University of North Carolina Athletics
Georgia Tech Stings the Tar Heels
June 21, 1999 | Football
September 26, 1998
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.--The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets dominated both sides of the line of scrimmage on the way to an easy 43-21 win over the North Carolina Tar Heels Saturday night at Kenan Stadium.
Tech's 43 points are the most scored against UNC since Virginia topped the Heels 50-17 in 1989.
Yellow Jacket Quarterback Joe Hamilton was 14-23 passing for 303 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for another 59 yards. Overall, Georgia Tech racked up 489 yards of total offense to just 269 for UNC.
Joe Hamilton was the difference in the teams tonight," said Tech coach George O'Leary. "The quarterback makes plays. You have to have the run under your feet and still be able to throw the ball with great accuracy. The quarterback is your weapon and Joe is a heck of a quarterback."
The win was Georgia Tech's first in Chapel Hill since 1945.
Tech got its first score on a 74-yard drive capped off by a 20-yard Hamilton to Charlie Rogers scoring strike with 1:30 left in the first quarter. 72 of the drive's 74 yards came through the air, including a 52-yard bomb to Dez White.
Georgia Tech then went ahead 14-0 via an 8-play, 59-yard drive culminated by Charles Wiley's 7-yard run six minutes into the second quarter. The key play in the drive was a 38-yard pass to flanker David Powell.
Following a Brad Chambers 35-yard field goal, Carolina got its first score of the night on an 11-yard Ronald Curry keeper. Curry's TD was set up by 45-yard pass to freshman Kory Bailey.
Tech responded with a 56-yard Hamilton to Dez White scoring pass, then Rodderrick Robert picked off a Curry fumble in midair and rumbled 42 yards for a 30-7 Yellow Jacket lead with 2:35 left in the half. Curry's fumble was caused by a blindside hit by defensive tackle Nate Stimson.
Georgia Tech was poised for another score at the end of the half after picking off a Curry pass when Carolina scored on a fluke play. Tech was lined up for a field goal attempt when holder Rodney Williams picked up the snap, rolled right, reversed his field and dropped the ball. Antwon Black picked up the fumble and raced 81 yards to cut the lead to 30-14 at the half.
Kory Bailey got the Heels back in the game on the next play, a 95-yard kickoff return to start the second half that cut the Tech lead to 30-21.
Any hopes of a Tar Heel comeback were dashed when Tech marched downfield for a 10-play, 69-yard scoring drive. Hamilton lofted 20-yard scoring pass to White in the left corner of the end-zone for 37-21 lead with 10:31 left in the third quarter. White ended the night with six receptions for 171 yards and two TDs.
The Yellow Jackets finished off the night's scoring with two 4th quarter Chamber's field goals.
The Tar Heels fall to 0-3 (0-1 ACC), while Georgia Tech is now 2-1 (1-0 ACC).
Carolina hosts Clemson (1-3, 0-2 ACC) next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. (ABC). Tech hosts Duke in a 12:00 noon game in Atlanta.
NCAA 1 2 3 4 F Georgia Tech 7 23 7 6 43 North Carolina 0 14 7 0 21 FINAL Georgia Tech-P Rogers 20 pass from Hamilton (Chambers kick) Georgia Tech-Wiley 7 run (Chambers kick) Georgia Tech-FG Chambers 35 North Carolina-Curry 11 run (Mcgee kick) Georgia Tech-White 56 pass from Hamilton (Chambers kick) Georgia Tech-Roberts 42 fumble return (kick failed) North Carolina-Black 81 fumble return (Mcgee kick) North Carolina-Bailey 95 kickoff return (Mcgee kick) Georgia Tech-White 20 pass from Hamilton (Chambers kick) Georgia Tech-FG Chambers 32 Georgia Tech-FG Chambers 30Georgia Tech North Carolina First downs 20 11 Rushed-yards 59-186 30-156 Passing yards 303 113 Sacked-yards lost 1-6 3-14 Return yards 126 81 Passes 14-24-0 9-26-2 Punts 6-39.2 9-40.7 Fumbles-lost 1-1 2-2 Penalties-yards 4-34 7-62 Time of possession 37:14 22:46
Individual Statistics
RUSHING: Georgia Tech-Hamilton 15-59, Wiley 12-42, P Rogers 14-40, Burns 12-34, C Rogers 2-18, Wilder 2-7, Godsey 1-1, Williams 1-minus 15. North Carolina-Curry 12-74, A Anderson 11-40, R Brown 4-34, Godwin 1-3, Carty 1-3, Dyer 1-2.PASSING: Georgia Tech-Hamilton 14-23-0-303, Godsey 0-1-0-0. North Carolina-Curry 8-21-2-115, Carty 1-3-0-minus 2, Davenport 0-2-0-0.
RECEIVING: Georgia Tech-White 6-171, C Rogers 3-63, Powell 1-38, Matvay 1-18, Wiley 1-12, Burns 1-1, Sheridan 1-0. North Carolina-N Brown 3-12, R Brown 2-44, Bailey 1-45, E Davis 1-12, A Anderson 1-2, Saunders 1-minus 2. Att: 59,500
