CHAPEL HILL, N.C. –– North Carolina hasn’t played well at home this season yet earned their first win in Kenan Stadium since Sept. 14th beating Wake Forest 31-24 Saturday night improving to 6-4 overall (3-3 ACC).
For the sixth straight season, the Tar Heels are bowl-eligible and will play their final road game of the season at Boston College at noon on Saturday.
It was arguably Omarion Hampton’s best game as he totaled a career-high 35 carries to lead the Tar Heels to their third win in a row. Hampton has 1,422 rushing yards this season, fourth-most in a season by a Tar Heel coupled with 38 career touchdowns. He is just 78 yards away from having back-to-back 1,500+ seasons.
A quick 14-point spurt in the third quarter and potent defense that forced three second-half turnovers allowed North Carolina to pull away and grab a 24-10 lead with eight minutes left in the third period.
From the remainder of the game, the Tar Heels ran out the clock and did an impressive job of limiting Wake’s opportunities.
“Playing well here is a standard and it was important for us to dominate on our own turf,” quarterback Jacolby Criswell said. “We know who we are now, what we want to accomplish and we’re not letting anything get in our way.”
Thrown into the starting role in just the third game of the season, Criswell has continuously committed himself to bettering his efficiency in the pocket and being more accurate with his throws. He’s been supported by a youthful yet experienced offensive line with Aidan Banfield and Howard Sampson, the latter of whom Coach Brown said, “played his best game as a Tar Heel.”
With its win over Wake and bowl eligibility, North Carolina’s program is on a mission to turnaround the season and soar higher than the adversity they’ve faced. And with three straight wins under their belt the path is a bit easier and Tar Heels have found their joy again.
“You can take two different paths,” head coach Mack Brown said after the win. “You can go down and just quit. You’ve got plenty of excuses. And they just didn’t do that. They kept their heads up, they kept fighting, they kept competing. And I think that’s why they’re so proud tonight.”
Despite numerous challenges beyond the team’s control this season, their enduring spirit of perseverance continues to drive them forward, propelling the them into the critical final stretch of the season.
“It took a little longer for us but I feel like everything is happening at the right time,” Criswell said.