The North Carolina football team's 24-18 loss to Wake Forest on Friday was nothing if a recalibration of expectations. After a thrilling home win over Miami, the Tar Heels were 2-0 for the first time since 2014. Fans streaming out of Kenan Memorial Stadium — who perhaps had a few too many White Claws, thanks to a new stadium alcohol policy — started that most predictable of chants:
The Wake Forest game was a sobering wake-up call. The Tar Heels did nothing for an entire half, got dusted by Sage Surratt, brother of UNC football's Chazz, battled through multiple injuries and lost to a good, not great conference foe.
Still, though, North Carolina had a chance to win it at the end. Hope is not lost. UNC will get Clemson, all right: the Tigers come to Chapel Hill on Sept. 28. Here's what head coach Mack Brown's team will have to work on in the meantime — namely, in a Saturday tune-up against Appalachian State:
Do something – anything – in the first half
Here's every UNC drive before halftime of Friday's game: Punt, punt, punt, fumble, punt, punt, punt, punt, punt. The Tar Heels had two first downs in the first two quarters, and quarterback Sam Howell, who had just been crowned the No. 1 true freshman in college football by ESPN, was unceremoniously pulled after going 5-10 for 15 yards in the first half.
North Carolina gained just 71 yards as a whole in that span — which was all cool, as Wake Forest began the game with three punts of its own, but then the Demon Deacons found the end zone on three consecutive drives.
Halftime: Wake Forest 21, UNC 0.