Staff photo by Robert Willett
BLACKSBURG, Va. — Almost five years to the day since Connor Barth
kicked a 42-yard game winner to beat Miami, little brother Casey made a 21-yarder to beat No. 14 Virginia Tech on Thursday night. The Tar Heels
won 20-17.
UNC led 7-0 at halftime, but found itself trailing
17-14 after quarterback T.J. Yates was picked off by Hokie Rashad
Carmichael early in the fourth quarter, setting up the second of two
Tyrod Taylor 1-yard touchdown runs.
With 2:52 left, Barth knotted the score 17-17 after Yates systematically pushed the team down the field.
Then with 2:02 left, Hokie tailback Ryan Williams’ fumble was recovered by UNC’s Deunta Williams at the Virginia Tech 24.
“The ball came out, and I almost tripped over it,’’ Williams said. “So
I picked the ball up, everything parted like the red sea. I started
running, but someone grabbed me from behind."
earlier...
With the score knotted 17-17 with 2:02 left, Hokie tailback Ryan Williams’ fumble was recovered by UNC’s Deunta Williams at the Virginia Tech 24. That set up a game-winning 21-yard field goal by Casey Barth as time ran out to win it.
UNC kicker Casey Barth ties it, 17-17, with a 19-yard field goal with 2:52 left.
On a first-and-10 on UNC’s own 20, Yates was intercepted by Rashad Carmichael, setting up another 1-yard touchdown run by Taylor. That gave the Hokies a 17-14 lead.
Earlier...UNC leads again, 14-7 with 1:51 left in the third quarter. Yates found Greg Little for a 15-yard touchdown pass. (The big play on the drive was a 44-yard run by tailback Shaun Draughn).
Earlier...
Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor's 1-yard touchdown run has tied the game 7-7 with 6:44 left in the third quarter.
The Tar Heels, who allowed the Hokies only 108 total yards in he first half, just gave up an 82 -yard drive. Shades of last week, when they allowed FSU 100 yards in the first half, but 338 in the second? Stay tuned.
Earlier...
UNC leads Va. Tech 7-0 at halftime, and it's the first time the Hokies have been held scoreless in the first half all year...
Earlier...
T.J. Yates just completed a 13-yard touchdown pass Jheranie Boyd to give the Tar Heels a 7-0 lead over 14th-ranked Virginia Tech. The series included a scary moment when Yates -- who broke his left ankle against the Hokies last year, and missed six games -- came up limping on his right ankle after completing a 17-yard pass to Greg Little. But he shook it off, and completed the 13-play, 84-yard drive. Less than three minutes remain in the first half....
Earlier...
The Tar Heels' defense continues to keep them in it. Freshman Donte Paige-Moss just recorded UNC's third sack of the game, forcing Va. Tech to punt. It's still 0-0 halfway through second quarter ....
Earlier...
UNC finally got its first first-down of the game, on a 17-yard rumble by Ryan Houston. Houston carried for 31 yards on UNC's fourth offensive series. But coach Butch Davis opted to go go for it on fourth down on the first play of the second quarter, rather than have kicker Casey Barth attempt a 46-yard field goal. Quarterback T.J. Yates' pass to Anthony Elzy was short of the first down.
Houston had 31 of UNC's 24 first quarter rushing yards (Yates was sacked twice for -10 yards.)
And the game remains scoreless.
Earlier....
And some thought UNC's navy-navy uniform combination last Thursday against Florida State was bad? At Lane Stadium, No. 14 Virginia Tech has donned its sixth uniform combination of the season, and it doesn't look very good in person, much less on TV. This marks the first time in the Frank Beamer era the Hokies have paired orange jerseys with burgandy pants.
Not that it matters to their game play. The game is scoreless, but doesn't seem like it, as UNC quarterback T.J. Yates has already been sacked twice on third-and-long plays by defensive end Nekos Brown.
UNC’s defense – after giving up a 25-yard run by Ryan Williams on Va. Tech’s first offensive play – tried to get something going early when Charles Brown stripped Hokie receiver Jarrett Boykin on a pass play, and cornerback Kendric Burney recovered the fumble. But UNC’s first drive ended with a three-and-out.
