UNC-Utah Postgame Notes
October 1, 2005 | Football
Oct. 1, 2005
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NORTH CAROLINA POSTGAME NOTES • VS. UTAH
• After allowing a school-record 669 yards in last year's 46-16 loss to Utah in Salt Lake City, the Carolina defense allowed Utah to gain 378 total yards and forced five Ute turnovers on Saturday.
• Carolina forced five Ute turnovers on Saturday (four fumble recoveries and an interception), the most turnovers the Tar Heels have forced since Georgia Tech had five on Sept. 18, 2004. Three of the fumble recoveries came on Utah's final four possessions of the game.
• With freshman Brandon Tate's 96-yard return of the opening kickoff, the Tar Heels returned an opening kick for a score for the first time since Michael Waddell went 97 yards at Wisconsin in 2003. Mike Mason's 96-yard return at Maryland in 2003 was the last kickoff return for a touchdown for Carolina. Tate finished with three kickoff returns for 149 yards and added a three-yard punt return for a total of 152 combined return yards.
• Junior Mike Mason had four receptions for a career-best 82 yards Saturday. His season-long 40-yard grab early in the fourth quarter set up a one-yard touchdown run for Barrington Edwards. After posting 61 yards at NC State last week, Mason established a career high in receiving yardage for the second straight week.
• With three receptions for 29 yards Saturday, senior wide receiver Jarwarski Pollock now has 160 career catches and needs just five more to match Na Brown's Carolina career reception record of 165.
• Junior linebacker Larry Edwards led the Tar Heels with 12 tackles, including a Carolina season-high three tackles for loss. Edwards, who also forced a Utah fumble midway through the fourth quarter, reached double-digits in tackles for the first time since 2003 and the seventh time in his career. Edwards also had a big game at Utah last season with eight tackles and an interception.
• Senior Wallace Wright's 23-yard third quarter touchdown grab was his first of the season and the fourth of his career. Senior quarterback Matt Baker now has five touchdown passes this season.
• Sophomore tailback Barrington Edwards scored on a one-yard run early in the fourth quarter for his second career rushing touchdown and second over the last two games.
• Senior cornerback's Cedrick Holt third quarter interception was the Tar Heels' first this season and first since Kareen Taylor's interception return for a touchdown at Duke last year. The pick was the first of Holt's career.
• Starting Tar Heel cornerback Jacoby Watkins left the game in the first quarter and did not return due to sickness.
• Senior offensive lineman Arthur Smith saw his first action at center Saturday.
