University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Texas
UNC Football Falls To Longhorns, 44-14
September 8, 2001 | Football
Sept 8, 2001
By JIM VERTUNO
AP Sports Writer
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Texas shook off another sluggish game offensively with defense and special teams for a 44-14 victory Saturday over North Carolina, improving to 2-0.
Defensive end Cory Redding returned an interception 22 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter and Nathan Vasher added a 44-yard punt return for a TD as the fourth-ranked Longhorns beat Brown's former team.
Vasher set a school record with 153 yards on eight punt returns. Dusty Mangum kicked field goals of 24, 49 and 51 yards.
Texas held the Tar Heels (0-3) to 211 total yards, including minus-5 in the third quarter, and sacked quarterback Ronald Curry in the fourth for a safety.
The Longhorns, who expected their offense to produce big plays and plenty of touchdowns this season, struggled again to move the ball early.
Chris Simms was 17-of-35 for 167 yards. The Longhorns managed 326 yards of total offense.
Texas bolted to a 14-0 first quarter lead behind Redding's interception and a 1-yard sneak by Simms that was set up by Vasher's 59-yard punt return.
Redding picked off Curry's second pass of the game and streaked for the corner of the end zone. Curry tried to cut him off at the 5, but the 6-foot-5, 260-pound Redding leaped high and somersaulted over Curry for the touchdown.
Curry, who had been pulled from North Carolina's first two games, settled down and capped a 77-yard drive with a 20-yard touchdown run to make it 14-7.
Vasher set up North Carolina's next touchdown when he fumbled a rolling punt on the Longhorns' 22. Andre' Williams made it 14-14 two plays later with a 9-yard TD run.
Dusty Mangum put Texas ahead 20-14 with two second-quarter field goals. His 49-yarder into a stiff wind ended the first half.
Texas' defense clamped down in the third quarter. Quentin Jammer intercepted Curry's first pass of the second half and the Tar Heels couldn't manage a single first down in the period.
Cedric Benson made it 26-14 with a 7-yard TD run before the safety and Vasher's TD punt return sealed the game. Brett Robin added a late 12-yard touchdown run.
North Carolina has been outscored 108-48 in its three losses under first-year coach John Bunting.
Texas, which had had early upset losses to North Carolina State and Stanford the last two seasons, is 2-0 for the first time since 1996.
Texas dedicated Saturday's game to Cole Pittman, a junior defensive tackle who died in a singe-car accident in February.
