Sept. 4, 2004
NORTH CAROLINA NOTES
VS. WILLIAM AND MARY
SEPTEMBER 4, 2004
Trailing 31-28 entering the fourth quarter, North Carolina rallied for a 49-38 victory Saturday against William and Mary. The fourth-quarter comeback was the first for the Tar Heels since rallying for a 30-22 win at Syracuse in 2002. The Tar Heels trailed the Orangemen 22-16 entering the final quarter at the Carrier Dome.
The win was also Carolina's first in a season opener since a 30-9 win over Tulsa to open the 2000 season.
Sophomore
Ronnie McGill (13 carries, 133 yards, 3 TD) and senior
Jacque Lewis (15 carries, 123 yards, 1 TD) both eclipsed the 100-yard mark Saturday against William and Mary. This marked the first time Carolina had a pair of 100-yard backs in the same game since Curtis Johnson (111 yards) and Leon Johnson (110 yards) both did so against Georgia Tech in 1994.
Three different Tar Heel tailbacks scored rushing touchdowns Saturday:
Jacque Lewis,
Chad Scott and
Ronnie McGill added three in the fourth quarter. McGill's first fourth-quarter score put the Tar Heels ahead 35-31 for their first lead of the day. McGill's three scores tied a career-best. He also scored three times against Wake Forest last season.
Carolina's 49 points were the most since the Tar Heels scored 52 points at Duke in 2001.
Sophomore wide receiver
Adarius Bowman made a career-high six catches for 61 yards and a touchdown. His previous single-game best was three grabs at Georgia Tech last season. The touchdown reception was the third of his career.
With two more touchdown passes Saturday,
Darian Durant now has a Carolina school-record 53 passing scores for his career. Durant was 14 for 24 for 234 yards against the Tribe for the 17th 200-yard passing game of his career.
Junior tight end
Justin Phillips set career bests with three catches for 65 yards Saturday against William and Mary. Phillips entered the game with just two career catches, both coming last season.
Place kicker
Connor Barth made seven extra point attempts Saturday to become the first freshman kicker to score for the Tar Heels since Josh McGee in 1996.
The Tar Heels played nine true freshmen Saturday against William and Mary:
Connor Barth,
Trimane Goddard, Durell Mapp,
Khalif Mitchell,
Hilee Taylor,
Martel Thatch,
Del Roberts,
Kenny Price and Antwan Balmer played for the Tar Heels. Carolina played 12 true freshmen during the 2003 season. Redshirt freshmen
Bryan Bethea,
Kyndraus Guy and Charleston Gray also saw their first collegiate action versus the Tribe.
The 87 combined points were the most in a game since the 49-47 loss to Syracuse on Sept. 6, 2003. That game went triple overtime. This is the most points in a regulation length game since a 59-42 Tar Heel win over Maryland (97 points) on Sept. 11, 1993.
Carolina converted 10 of 12 third-down chances (83.3 percent) and limited the Tribe to 5 of 16 on third downs. The Tar Heels converted four third-down opportunities during the third quarter drive in which they marched 95 yards in 14 plays. Carolina converted a 3rd and 5 (Durant to Bowman for 10), 3rd and 2 Durant to Bowman for 5), 3rd and 13 (Durant to Holley for 29) and 3rd and 10 (Durant to Mitchell for 29 and a touchdown).
The teams combined to score all times the ball advanced into the red zone. The Tar Heels were 6 for 6 and the Tribe 5 for 5.
Carolina committed just three penalties for 20 yards (5 yards for illegal procedure on a punt, 10 yards for holding late in the game and 5 yards for an intentional delay of game late in the fourth quarter).
Sophomore linebacker
Fred Sparkman had a career-high 14 tackles today. Last year, he made 19 for the entire season. Sparkman had three quarterback pressures as well.
Senior safety
Gerald Sensabaugh made a team-high eight primary tackles in his first game as a Tar Heel.
William and Mary's starting field position in the first half was (by average) its own 48-yard line. In the second half, it was the Tribe's 22-yard line.
Time of possession comparison:
1st half - W&M 18:06, UNC 11:54
2nd half - UNC 16:25, W&M 13:35
Carolina's seven touchdown drives were in: 2:28, 2:43, 1:30, 5:37, 1:30, 0:54 and 2:45.
Carolina had 341 rushing yards, its most since Oct. 9, 1994 when they had 342 against Georgia Tech.
Carolina amassed 575 total yards, its most since Sept. 30, 1995 when UNC had 637 yards vs. Ohio.
