UNC vs. Wake Forest Postgame Notes

• Game captains: Joshua Ezeudu, Javonte Williams, Jeremiah Gemmel, Chazz Surratt, British Brooks

• Carolina rallied from a 21-point deficit, which matches the largest comeback and is the largest second-half comeback, in UNC football history. Wake Forest led 45-24 with 4:44 to play in the third quarter before the Tar Heels scored 35 consecutive points to take a 59-45 lead. UNC also trailed at Georgia Tech by 21 points in a 38-31 Tar Heel victory in 2015. The Yellow Jackets led UNC 21-0 in the second quarter in that game.

• This was the 108th time Carolina and Wake Forest played in football. With the win, UNC leads the series 70-36-2.

• The 59 points are the most Carolina has scored against Wake Forest in an ACC game. The previous high was 50 in 1994 and 2015. UNC scored 65 against Wake Forest in 1928 and 62 in 1922 prior to the start of the ACC.

• The 112 combined points are the second most in a UNC football game and the second-most ever at Kenan Stadium. This was the fifth time UNC played in a game with 100 or more combined points and was the most combined points in any Tar Heel victory. This was the second time this season UNC played a game at Kenan Stadium in which the teams combined for 100 or more points (also vs. Virginia Tech on October 10).

• The 112 combined points were the most ever in a Carolina-Wake Forest football game. This was 32 points more than other UNC-Wake Forest game ever played. The previous high was 80 in 1993, a 45-35 Tar Heel victory.

• This is the second season in Carolina football history the Tar Heels have scored 50 or more points against three ACC opponents. The Tar Heels scored 56 points against Virginia Tech on October 10, 56 at Duke on November 7 and 59 today vs. Wake Forest. UNC scored 50 or more in three ACC games also in 2015.

• Mack Brown is now 257-130-1 in 32 seasons as a collegiate head coach, and 82-54-1 in 12 seasons at North Carolina.

• UNC set the school record with 742 total yards of offense, breaking the previous record of 721 vs. Old Dominion in 2013. It was the fourth time in UNC history the Tar Heels gained 700 or more yards.

• Today was the sixth-straight game UNC gained 500 or more yards. That’s the first time that has happened in at least 50 years, dating back to existing records that begin in 1971. UNC has accumulated more than 400 yards of total offense in each of its last 16 games.

• Carolina has scored 40 or more points in each of its last four games and seven times in the last 11 games dating back to last season. That’s the most consecutive games with 40 or more points since 1914 when Carolina did that in six straight games.

• Sam Howell set UNC single-game records with 550 passing yards and six touchdowns. Marquise Williams held the previous yardage record with 494 against Duke in 2015; six other Tar Heels had previously passed for five touchdowns in a game (Bryn Renner did that twice).

• Howell’s 550 passing yards were the third most in ACC history. Only Clemson’s Deshaun Watson (580 vs. Pittsburgh in 2016) and Miami’s Steven Morris (566 vs. NC State in 2012) passed for more yards in a game than Howell.

• Howell was 32 of 45 for 550 yards and six passing touchdowns. It was the third time Howell has thrown for 400 or more yards in his career; he did that last season at NC State (401) and earlier this season at Virginia (443).

• Howell has thrown a touchdown pass in all 21 games as a Tar Heel, the second-longest active streak in the country. The active leader is West Virginia’s Jarret Doege, who finished Saturday’s action having thrown a TD in 23 successive games.

• Howell has thrown multiple TD passes in 19 of 21 career games. He has tossed three or more touchdowns 13 times, four or more five times, five or more twice and a school-record six today.

• Howell’s 61 career touchdown passes are the third most in ACC history by a sophomore quarterback. He trails only Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence (66) and Florida State’s Jameis Winston (65).

• Howell’s 61 career passing touchdowns (in 21 games) also equals the third most in Carolina football history. Darian Durant passed for 68 in 2001-04, Bryn Renner had 64 in 2010-13 and Marquise Williams also tossed 61 from 2012-15.

• Howell’s 23 passing touchdowns in 2020 match the sixth most by a Tar Heel in a season. He set the record last year with 38.

• Howell's seven total touchdowns are the most in Kenan Stadium history. Five players had previously accounted for six: Kelvin Bryant vs. ECU in 1981; Maryland's Scott Milanovich in 1993; Maryland's Scott O’Brien in 2003; ECU's Shane Carden in 2013; and Louisville's Lamar Jackson in 2017.

• Howell’s 32 completions are a season high (previous was 25 vs. Syracuse) and one off his career high (33 last season vs. Georgia Tech). The 32 completions today are the seventh most by a Tar Heel in any game.

• Howell became the sixth Tar Heel to pass for 6,000 career yards. With 550 today, he has 6,272 yards, easily the most by any Tar Heel in his first two seasons. Darian Durant passed for 3,966 as a freshman and sophomore in 2001 and 2002.

• Howell extended his school record of consecutive games with a touchdown pass to 21; the previous record was 13 by Matt Kupec in 1978-79.

• Howell is just the third FBS player since 2000 to throw for 550 yards and six touchdowns and also score a rushing touchdown in a single game. Buffalo's Drew Anderson accomplished the feat against Western Michigan in 2017. Texas Tech's B.J. Symons did so vs. Ole Miss in 2003.

• Dazz Newsome caught 10 passes for a career-high 189 yards and two touchdowns. His previous yardage high was 170 against Pitt in 2019 (when he made 11 receptions). He equaled his career best with two receiving touchdowns (last season against Virginia Tech and Temple).

• Dyami Brown hauled in eight receptions for 163 yards and two scores. Those were his 20th and 21st career receiving touchdowns. He is tied with Hakeem Nicks (2006-08) for second in UNC history with 21 receiving touchdowns.

• Javonte Williams rushed 13 times for 101 yards and a game-clinching 20-yard touchdown. It was the fifth time this season he rushed for 100 or more yards.

• Javonte Williams’ 18 total touchdowns (15 rushing, 3 receiving) lead the nation and is tied for the third most in Tar Heel football history.

• Javonte Williams has now scored a rushing touchdown in eight consecutive games, the longest streak by a UNC player since Giovani Bernard in 2012 (8 straight games).

• Michael Carter’s 46-yard fourth quarter touchdown was the longest reception of his career.

• After Carolina fell behind 45-24, the Tar Heel defense stopped the Deacons on the next five possessions (four punts and a loss of downs). Wake Forest ran 18 plays for just 29 yards on those five possessions.

• UNC scored on four of its first five possessions, then punted three times and tossed an interception on its next four series. Trailing 45-24, UNC then scored touchdowns on five of its next six possessions to go ahead 59-45.

• Today marked the third time this season UNC surrendered 31 or more points in a half, the other two times being vs. VT and FSU. Wake Forest's 35 first-half points are the most allowed by the Tar Heels in a half since giving up 35 first-half points to Duke