No. 15 North Carolina (8-1, 5-0 ACC) at Wake Forest (6-3, 2-3), Saturday, 7:30 p.m. EST (ESPN2)
FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK COLLEGE LINE: Wake Forest by 3 1/2.
Series record: UNC leads 71-36-2.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
The Tar Heels can clinch the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Coastal Division title and a trip to the league championship game with a win. The Tar Heels are also seeking to go to 6-0 on the road, which would be the first time in program history they’ve won six road games in a season. The Demon Deacons are trying to regroup after two straight losses that dropped them out of the AP Top 25.
KEY MATCHUP
Wake Forest offense vs. UNC defense. The Demon Deacons have a star veteran at quarterback in Sam Hartman leading an attack that has ranked among the nation’s best. But that unit has struggled with turnovers in the past two weeks, first with eight in a loss at Louisville and then three more in last week’s loss at No. 17 North Carolina State. That unit could get going again by facing the Tar Heels, who have struggled defensively. That unit ranks 122nd in the Bowl Subdivision in total defense (457.7) and 104th in scoring defense (31.0), though it has been better in scoring defense (24.2) in league play.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Wake Forest: WR A.T. Perry. Perry is one of three top targets for Hartman and is coming off a huge game (12 catches, 159 yards and a TD) at N.C. State.
UNC: QB Drake Maye. The second-year passer leads the FBS ranks with 31 touchdown passes while throwing just three interceptions in 312 attempts.
FACTS & FIGURES
UNC has won the past two meetings by similar scores with huge comebacks at home. In 2020, the Tar Heels rallied from 21 down (45-24) in the third quarter to win 59-53. Last year, they trailed by 18 (45-27) in the third before winning 58-55. … Hartman is second in ACC history with 96 career touchdown passes, trailing only Clemson’s Tajh Boyd (107). … Wake Forest has surrendered 12 sacks in the Louisville and N.C. State losses. … UNC last won its first five road games in a season in 1997. … The Tar Heels are 5-0 in the league for the first time since going 8-0 to earn its only trip to the ACC title game in 2015. … Wake Forest is 19-3 at home since the start of the 2019 season.
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