Robbi Pickeral has covered ACC sports for The News & Observer since 2003. She can be reached at 
Comments
Unbelievable. I've been
Sat, 10/31/2009 - 01:57 — mad_maxUnbelievable. I've been away from the blogs for a little while with the bye week and all, but this win by UNC really shocked me. There were a few big reasons why UNC won this game, and without talking about VT's performance, I would say the forced fumbles by Carolina's defense and the power-running by Houston were the keys to the game. What does this tell us about UNC? They are capable of playing well enough to win. Will they be able to put it together and salvage the season? We'll see.
Good post
Sat, 10/31/2009 - 10:32 — Heels20Can't sum it up much better than that.
Decision
Fri, 10/30/2009 - 14:39 — SurferBest decision, and certainly influenced by last week, was going for it on 4 and 7 with 5 minutes to go.
Awesome!
Fri, 10/30/2009 - 13:37 — heelsno1Every single player on UNC's defense should receive a game ball for this great victory at VT! Also, it is hard to believe that UNC's offense had possession of the football for about 60% of this thriller.
Despite Yate's horrible turnover that gave the Hokies 7 points, he did redeem himself with the long scoring drive to knot the game at 17-all. Adversity often reveals character, and this team displayed a ton of grit by picking themselves up off the mat following the meltdown in Chapel Hill versus FSU. I think that they will win at least 2 more games, but last Thursday night was a different story based on what I witnessed in Kenan Stadium.
VT was favored by 17 at home. Great, great win and huge upset! Beating Beamer is way cool!
Poetic Justice
Fri, 10/30/2009 - 11:39 — Heels20Last year: 20-17 VT at our house after a questionable pass interference call by Ron Cherry's crew.
This year: 20-17 at their house after a questionable pass interference call by Ron Cherry's crew.
I'm glad to see Butch finally learning from previous mistakes. Aggressive D, Ryan Houston up the middle and the use of the deep ball. We could have won this game by double digits had TJ Yates not done his Jake Delhomme imitation late in the 4th. However, to his credit, he played well and I was pleased with what I saw.
Pleased...but not satisfied. Let's hit the practice field harder than we have all year this week and carry the momentum over to next weekend against Dook. With every win comes confidence, and with confidence comes maturity. We have a lot of young talent. Obviously, this team has its flaws, so we have to use our strengths to the max. Go Heels, and let's push for 6-3.
Carolina, Just when I
Thu, 10/29/2009 - 22:24 — chrismg1Carolina, Just when I thought you couldn't possibly get any worse you go and do something like this...
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And totally redeem yourself!!
Good game. Looks like everyone learned something from last week. Lets keep this rollin in the right direction
melvinfurd - In case you
Thu, 10/29/2009 - 22:12 — tjfoosemelvinfurd -
In case you hadn't heard, the transitive property doesn't work in college football. Duke may very well be the best team in the state. But then again, they might not. Nothing has been proven, yet.
Nice win 'Heels. Now if
Thu, 10/29/2009 - 22:10 — tjfooseNice win 'Heels. Now if Butch can stay out of the way for a few more games, you might be bowling.
What an outstanding defensive game...
Thu, 10/29/2009 - 22:00 — UNC1998and offensive display. UNC scored 20 points!!! with the offense!! It was nice to see a glimpse of what could have been had the offensive line been intact from the start of the season. Anyway, off the goose egg, with vaunted Dook up next. At this point that sounds mighty nice.
shhheeeewwwwww!
Thu, 10/29/2009 - 22:01 — gvillegatrI will not say great game. But I will say good game! "He" dam* near blew it for us. But we stayed with our steady diet of running the football. Although, on 2nd and three, late, we threw the ball incomplete but Boyd ran it for a 1st on 3rd.
defense played great but were gassed when VT went up by 3. The UNC offense drove about 80 some yards and ate up some major clock and kicked the gimme for the tie. the defense came out, fresh, and caused the much needed turnover. we kept running the ball and that was that. not even Barth could miss those easy ones. maybe this will be the confidence he needs for the future ...
Go HEELS!!
Dook best fb team in state - Believe it!
Thu, 10/29/2009 - 21:58 — melvinfurdIt's rather interesting that with UNC's win over the VPI Hokies tonight (the article which said <to the effect> Dook best fb team in state - Believe it) that misguided theory has been proven to be 100% bogus.
And that most of the people who posted on that thread didn't believe it either.