Nov 10, 2001

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By DAVID DROSCHAK
AP Sports Writer

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - James MacPherson scored with 1:17 left, and Quinton Williams made the defensive play of the game seconds later as Wake Forest rallied from a 24-point halftime deficit to stun North Carolina 32-31 Saturday.

The Demon Deacons (5-4, 3-4 ACC) were outgained 338 yards to 118 in the first 30 minutes, but staged one of the best comebacks in Atlantic Coast Conference history behind MacPherson and tailback Tarence Williams, who gained 101 yards.

North Carolina (5-5, 4-3) had won five straight after starting 0-3, but now has lost two in a row to throw doubt on its bowl chances.

It was Wake Forest's seventh game decided by seven points or fewer this season.

The Demon Deacons scored 18 points in the fourth quarter and held the Tar Heels to 77 second-half yards.

The Tar Heels led 24-0 at halftime, were up 31-14 heading into the final 15 minutes, and appeared to be in control after Darian Durant threw his fourth TD pass of the day.

But things turned quickly for North Carolina.

Williams scored on a 3-yard run with 11:01 left to start the rally as Wake Forest's defense clamped down.

Tyler Ashe added a 42-yard field goal five minutes later and North Carolina hiked the ball out of the end zone on its next possession for a safety as the Demon Deacons closed within five points with 4:49 left.

Wake Forest took the free kick at its 41 and proceeded to march 59 yards for the winning score. MacPherson's 15-yard keeper and a holding penalty helped the clinching drive along and the quarterback's 1-yard keeper put the Demon Deacons ahead.

The Tar Heels had one final chance as Durant completed three passes to the Wake Forest 47 to put North Carolina into field goal range. But Williams came on a safety blitz, knocked the ball out of Durant's hand, and Caron Bracy recovered with 45 seconds left.

The largest comeback in an ACC game came in 1992, when Clemson overcame a 28-point deficit to beat Virginia 29-28.

Durant's brilliant performance was wasted.

The freshman quarterback missed all but Thursday's practice this week after helping bury his stepmother in South Carolina.

He completed 24 of 32 passes for 361 yards. Durant's passing total set the school record for a freshman. Ronald Curry threw for 304 against Stanford in 1998.

Durant had 264 yards and touchdown passes of 21, 21 and 75 yards by halftime to stun the Demon Deacons, who had lost 10 of 11 against the Tar Heels before Saturday.

Curry nursed a sore hamstring in a 28-21 loss to Georgia Tech last Thursday and was in Virginia this weekend at the funeral of a 12-year-old cousin.

Durant showed little rust, going 10-for-11 for 128 yards in the first quarter alone as the Tar Heels took control early but failed to hold on over the final 11 minutes.

Wake Forest Football Notes
Wake Forest at North Carolina
November 10, 2001

· Today's 32-31 win:
- Gives Wake Forest a 5-4 record, 3-4 in the ACC
- Is the closest game in this series since a 14-13 Wake win in 1970
- Represents the most points scored on the Tar Heels by an ACC opponent this season and the third most by any UNC opponent this season, behind Texas (44) and Oklahoma (41).
- Marks the seventh of nine WFU games (and fifth consecutive) game this season decided by seven points or less.

· Today's game captains are James MacPherson and Marquis Hopkins.

· North Carolina's touchdown following Wake Forest's interception on its first series of the game marked the first time since the FSU game on Sept. 29 that the Deacons did not put the first points on the scoreboard.

· Kellen Brantley recorded his third career interception when he picked off a Darian Durant pass in front of the endzone in the second quarter.

· Pleackicker Tyler Ashe's wide right field goal attempt in the second quarter was his first miss since the season opener at East Carolina on Sept. 1.

· Sam Aiken's mid-range pass from Darian Durant that he converted into a 75-yard touchdown completion will go down as the longest receiving touchdown by a Wake Forest opponent this season. The previous longest was 52 yards, from Chris Rix to Javon Walker at Florida State.

· For the third straight week, walk-on punter Chris Rolle booted a career-long punt. This week, he kicked a 51-yarder in the second quarter, surpassing his previous record of 48 yards, set last week at Virginia. The previous week against Clemson, Rolle a booted a then-career long of 47 yards.

· Senior John Stone put Wake Forest's first points on the scoreboard with a 11-yard run in the third quarter. It was Stone's eighth career touchdown (fifth rushing) and fourth this season.

· North Carolina's shutout of the Deacons in the first half marked the first time since the NC State game on Oct. 6 that Wake Forest had been shut out in consecutive quarters. NC State held WFU scoreless in the second half en route to a 17-14 victory. The last time Wake was shut out in the first half was also against NC State, in the 2000 season finale. The Wolfpack won that game, 32-14.

· Defensive end Calvin Pace recorded his 18th career sack in the third quarter. He remains in third place on Wake Forest's all-time sack list, just one shy of tying second place Bryan Ray (19). Mike McCrary (1989-92) is Wake's all-time sack leader with 30.

· Tyler Ashe's 42-yard field goal which brought the Deacs to within seven points in the fourth quarter was his longest of the season. His previous long was a 38-yarder at Virginia last week. His career long is 50 yards set against Appalachian State in the 2000 season.

· Tarence Williams recorded his eighth career (sixth of the season) 100-yard rushing game with 101 yards against the Tar Heels.

· Quarterback James MacPherson scored his first career rushing TD on a one-yard keeper in the fourth quarter. The Deacon junior is responsible for eight touchdowns (seven passing, one rushing) in his career.