Three crucial Wake Forest turnovers steer UNC football to bowl eligibility
UNC senior linebacker Power Echols (23) scores a touchdown during the football game against Wake Forest on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024 at Kenan Stadium. UNC won 31-24.
Midway through the third quarter, the North Carolina defense rushed four. Senior linebacker Power Echols stalked the quarterback.
Wake Forest quarterback Michael Kern stood in the shotgun. Kern fired the ball, looking for his tight end, Cameron Hite.
But lurking just four yards in front of Hite was Echols. He jumped, snatching the ball out of the air. Echols dashed up the sideline, outrunning everyone.
“I was watching the iPad we have and I was looking at our recent plays on offense,” graduate quarterback Jacolby Criswellsaid. “And I just saw everyone erupt and I’m looking, and they’re like, ‘It’s a pick, get up, get up, get up.’ And next thing I know he’s in the end zone and they’re like, ‘Sit down.’”
North Carolina defensive lineman Travis Shaw (4) and North Carolina wide receiver J.J. Jones (5) celebrate with the UNC student section after defeating Wake Forest 31-24 at Kenan Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 16. 2024.
Pick six. North Carolina 23, Wake Forest 10.
On Saturday night at Kenan Stadium, the North Carolina defense forced three crucial turnovers, including two in the third quarter, in a 31-24 win over Wake Forest. In a game where the offense — aside from junior running back Omarion Hampton — struggled to find a rhythm, the UNC defense used its momentum to become bowl eligible for the sixth straight season.
After losing four straight games earlier this year, a path to a bowl game looked complicated. But the Tar Heels have turned it around with the win against the Deacons marking their third consecutive win.
“We won the turnover game tonight,” head coach Mack Brownsaid. “And when you do that, the large majority of the time, you’re going to win a game.”
After only forcing three turnovers during it's losing streak, North Carolina's defense has had seven takeaways in the last three.
In the first half, the defensive unit held Wake Forest to 117 yards and three points. But early in the second, it looked like things might change.
After Wake Forest starting quarterback Hank Bachmeierran up the middle on a designed quarterback draw, he hit the ground hard off the tackle by graduate defensive linemen Jahvaree Ritzie and Kevin Hester, Jr. He got up for a few seconds, then dropped to a knee, holding his shoulder.
Enter Kern.
The Demon Deacons started moving the ball. Seven plays and 72 yards later, running back Demond Claiborne found the end zone. Just like that, the game was tied at 10.
It’s a scene that’s happened before: a backup quarterback torching the UNC defense. It happened against N.C. State in 2022. It happened just weeks later against Clemson in the ACC Championship game.
But on Saturday night, it didn’t.
On the next drive, Echols made his mark with the 42-yard house call.
In practice, players receive a candy bar for forcing a turnover and get to watch defensive coordinator Geoff Collins do 10 pushups. The reward for taking the ball away in a game?
Seeing Collins pump out 10 pushups on the sideline. Oh, and a cookie cake.
Later in the third quarter, it was junior defensive back Marcus Allen’s turn. Kern rolled out right, slinging the ball to wide receiver Horatio Fields. The ball hit off of Fields’ chest and found its way into the hands of a falling Allen.
UNC junior defensive back Marcus Allen (29) and junior defensive back Will Hardy (31) go to make a tackle during the football game against Wake Forest on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024 at Kenan Stadium. UNC won 31-24.
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With just over five minutes left in the fourth and UNC up by seven, Joshua Harris Sr. forced a strip sack deep in Wake Forest’s territory. Junior defensive lineman Travis Shaw pounced on it.
“I feel like they’ve been doing great all year,” Echols said. “But especially in the second half of the season, just creating unreal pressure on the quarterback and defeating their one-on-ones.”
Shaw walked to the sideline, the ball in his right hand and North Carolina’s turnover belt draped over his left shoulder.
UNC junior defensive line Travis Shaw (4) celebrates during Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024 game against Wake Forest in Kenan Stadium. UNC won with a final score of 31-24.
“Our defense has never had confidence,” Brown said. “They’ve been up and down, they’ve talked about it, they’ve never done it. For three weeks they’ve done it. And right now it’s a very confident bunch.”
As the defense continues to figure out Collins’ scheme, the incentives have helped turn this unit around. And because of it, Echols, Allen, Harris Sr. and Shaw can all expect a sizable cookie cake at some point this week.
