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In the final minute of Wake Forest's 28-12 win over North Carolina, Demon Deacons quarterback Robby Ashford scored a 2-yard touchdown on fourth down, and the move didn't seem to sit well with Tar Heels coach Bill Belichick.

Ashford's scored with 22 seconds left after UNC called its final timeout. The Demon Deacons called three consecutive rushing plays with a nine-point lead and the Tar Heels running out of time.

"Just trying to keep the game alive. I don't know what they're going to do," Belichick said about his timeout decision. "Block a field goal, make a stop, and then keep going."

Facing fourth down, Wake Forest appeared to get in the kneel down formation before Belichick alerted officials he wanted to use a timeout. Ashford scored and the Tar Heels ran one play following the kickoff to end the game. Reporters asked Belichick about his brief, irritable interaction with Jake Dickert and what he said to the first-year Wake Forest coach.

"Congratulations," Belichick said.

The loss for the Tar Heels (4-6) snapped a two-game winning streak and means Belichick's team has to beat Duke and NC State over its final two games to reach bowl eligibility.

Wake Forest (7-3) held an ACC opponent out of the end zone for the second straight week and blocked a pair of the Tar Heels' field goal attempts in the game. 

Pre-game NFL statement from Belichick

In a Friday night statement posted across UNC's social media channels, Belichick dismissed NFL speculation following the New York Giants' firing of Brian Daboll. 

"It was a privilege for me to work for the Mara family and be a member of coach (Bill) Parcells' staff for over a decade," Belichick said. "However, despite circulating rumors, I have not and will not pursue any NFL head coaching vacancies."

Prior to winning six Super Bowls with the Patriots, Belichick won a pair of Super Bowls as the Giants' defensive coordinator under Parcells. He was carried off the field by Giants players after New York shut out Washington in the 1986 NFC title game en route to defeating the Broncos in Super Bowl XXI.

"My focus remains solely on continuing to improve this team, develop our players and build a program that makes Tar Heel fans proud," Belichick said.