University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Look To Rebound At Wake
October 25, 2002 | Football
Oct. 25, 2002
North Carolina and Wake Forest will meet for the 99th time on Saturday at Noon in Winston-Salem, N.C. The game will be televised by JP Sports. The Carolina-Wake series is the second-longest series in ACC history behind only Carolina and Virginia (107 meetings).
oth teams are coming off difficult losses last weekend. The Tar Heels (2-5 overall, 0-3 ACC) built a 21-0 halftime lead at Virginia, but turnovers, a breakdown on special teams and a thumb injury to quarterback Darian Durant helped give the Cavaliers a 37-27 come-from-behind victory. Wake Forest (4-4, 2-3) squandered several late-game opportunities in a 31-23 loss to Clemson in Death Valley.
"We're anticipating that it will be a real physical football game over there and we'll have to be at our best to have an opportunity to win," head coach John Bunting said. "Jim Grobe and his staff have done a great job."
Carolina has won 10 of the last 12 meetings, but Wake Forest has claimed two of the last three games. The Tar Heels have won six in a row at Groves Stadium. The last time Carolina lost at Wake Forest was in 1988.
Saturday's game will be the first career start for quarterback C.J. Stephens. Stephens, a junior from Gainsville, Fla., has appeared in three games this season and is 14-of-30 for 189 yards and two touchdowns. Stephens completed 9 of 15 passes for 103 yards and one touchdown after relieving Durant at Virginia.
North Carolina, Wake Forest Series Notes
Last Year Against the Demon Deacons
Wake Forest quarterback James MacPherson engineered scoring drives on five consecutive second half possessions to lead the Demon Deacons to a 32-31, come-from-behind win over North Carolina last season in Chapel Hill.
MacPherson scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 1-yard run with 1:17 to play. That score gave the Deacons their only lead of the game. Carolina led 24-0 at halftime and 31-14 after three quarters, largely due to the play of freshman quarterback Darian Durant. Durant completed 24 of 32 passes for 361 yards and four touchdowns. He set UNC single-game freshman records for pass completions, passing yards and passing touchdowns.
The Tar Heels held the Deacons to 118 total offense yards in the first half. By contrast, Carolina compiled 338 yards, including 264 passing by Durant.
However, in the second half, Carolina committed two turnovers and allowed a safety. The Deacons gained 236 yards, 143 of which came on the ground. Wake Forest had 18 first downs in the final two periods.
Trailing 24-0 in the third, Wake Forest began its comeback by forcing a fumble by wide receiver Brandon Russell in UNC territory. The Deacs then got on the scoreboard on an 11-yard reverse run by wideout John Stone.
On its next possession, Wake Forest went 54 yards in seven plays, capped by another touchdown run on a reverse by receiver Fabian Davis. Carolina answered back for the only time in the half on its ensuing possession. Durant finished a 12-play, 80-yard march with a 12-yard touchdown pass to tight end Zach Hilton.
The Deacons responded with an 80-yard touchdown drive of their own. Tarence Williams scored from three yards out to cut UNC's lead to 31-21 with 11:01 left in the contest.
A field goal with 5:56 to play made it 31-24 and a safety cut the lead to five with 4:59 remaining. The safety came when UNC's Greg Warren sent his snap over punter John Lafferty and out of the end zone.
Wake Forest began at its own 41 following the safety and subsequent free kick. MacPherson marched the Deacs to the end zone in 10 plays, sneaking over the goal line for the go-ahead score with 77 seconds to play. Durant almost led the Tar Heels in range for a winning field goal. He completed his first three passes for 12, six and 15 yards, to the Deacon 47-yard line. However, on the next play, Durant was sacked and stripped of the ball by Quintin Williams, and Caron Bracy recovered to clinch the win for the Deacons.
Tarence Williams led Wake Forest with 29 rushes for 101 yards. MacPherson was only 13 of 24 passing for 142 yards, but added 49 rushing yards on nine carries.
