University of North Carolina Athletics
Best Games Of 2013-14: No. 9
July 8, 2014 | Football
Continuing today and concluding on July 18, GoHeels.com will count down the top 25 games of the 2013-14 academic year. To catch up on the previous entries, click here.
No. 9: Carolina 27, NC State 19 - Football, Nov. 2, 2013
What Giovani Bernard started with his game-winning punt return against NC State in 2012, Quinshad Davis, T.J. Logan and a two-headed quarterback monster finished in 2013.
Bernard's magic ended a five-game losing streak to the Wolfpack, but Carolina entered Carter-Finley Stadium on Nov. 2 without a win in Raleigh since 2005. There had been near-misses in 2007 and 2009, when the Tar Heels lost twice by a combined five points. There had been the 13-0 setback in 2011, the low point of the careers of many of the juniors and seniors on the 2013 squad.
And for a moment early in the game, it felt like Carolina might be forced to relive that 2011 nightmare. Bryn Renner was intercepted on the second play from scrimmage and NCSU quarterback Brandon Mitchell chewed up 24 yards on just four plays to make it 7-0. After a disastrous three-and-out that featured a loss of 16 on first down, Niklas Sade's field goal put the 'Pack up 10-0 after less than eight minutes.
But Marquise Williams put together a touchdown drive on the next Tar Heel possession, Des Lawrence and Ryan Mangum snuffed out a fake punt to give Carolina the ball in NC State territory, and Renner capped a short scoring drive with a 1-yard TD plunge to put UNC ahead before the end of the first quarter.
NC State regained the lead on two more field goals before Larry Fedora pulled a play out of his immense bag of tricks to put the Tar Heels in front for good. On 1st-and-10 from the UNC 41, Renner threw a backward pass to Ryan Switzer, who hit Davis in stride for a 59-yard touchdown.
The third quarter was mostly a war of attrition, and Carolina was clinging to a two-point lead early in the fourth after a missed field goal.
On the ensuing possession, freshman Brian Walker broke up a Mitchell pass on 3rd-and-7, forcing the Wolfpack to put the ball back to Carolina. After consecutive nine-yard rushes by Williams and Logan, the Tar Heels were already back in NC State territory. On 2nd-and-13 at the State 38, Williams hit Bug Howard for a 24-yard pickup that put UNC inside the 20. Logan took care of the rest, running practically untouched the final 14 yards for a touchdown that put the Tar Heels in front by 8.
Walker stepped up again on NC State's next possession, intercepting Mitchell on just the second play of the drive. That, combined with some stellar special teams play from the Carolina punt unit, ended it, giving the Tar Heels their first win in Raleigh in almost a decade.
The aftermath of the win would be bittersweet, as it proved to be the final game of Renner's oustanding career. The senior signal caller was lost for the season with a shoulder injury suffered against the Wolfpack, but it was fitting that his final action as a Tar Heel came in a win over his most bitter rival.
Previous Entries
No. 10: Carolina 3, Duke 0 - Women's Soccer, Oct. 31, 2013
No. 11: Carolina Completes Road Sweep Of Duke And NC State - Women's Basketball, Feb. 10 and 16, 2014
No. 12: Carolina 11, Maryland 8 - Men's Lacrosse, March 22, 2014
No. 13: Carolina 4, Virginia 2 - Baseball, April 20, 2014
No. 14: Carolina 4, Duke 1 - Men's Tennis, April 26, 2014
No. 15: Carolina 1, Virginia 0 - Men's Soccer, Nov. 1, 2013
No. 16: Carolina 45, Virginia 14 - Football, Nov. 9, 2013
No. 17: Carolina 17, Maryland 15 - Women's Lacrosse, April 5, 2014
No. 18: Carolina 2, Connecticut 1 - Field Hockey, Oct. 26, 2013
No. 19: Henderson's All-America Run At NCAAs - Wrestling, March 20-22, 2014
No. 20: Carolina 5, Virginia 2 - Women's Tennis, March 8, 2014
No. 21: Carolina 3, Illinois 0 - Volleyball, Sept. 20, 2013
No. 22: Carolina 93, Louisville 84 - Men's Basketball, Nov. 24, 2013
No. 23: Carolina Men, LeHardy Shine At XC Nationals - Cross Country, Nov. 23, 2013
No. 24: Carolina Sweeps Rivals To End Home Schedule - Men's Swimming and Diving, Jan. 25 and 31, 2014
No. 25: Carolina 12, Virginia Tech 8 - Softball, March 2, 2014
