overtook the lead (36-34) with a 33-yard field goal with 2:16 left in the game.
Wake Forest turned the ball over with 1:14 remaining in the game. North Carolina ran the clock out to secure the 36-34 victory.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Redshirt junior quarterback Sam Hartman tossed four touchdowns while completing 18-of-31 passes for 320 yards on Saturday.

With his four touchdown passes, he is now at 100 for his career and just seven behind Tajh Boyd's (Clemson) Atlantic Coast Conference record of 107 career passing touchdowns.

On defense, sophomore defensive end Jasheen Davis recorded four tackles, two sacks and 2.5 tackles-for-loss. Those two sacks came on one drive in the second quarter to halt a Carolina potential scoring drive. It was his first-career game with multiple sacks.

STANDOUT STAT
After scoring 44 points in Week 1 vs. VMI, 45 points in Week 2 at Vanderbilt, 37 points in Week 3 vs. Liberty, 45 points in Week 4 vs. Clemson, 31 points in Week 5 at Florida State, 45 points in Week 6 vs. Army, 43 points in Week 8 vs. Boston College, 21 points in Week 9 vs. Louisville, 21 points in week 10 vs. NC State and 34 points in week 11 vs. North Carolina, Wake Forest's 366 total points is near the pace of the single season scoring record set last season (574).

Through 10 games into the 2022 season, Wake Forest is averaging 36.6 points per game. Entering the 2022 season, Wake Forest is the only program in the Atlantic Coast Conference to average at least 30.0 per game in each of the last five seasons. This is tied for the fourth longest streak in ACC history.

FROM COACH CLAWSON
"I'm proud of our team's effort as we battled for four quarters. Give credit to North Carolina. They made a big play on defense, kicked a field goal and we had a chance to win it at the end. Every year against those guys, it's a one-score game. We didn't start fast. We had some costly penalties early. I was proud of the way we bounced back, took the lead in the fourth quarter and again, it feels a little bit like Clemson where they made a play or two more than we did. That was a great football game."

UP NEXT
Wake Forest returns to Truist Field next week for Senior Day on Saturday, Nov. 19 against Syracuse at 8 p.m. on ACC Network. Fans can purchase tickets now.

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Team Stats

Sam Hartman

Wake Forest Athletics