UNC Wins in Overtime. Heels Beat Pack 37-34

BY MIKE LONDON
SALISBURY POST

CHARLOTTE - It took awhile, but the university that gave the world James Worthy in 1982, finally proved itself worthy of being a bowl participant in 1998, outlasting bitter rival North Carolina State 37-34 in overtime.

The Tar Heels (6-5, 5-3 ACC) may or may not go to a bowl - that's a decision still in the hands of committees - but at the very least they salvaged a respectable season for themselves and first-year coach Carl Torbush.

The Tar Heels' thrilling win delighted about half of the record 68,797 fans who jammed neutral Ericsson Stadium. It was the largest crowd ever to witness a college game in North Carolina.

No Tar Heel team had ever opened its season 0-3 and managed to post a winning year, but when Oscar Davenport's pass cleared the outstretched arms of N.C. State's Lloyd Harrison and fell into the arms of record-breaking receiver Na Brown, North Carolina had done just that.

"We lost our first two games this year on the last play of the ballgame, so maybe it was right that we finally won one on the last play," said Torbush, a native of East Spencer. "Those early losses taught us how to deal with frustration and emotion. This team learned through adversity and managed to make something of this season."

Believe it or not, Torbush survived that early adversity to become the school's first first-year coach since World War II to record a winning season.

The win also extended some rather amazing streaks for the Tar Heels. They won for the sixth straight time against the Wolfpack, for the 19th consecutive time against a Big 4 foe, and posted a winning season for the ninth year in a row. The last time the Tar Heels had nine straight winning years was from 1897-1905.

"We proved something here today," said burly fullback Deon Dyer, who chugged for two touchdowns. "We want a bowl. If someone accepts us we're going to go. I don't care where.

"If no one wants us, we'll be happy to get ready for next year. We feel good that we never gave up on this season, even when some people gave up on us."

Emotion is a strange thing in college football. The Tar Heels came into Ericsson quietly, calmly, as if they were going to a business luncheon. The Wolfpack (7-4, 5-3 ACC), apparently over the distraction of losing three reserves following a shooting incident earlier this week, came in chattering, with bands blaring and fireworks exploding. But when play began, it was the Tar Heels who ignited their fans.

The Tar Heels led at the half by an astonishing 24-3. UNC cornerback Dre' Bly did much of the work, shutting down the Wolfpack's star receiver Torry Holt in the first half (two catches, 18 yards), while grabbing his league-record 20th interception.

Meanwhile, Tar Heel quarterbacks Oscar Davenport and Ronald Curry (who suffered a sprained ankle) rotated and did damage. The Heels outgained the Pack 221-95 in the first half, with much of the yardage coming on touchdown strikes of 49 and 23 yards from Davenport to Stevens, who broke a 13-month drought by scoring two TDs in less than two minutes.

Stevens' second TD came seconds after the Tar Heels' Brandon Spoon stuffed Wolfpack QB Jamie Barnette on a fourth-and-one gamble at midfield.

At intermission, there seemed little chance of the Wolfpack recapturing any momentum. The talk on press row was about one of the worst State performances in memory. A smattering of red-and-white-clad fans even began straggling from the stadium, most of them wondering what in the world had become of Heisman candidate Holt.

But Holt, despite nursing a bruised shoulder, showed up in the third quarter, returning a punt 65 yards for a touchdown. The Tar Heels still led 31-10 at the end of the quarter, but soon the rest of the Wolfpack would also wake up.

"I think our guys showed they were winners," said Wolfpack coach Mike O'Cain. "They didn't drop their heads when they were nearly out of it. They showed a lot of determination to get back in the game."

Get back they did, and with stunning suddenness. Wolfpack freshman Ray Robinson punched in from three yards out to cut the lead to 31-17 with 11:37 left, as wolf howls rang out across the stadium for the first time.

The reeling Tar Heels responded with a three-and-out, and the Wolfpack scored again just two minutes later, lining up Holt as a tight end to escape Bly, and then hitting him with a perfectly-executed screen pass. Holt did the rest, speeding by the Tar Heels for a 49-yard score.

After not having a ball thrown in his direction in the first quarter, Holt was on his way to a spectacular nine catch, 180-yard day.

"I'm not sure you can ever shut down a player like Holt," said Torbush, who won't have to worry about defending the 6-2 senior speedster again.

The Wolfpack, which almost overcame a 5-0 turnover differential, tied the game on another run by Robinson with 2:44 left in regulation, and appeared to have established control as the game moved to overtime.

The Wolfpack tallied first in the overtime session on Dan Deskevich's second field goal of the game, but then Davenport hit Brown to give the Tar Heels the victory.

"I just wanted to make sure I threw the pass on time," said Davenport, who finished with 213 passing yards. "Luckily, I got it in there."

And by 'getting it in there," he might have gotten his teammates into a bowl game.

Holt, meanwhile, was disconsolate in defeat, despite his personal heroics.

"It's sad to finish like this," he said. "For some reason we didn't have the fire today until it was too late."

NOTES: Holt set the all-time ACC record for reception yardage with 3,379, surpassing the mark set by Duke's Clarkston Hines nine years ago. Holt finished the season with 88 catches for 1,604 yards and 11 TDs. He had 244 all-purpose yards in the game. ... While the Tar Heels wait to hear from the Aloha Bowl and others, the Wolfpack knows it will play in the Micron PC Bowl on Dec. 29. ... Brown caught eight balls for 80 yards. ... Barnette finished strong for 291 passing yards, but threw three interceptions. ... Back in 1995, in a similar scenario, the Tar Heels won their final game to eke out a 6-5 regular season, and then beat Arkansas in the Carquest Bowl. ... North Carolina had played 17 previous games in Charlotte, but none since a win over Davidson in 1942. ... Next year's game between the rivals will also be in Charlotte. ... UNC leads the series 58-24-6.