North Carolina makes the short trip to Winston Salem for a matchup with Wake Forest for the team's tenth game of the season.

Carolina overcame an 18-point deficit in last fall's meeting, marking the second year in a row the Tar Heels overcame a three-score margin to beat the Demon Deacons. In 2020, UNC defeated Wake after trailing by 21 points.

Wake Forest, the Atlantic Division Champions last season, were ranked No. 10 in the nation at the time it lost at UNC, making it Carolina’s best win of the season. The Tar Heels were the only ACC team to hand the Deacs a loss during the regular season.

Getting the Deacons again this season will be a task. Wake returns numerous players that have contributed heavily to the program’s success under Dave Clawson.

Today, we preview UNC's game with Wake Forest:

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Nov. 12 @ Truist Field (31,500)

Head Coach:

Wake Coach Dave Clawson enters his ninth season with the program. He had his best year as the leader of the Deacs last season, leading them to 11 wins and an Atlantic Division title. Clawson owns a 51-48 record while coaching in Winston Salem. Following such an accomplished season, Clawson knows other teams won't take the Demon Deacons so lightly.

"People now, when they play Wake Forest, have a little more respect for who we are and what we've done," Clawson said at the ACC Kickoff. "There's been times we've been able to beat people who maybe didn't take us seriously. Those days are probably over."

Noteworthy:

Athlon Sports ranks Wake Forest No. 16 in its FBS preseason polls.

Returning starters:

The Demon Deacons return 15 starters from last season's roster: nine on offense and six on defense.

Stars:

Star quarterback Sam Hartman enters this season as one of the most decorated quarterbacks in Wake Forest history. Last season, Hartman threw 39 touchdowns to only 14 interceptions and 4,228 yards.

A.T Perry caught 71 passes for 1,293 yards and 15 touchdowns. The 6-foot-5, 206-pounder is among the top returning receivers in college football.

Rondell Bothroyd is a 6-foot-4, 258- pound defensive end who led the Demon Deacons in tackles for loss with 16.5, including a season-high 2.5 against the Heels last season.

Key Stats:

Wake Forest's offense has averaged at least 30 points per game every season since 2017.

My thoughts:

North Carolina looks to extend its two-game winning streak in this series. The last two meetings between these programs saw the Heels' defense allow an average of 54 points. Though they have won both times, Carolina has to find a way to slow down Hartman and company.

The changes UNC has made in its defensive staff should serve well in the Heels slowing down the Deac's high-powered offense. With the emphasis on communication and simplifying the scheme, there should be fewer blown coverages this time around.