I've never been more certain that the fix was in after watching: (1) the missed facemask, (2) the multiple attempts to throw our players out for targeting, (3) the refusal to call PI when our receiver is being tackled, (4) the blatant PI call that was initially called and then picked up, (5) allowing Downs to repeatedly get a head start and only calling it once, (6) consistently spotting the ball a yard behind forward progress, but only on our running backs, (7) Sam making the first down but the ball getting spotted a yard short and never reviewing it, and (8) my personal favorite - UNC never gets called for holding (aside from one that was declined where 40 is being tackled while making a tackle) and we get called for multiple crushing holding penalties including with the game on the line. That hold on the last drive stole the game from us and should never have been called in that situation.
As for the incentive and the logistics, well let's see. How much money do you think the ACC has riding on the ACC Championship game being between two one-loss top-10 teams with an (admittedly outside) shot at the Playoff at stake? How many millions of dollars would a Wake win on Saturday have cost the league?
I know it sounds crazy. I know I sound like a conspiracy loon. But I was there, I've watched the tape, and this was the most egregious one-sided officiating I have ever seen. We were better and deserved to win. Yeah, Sam made a big mistake. So did UNC. So did Mack Brown. Running shotgun on the 2 inch line? Thanks for the opportunity for a goal line stand. But we should not have to play perfectly to win. We should not have to beat both UNC and the officials to win. We got hosed. The refs wanted UNC to win - for whatever reason - and got what they wanted.