Richmond Times-Dispatch: Place an Ad | Subscribe | Manage Subscription | Advertise

Quick kicks

By Staff Reports
Published: October 30, 2009
Updated: October 30, 2009

QUICK KICKS Score: North Carolina 20, No.14 Va. Tech For starters: Neither team's offense played well in the first half. Tech went three or four plays and out or turned the ball over on five of its first seven drives. The Tar Heels' first five drives resulted in minus-10, minus-3, 4, 33 and 9 yards. Turning point: With 2:02 left in the game, Tech tailback Ryan Williams fumbled, giving Carolina the ball at Tech's 24-yard line, which led to the game-winning field goal. Star of the game: Casey Barth. Carolina's kicker hit the game-winner from 21 yards and also nailed a 19-yarder that knotted the score at 17. Not exceptionally long field goals, but they did come under pressure. Big picture: Virginia Tech still needs Georgia Tech to lose one of its two remaining ACC games. But if that happens, the Hokies would be tied with the Yellow Jackets, with two league losses each, rather than passing them in the Coastal Division standings. Go figure: 5 -- Times in the first half that the Hokies entered North Carolina territory. The Hokies came away from those drives with zero points. Next: The Hokies play at East Carolina (5-3) next week in their second of two ESPN Thursday night games. Last season, the Pirates beat 27-22 in the season opener in Charlotte, N.C.

North Carolina ------------------------- 0 7 7 6--20

Virginia Tech ------------------------- 0 0 7 10--17
Second Quarter
UNC -- Boyd 13 pass from Yates (Barth kick) 2:44. Drive: 13 plays, 84 yards, 5:11. Key play: On third and 3 at the Virginia Tech 39, UNC's Greg Little took a handoff, got around the corner, cut back, spun out of a tackle and gained 23 yards to the Virginia Tech 16.
Third Quarter
VT -- Taylor 1 run (Waldron kick) 6:44. Drive: 13 plays, 82 yards, 6:16. Key play: On third and 17 from the Virginia Tech 11, QB Tyrod Taylor passed to wide receiver Dyrell Roberts for 22 yards to the 33.
UNC -- Little 15 pass from Yates (Barth kick) 1:51. Drive: 9 plays, 84 yards, 4:47. Key play: On first down from the Carolina 39, RB Shaun Draughn broke free for a 44-yard gain to the Virginia Tech 17.
Fourth Quarter
VT -- FG Waldron 36, 13:21. Drive: 9 plays, 35 yards, 3:14. Key play: Taylor threw to WR Jarrett Boykin for 16 yards to the Carolina 24.
VT -- Taylor 1 run (Waldron kick), 11:51. Drive: 3 plays, 5 yards, 1:22. Key play: Defensive back Rashad Carmichael intercepted a T.J. Yates pass in the backfield, at the Tar Heels' 11, and returned it 6 yards to the 5.
UNC -- FG Barth 19, 2:52. Drive: 16 plays, 78 yards, 8:59. Key play: On fourth and 7 at the Virginia Tech 36, Yates threw to Little for a 19-yard gain to the 17.
UNC -- FG Barth 21, 0:00. Drive: 7 plays, 20 yards, 2:02. Key play: Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams fumbled on a third-down run, and the North Carolina recovery gave the Tar Heels possession at the Virginia Tech 24 with 2:02 left in the game.

A--66,233.

First downs-------------------------17

Return yards------------------------- 9

Punts-Avg.-------------------------5-39.6

4-43.3

Rushes-yards-------------------------42-181

33-95

Passing yards-------------------------131

161

Comp-Att-Int-------------------------18-29-1

11-23-0

Fumbles-lost-------------------------0-0

3-2

Penalties-yards-------------------------6-30

5-50

Time of possession-------------------------36:14

23:46

RUSHING

North Carolina (42-181) , Draughn 12-77, Houston 18-66, Little 6-38, Boyd 2-10, Team 1-(minus 1), Yates 3-(minus 9). Virginia Tech (33-95) , R.Williams 23-96, Oglesby 1-7, T.Taylor 9-(minus 8).

PASSING

North Carolina (18-29-1-131) , Yates 18-28-1-131, Highsmith 0-1-0-0. Virginia Tech (11-23-0 -161 ) , T.Taylor 11-23-0-161.

RECEIVING

North Carolina , Pianalto 6-34, Little 4-58, Highsmith 3-9, Boyd 1-13, Barham 1-7, Ramsay 1-6, Draughn 1-5, Elzy 1-(minus 1). Virginia Tech , Roberts 5-73, Boykin 2-36, Boyce 2-34, Coale 1-16, R.Williams 1-2.

TACKLES

North Carolina: Sturdivant 7, Brown 6, Carter 5, Reddick 5, Tinsley 5, Williams 3, Powell 3, Searcy 3, Austin 3, Burney 3, Wilson 3, Mularkey 3, Thomas 2, McAdoo 1, Williams 1, Ramsey 1, Paige-Moss, Barth 1, Quinn 1. Va. Tech: Rivers 12, Chancellor 11, Grimm 10, Gibson 8, Morgan 7, Carmichael 6, Brown 6, Worilds 5, Drager 3, Virgil 3, Tweedy 3, Thompson 3, Friday 2, Johnson 2, Porch 2, Taylor 2, Graves 2, Battle 1, Boone 1, Luckett 1, Reidy 1, Gouveia-Winslow 1, Hopkins 1

SACKS

North Carolina: Powell, Wilson, Paige-Moss. Va. Tech: Brown, Worilds

FUMBLE RECOVERY

North Carolina: Burney.