University of North Carolina Athletics
Cedars History Report: Tar Heels Get Wild Gator Bowl Win
January 3, 2003 | Football
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Dec. 28, 1981: Carolina Tops Arkansas in Gator Bowl
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- North Carolina edged Arkansas, 31-27, in one of the strangest bowl games ever played.
Kelvin Bryant and Ethan Horton supplied the offensive punch and Ronnie Snipes made the biggest defensive play in the Tar Heels, Gator Bowl win.
Carolina raced to a 31-10 lead in the fourth quarter before having to put down a late Razorback rally.
Bryant ran for 148 yards and Horton added 144 to lead a powerful Tar Heel ground game. They shared the game's most valuable player award as the Tar Heels won their third straight bowl game.
But, one of the biggest stories this night was the weather. Almost the entire game was played in a dense fog. The field was so obscured that ABC Television had to take most of its shots from ground level cameras.
At halftime the network actually moved its press box cameras halfway down the stands onto platforms quickly placed above stadium portals.
The game itself had been tied at the half, 10-10, before Carolina reeled off 21 straight points to take its commanding 31-10 lead.
Brooks Barwick and the Razorbacks, Bruce Lahay exchanged field goals and Arkansas also scored on a 66-yard pass from Brad Taylor to Derek Holloway in the first half.
Carolina's initial touchdown came on a one-yard plunge by Bryant. That was set up when a Jeff Hayes punt hit a Razorback player and was recovered at the six-yard line by Larry James.
The Tar Heels then dominated the third quarter by driving 86 and 80 yards for touchdowns. The TDs came on one-yard dives by Horton and quarterback Rod Elkins.
Horton got more playing time than expected as Bryant was in and out of the lineup with leg cramps. He capped the UNC scoring with just 7:29 in the game with a four-yard run.
But, Taylor moved his team 80 yards in just seven plays. The big gainer was a 44-yard pass to Holloway. Jessie Clark got the touchdown on a three-yard run and added a two-point conversion with 5:05 remaining.
Arkansas then recovered an onsides kick at the Tar Heel 46. On first down Taylor threw 43 yards to Gary Anderson at the UNC three. After being stopped three straight plays from there, Taylor threw to Darryl Mason for a three-yard touchdown.
It was now 31-25 with 2:44 to play.
Carolina could not move the ball on its next possession. Rather risk a punt from deep in his own territory, Coach Dick Crum had Hayes take a safety.
Arkansas still got great field position on Anderson's 29-yard kick return.
Backup nose guard Ronnie Snipes then made the game's biggest defensive play. On third down from the Carolina 49, Snipes sacked Taylor for a 17-yard loss. Snipes had only been in for two plays the entire game prior to his sack.
Taylor's desperation fourth-down pass fell incomplete and Carolina was able to run out the clock.
Rick Brewer is in his fourth decade with the University of North Carolina athletic department and brings a unique historical perspective to TarHeelBlue.com. A native of North Carolina, Brewer served as UNC's Sports Information Director from 1975 until his retirement from full-time work in 2000. Email Rick Brewer at rbrewer@uncaa.unc.edu.
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