Where: Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill, NC
When: Saturday, October 29th, 3:30 PM
TV: ESPNU
Records: UNC 5-3, 1-3 ACC; WFU 5-2, 4-1 ACC
The crucial two game stretch begins today.
This game could very well be a must-win for a variety of reasons. The foremost being the real need to stop the recent slide of bad play which has produced two losses, the last one in embarrassing fashion. The Heels are at a critical juncture with real questions arising concerning whether the overall confidence of the team is completely shot. This game represents an opportunity to right the ship, notch a solid win against a good team and get bowl eligible, all on the same afternoon. A well executed win here builds momentum for the big showdown next week in Raleigh.
Wake Forest presents a number of problems, not the least of which is the Demon Deacons are well coached. The other rather pressing issue is Wake Forest has the 24th best passing attack in the country. The Deacs are a terrible rushing team but can pass the ball which is not a good sign for the Heels considering the seemingly lack of solutions for the play of the secondary. Wake is going to pass the ball and do it often which could make for an ugly day. That is unless UNC can simply turn the linebackers loose which takes most of down the path of insanity. We keep hoping for that and it never happens.
Much like the past few games where stopping the other team might prove difficult, UNC should be able to lean on the offense. Wake Forest has a good but not great defense with the 37th ranked rushing defense and the 72nd rated pass defense. While Gio Bernard appears to be back to full health, UNC will probably lean on the pass more. Actually I don’t really know what UNC will do on offense and neither does anyone else, John Shoop included. Convention says keep the offense balanced with a tilt to the passing game but Shoop will likely do the opposite or worse yet run when he should pass and pass when he should run. Hopefully players can simply make plays, Bryn Renner can play mistake free football and Gio Bernard run for 100 yards again(he need 189 yards for 1000.) Dwight Jones is being hampered by a thigh injury however UNC’s other receivers such as Erik Highsmith and Jhay Boyd have shown they can be threats. There is no reason all three receivers can’t make big contributions in this one given the right playcalling. Yeah, I know.
I am going to go with the hopeful fan pick here and say UNC stops the skid, gets bowl eligible and has their heads up going to Raleigh.
UNC 31 Wake Forest 24
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THF -
I like your optimism but can’t share it. Our secondary just isn’t up to the task, and that was before Merlotti went down. Our offense is pretty good, and entertaining, but Renner has been showing freshmanitis lately and Dwight Jones will play hurt. Everything but the site tilts against us, and home field won’t be enough to pull this one out, not the way we’ve been playing.
I hope the team bucks it up and proves me wrong.
Agree with rath, but I think it will get ugly in a hurry. UNC just can’t seem to do anything right, and it seems like the towel was thrown during the Clemson game. Plus, there won’t be much of a home crowd advantage since fans are either completely frustrated and won’t show up, or they just don’t care.
And if you look at how improved other teams are in the ACC like UVa and Dook, there is a very real possibility UNC could go winless down the stretch.
Anyone got a feed?
Got it on ESPNU
Wake0 UNC7 9:02
http://espn.go.com
Thnx White Ghost. I’m abroad so ESPN blocks me.
Tar Heels playing ECU again?
Nice long pass to D Jones! 48 yard gain
Wake0 UNC14 1stQ 4:12
What is going on? VaTech squeaks past dook, BC running up the score on MD, and the Heels decided to show up today.
UNC players waving arms for crowd noise; then Wake QB makes 1st down marker. Stop cheer leading and make a tackle. GRRRR!
^not so fast, hubie.
Congrats to Jones Angell! his 100th utterance of the phrase “wide open receiver” of the season. well done!
Heels unable to cover for even a count of 2 on most plays.
Wake7 UNC14 2ndQ 10:23
Doh! If we only had 5 Tre Bostons out there…oh wait, we sort of do.
UNC Punt blocked… wake ball.
that punt-blocking philosophy continues to pay dividends!
super choice, coach.
not to mention the “quick snap” has failed twice now.
Wake 22yd FG. Wake10 UNC14 2ndQ 7:03
Chernobl part 2?
Renner sacked… Injured on play.
You found game Hubie?
Can’t seem to get the game White Ghost. Just following on gametracker and scratching my head.
UNC good series in final 2 mins of half. Bernard 2 nice runs, 2 medium completions from Renner. 2 Wake penalties. 40 seconds to go… Maybe Shoop will call some razzel-dazzle.
UNC Bernard TD run. Wake10 UNC 21 2ndQ 0:13
Ah. The indomitable Carolina secondary strikes again.
Glad to see the staff grew a pair on that last set.
Had to shower, now off to work. Maybe we’ll win this.
Perhaps I should not watch the rest of the Heels’ games. They seem to be putting it together today.
Zach Brown, playing strong and he’s the one better able to figure out what the opposition will do than the coaching staff.
way to go, Zach!
Am I watching Carolina or Oklahoma? Can anyone remember the last time we played this well?
why were the starters in? geesh, are they not banged up enough?
Great win for the heels!
You have to give Withers credit. The last three weeks they looked totally flat, and today they defined the phrase “ready to play.”
The most important thing about this game is not the win. It’s that it puts life in what was becoming a zoombie program.
P.S. VT is overrated. That’s the good news. The bad news is that Dook is underrated.
So does this mean we are going bowling?
Just back from Chapel Hill: easily their best performance from start to finish. Must not have been a ton of TV coverage though since there doesn’t seem to have been many posts here celebrating the many great plays made during the game nor many tweets from THF. That’s unfortunate, as this blog seems to be lit up and THF tweets quite a bit when things are going sour.
Let’s hope they take this momentum into Raleigh next week. I’ll be there. Who’s with me?
nice win against a quality opponent. GIO is a stud. to come back from that nasty tackly and be strong running took stones. renner also has cajones. gritty hard hitting win. now since russell wilson is in the nfl, lets kick some state arse
Great victory, sat with my son’s football team in seats that Wake couldn’t sell. Nice to be in the sunshine for the whole game and pick up a little extra heat. The Blue Zone does create a bit of a vortex next to the visitor seats though. Interesting to see what it’s like with a strong wind blowing through the stadium.
I am very happy with the win, not sure why we went away from the run in the second quarter but we got our game back later. The O-line getting pushed around by Wake is just painful. There may be good recruiting going on for those boys but we need some coaching. I’m hopeful that Renner lives through the season.
I’m all about the pain and I want to bring it to NCSU. I want TOB to get whipped by Withers at home after a totally humiliating loss to FSU. I think VT is over rated but if they figure out your play calling you are going to have trouble. I hope they don’t have ours dialed up. Duke is pretty good as well, let’s hope we are ready to go in that game.
Go Heels!