1 More Game: UNC Tops SMU, Earns Right to Keep on Playing

It seems all too appropriate that Peppers would be the one to finish the Tar Heels' regular season, and do so in such a definitive manner.

He is, after all, the only unanimous All-ACC selection of the season, one of UNC's most explosive and dominating players in the program's history and the focal point -- at least in opponents' eyes -- of the Tar Heel defense.

And it was the last game of his UNC career at Kenan Stadium.

"I think that was a pretty fitting thing for my last game in Kenan Stadium," Peppers said. "You know, it really hasn't set in that that was my last game at Kenan yet."

When Peppers slammed Page to the ground, he sealed the Tar Heels' postseason fate. The "North Carolina 19, Southern Methodist 10" blazing off the scoreboard meant one thing for the Tar Heels: Peach Bowl.

With the win, the Tar Heels (7-5, 5-3 in the ACC) were invited to -- and accepted -- a bid to the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta's Georgia Dome on Dec. 31. On Dec. 9, they find out which Southeastern Conference team they face.

Although UNC had the game well in hand before Page was sacked, the Mustangs did their best to provide the Tar Heels with plenty of tense moments.

With North Carolina holding a 7-0 lead going into the second half, the Mustangs kicked off to UNC's Kevin Knight, who returned the ball for 12 yards before fumbling. SMU's Justin Williams recovered the ball on the UNC 12.

On the first down, Page handed off to SMU leading rusher ShanDerrick Charles, who scampered in for the touchdown. A mere six seconds elapsed in the scoring drive.

North Carolina's offense responded to the tied score by marching down the field on its next drive. But redshirt freshman Darian Durant's pass to Kory Bailey in the end zone was tipped by SMU cornerback Jonas Rutledge into the arms of Shane O'Neill, who ran to the 7-yard line before UNC wideout Brandon Russell brought him down.

"After they scored, we did a great job coming right back down the field," said John Bunting, who became the second UNC coach to lead the Tar Heels to a bowl game in his first season -- Carl Torbush led the Tar Heels to the Las Vegas Bowl in 1998. "We didn't get a touchdown there, but that was great to respond that way after that quick touchdown to start the second half."

Although the Tar Heels couldn't get to the end zone on that drive, they scored 12 more points on 256 yards. Sophomore tailback Willie Parker, who had 75 of those second-half yards, capped UNC's third quarter with a touchdown and a bizarre penalty that left Bunting furious and most people scratching their heads.

Quarterback Ronald Curry -- who had hooked up with Chesley Borders for a 43-yard touchdown pass with 4:27 left in the first quarter -- pitched the ball to his right at Parker, who ran it in for the touchdown. But Parker was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for an altered stride. Parker said it was just the way he ran.

The ensuing 15-yard penalty backed up Jeff Reed's PAT attempt to the

25-yard line, and for the first time in Reed's UNC career, he missed the PAT, ending his school record of consecutive PATs at 66.

"It happens," said Reed, "It's a rough penalty. But that's their job though -- the referees -- they call the games. You can't really blame anybody, except myself. I had a chance to kick it -- I missed. It's just rough, one out of 67 kicks, I missed one."

Reed got a chance to redeem himself in the fourth quarter, hitting his second field goal of the day, a 32-yarder that put the Tar Heels up 19-10 with 4:23 remaining.

With Reed's field goal, UNC fans felt free to celebrate with cheers and music. Bunting said when the song "Georgia on My Mind" was played over the Kenan Stadium speakers, he lost his mind. But when the game was over, Bunting worked his way to the makeshift stage with players, Peach Bowl officials and UNC Director of Athletics Dick Baddour. He pointed to the stands to thank the 45,500 fans in attendance, said a few words and went inside to congratulate his team.

"I like peaches anyway," Reed said with a smile.

"But I like them much better now."

The Sports Editor can be reached at sports@unc.edu.