
Wake Forest Demon Deacons at North Carolina Tar Heels
· NCAA - FootballHampton's huge day helps North Carolina hold off Wake Forest 31-24 to reach bowl eligibility

It was the latest huge performance for the Tar Heels' workhorse back, who cracked the 100-yard rushing mark for the eighth straight game. He found the end zone when he hurdled defenders near the goal line and powering through contact with 2:26 left for a 31-17 lead.
Hampton's scoring run set his career highs for both carries and rushing yards, along with ultimately sending the Tar Heels (6-4, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) to a third consecutive win. He also moved into fifth on UNC's all-time rushing list with 3,327 yards, passing both Don McCauley and Kelvin Bryant.
“He’s tough, he takes care of the ball, he protects in the passing game,” UNC coach Mack Brown said. “He’s very humble. He never asks for the ball. I guess you don’t have to when you get it 35 times. But he usually makes the plays when he has to to help us win the game.”
Jacolby Criswell ran and threw for touchdowns for UNC, while linebacker Power Echols had a leaping snag for an interception and returned it 42 yards for third-quarter touchdown.
Demond Claiborne ran for 95 yards and two touchdowns for the Demon Deacons (4-6, 2-4), who arrived for the latest meeting in this long-running instate matchup with a 3-0 road record. But Wake Forest lost three turnovers, the last being a fumble by Michael Kern on a strip-sack by Joshua Harris deep in its own end with 5:08 left to set up Hampton's score.
“At times I don't think we've grasped the details of what it takes to win a game like that,” Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson said. “It's all said and done, and the yardage is equal, the third downs are equal and the red-zone deals are equal. And it all comes down to those three turnovers we had that were absolute killers.”
Kern threw for 172 yards with one TD and two interceptions after taking over for starter Hank Bachmeier, who was knocked from the game with an apparent upper-body injury early in the third.
Kern hit Taylor Morin for a 40-yard shot down the seam late then found him again from 16 yards in the back of the end zone with 75 seconds left to keep hope alive, but the Tar Heels recovered the ensuing kick to kill the remaining time.
UNC: The Tar Heels have turned things around from a four-game skid that included giving up 70 points in a loss to James Madison on Sept. 21, as well as the emotional blow from the death of teammate Tylee Craft due to cancer. It's why Brown said his team had been in “such a hole" before emerging from an open week with lopsided road wins against Virginia and Florida State while racking up 17 sacks, and now pushing through this one.
UNC: The Tar Heels play their final road game when they visit Boston College next Saturday, then return home to close against rival N.C. State.
How To Watch
How can I watch Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. North Carolina Tar Heels?
- TV Channel: Demon Deacons at Tar Heels 2021 College Football, week 12, is broadcasted on ACC Network.
- Online streaming: Sign up for Fubo.
Scoring Summary
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FG | 1st Period 3:21 | Matthew Dennis 33 Yd Field Goal |
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TD | 2nd Period 12:26 | Jacolby Criswell 4 Yd Run (Noah Burnette Kick) |
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FG | 2nd Period 0:01 | Noah Burnette 24 Yd Field Goal |
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TD | 3rd Period 12:20 | Demond Claiborne 2 Yd Run (Matthew Dennis Kick) |
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TD | 3rd Period 9:26 | J.J. Jones 15 Yd pass from Jacolby Criswell (Noah Burnette Kick) |
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TD | 3rd Period 8:05 | Power Echols 42 Yd Interception Return (Noah Burnette Kick) |
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TD | 3rd Period 5:14 | Demond Claiborne 7 Yd Run (Matthew Dennis Kick) |
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TD | 4th Period 2:26 | Omarion Hampton 6 Yd Run (Noah Burnette Kick) |
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TD | 4th Period 1:15 | Taylor Morin 16 Yd pass from Michael Kern (Matthew Dennis Kick) |
Statistics
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|
---|---|---|
19 | 1st Downs | 21 |
6-14 | 3rd down efficiency | 6-15 |
0-1 | 4th down efficiency | 2-2 |
354 | Total Yards | 362 |
240 | Passing | 132 |
24/37 | Comp/Att | 14/22 |
6.5 | Yards per pass | 6.0 |
114 | Rushing | 230 |
32 | Rushing Attempts | 53 |
3.6 | Yards per rush | 4.3 |
9-90 | Penalties | 10-83 |
3 | Turnovers | 1 |
1 | Fumbles lost | 1 |
2 | Interceptions thrown | 0 |
24:59 | Possession | 35:01 |
Game Information

Location: Chapel Hill, NC
Attendance: 48,364 · Capacity:
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