North Carolina
East Carolina
Tar Heels Take Out East Carolina, 28-17
October 11, 2003 | Football
Oct. 11, 2003
Box Score| Quotes| Photo Galleries
By AARON BEARD
Associated Press Writer
GREENVILLE, N.C. - Darian Durant threw two touchdown passes and Chad Scott ran for a score as North Carolina rallied to beat East Carolina 28-17 on Saturday in a battle of winless teams.
The Tar Heels (1-5) got a solid defensive effort in the second half, allowing them to overcome a three-point halftime deficit and avoid their first 0-6 start in 15 years.
Desmond Robinson had two touchdown passes for the Pirates (0-6), who are off to their worst start since losing the first six games of the 1986 season.
The intrastate rivals had met nine times before, with North Carolina holding a 7-1-1 series lead. But this was the Tar Heels' first trip to Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, where a charged crowd of 44,040 - the third-largest in school history - and dreary, rainy conditions awaited.
After trailing 10-7 at halftime, the Tar Heels held the Pirates scoreless in the third quarter and charged ahead with three touchdowns after the break.
Scott's 8-yard run gave North Carolina a 14-10 lead with 7:55 left in the third quarter, marking the first time a Tar Heel other than Durant had scored a rushing touchdown all season.
The Tar Heels also took advantage of the normally turnover-prone Pirates' only mistake. Vonta Leach fumbled on a short run early in the fourth quarter, setting up Durant's 33-yard scoring pass to tight end Jon Hamlett. The true freshman rumbled down the right sideline and dived in for a 21-10 lead with 11:15 to play.
It was the Pirates' 20th turnover of the season, leading to 97 points from the opposition.
The Pirates closed the gap to four on a 26-yard touchdown pass from Robinson to Marvin Townes, but got no closer. The Tar Heels marched 72 yards in 11 plays on the ensuing drive, getting a 1-yard run from Ronnie McGill late to seal it.
Townes finished with 100 rushing yards for the Pirates.
North Carolina struck first, getting a 34-yard scoring toss from Durant to Mike Mason early in the second quarter. Mason outjumped Kasey Ross in the near corner of the end zone for a 7-0 lead with 12:42 left before the break.
But East Carolina took charge by going to the run. The Pirates answered with a 13-play, 84-yard drive that took more than 7 1/2 minutes off the clock, cutting the deficit to 7-3 on Cameron Broadwell's 23-yard field goal with 4:58 left in the quarter.
After holding North Carolina to a three-and-out, East Carolina again marched the ball down the field. The Pirates pushed ahead when Robinson found Tutu Moye wide open in the end zone for a 3-yard score, taking a 10-7 lead with 17 seconds left in the half.
The Pirates committed no first-half turnovers, rushed for 133 yards and controlled the ball for more than 18 minutes in the half.
