The Daily Tar Heel
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893.
Thursday, March 28, 2024 Newsletters Latest print issue

We keep you informed.

Help us keep going. Donate Today.
The Daily Tar Heel

Tar Heels fall in Car Care Bowl

6:45 P.M. SATURDAY DEC. 27 CHARLOTTE -- As soon as North Carolina quarterback T.J Yates unloaded the ball he knew there could be trouble.

It was at that moment that the offensive and defensive lines parted and Yates finally saw West Virginia linebacker Pat Lazear jumping wide receiver Cooter Arnold's route for a game-breaking interception.

For almost 58 minutes Saturday at Bank of America Stadium -- home of the NFL's Carolina Panthers -- Yates made the right decisions but his one mistake came at the worst possible moment for the Tar Heels. With UNC unable to stop the clock" West Virginia took three knees to run out the remaining seconds of its 31-30 victory in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

""I couldn't see (Lazear)" he was kind of blinded by the offensive and defensive line but as soon as I let it go I saw him come into my vision Yates said after the game. He made a good play. He dropped back into coverage" read that little short route.""

Given the manner in which the game began" it seemed impossible that a defensive play would determine the winner.

North Carolina (8-5) punted to end its first possession but then it was all offense for about the next 15 minutes.

First it was West Virginia's Noel Devine notching an 18-yard touchdown run to put the Mountaineers up 7-0. Three plays later UNC's Hakeem Nicks answered with an acrobatic one-handed catch for a 73-yard score.

The two teams put up 35 points and nearly 400 total yards of offense in the game's opening stanza. And most of those yards came via the big play. There was Nicks' 73-yard catch" a 44-yard touchdown pass by WVU quarterback Pat White and then another big play by Nicks -- this one for 66-yard touchdown catch from Arnold on a trick play.

All the offensive excitement kept the fans from settling into their seats -- and left the coaches shaking their heads.

""Oh" golly WVU coach Bill Stewart said. I said 'What is going on?' I told our guys" I said this is going to be a defensive game. I had no idea. That's why I don't bet.""

""But it as amazing. I said" 'My God" we're going to run out of men.' It was just fast and furious.""

The game had the makings for a shootout of record proportions" but a few minutes into the second quarter momentum shifted to the two defenses.

The Mountaineers (9-4) stuffed Yates on fourth-and-goal" and then UNC safety Deunta Williams tackled Devine in the end zone for a safety on the ensuing play.

Williams said it took the team some time to adjust to the speed and tempo set by the West Virginia offense.

""You couldn't really replicate the speed that they had" and although we have fast players too you're talking about two of the fastest and most dynamic guys in college football Williams said of WVU and its backfield tandem of White and Devine.

It was hard to replicate that" and I guess that they got one over on us. ""Once we got used to it"" we started to slow them down a little bit.""

That seemed to be the same for WVU. Although the Mountaineers gave up a third touchdown catch to Nicks in the second quarter" their secondary kept Nicks -- and the rest of the UNC offense -- in check for the rest of the game.

North Carolina scored only seven points after halftime and committed two costly turnovers. Tailback Shaun Draughn fumbled the ball at the WVU 30-yard line late in the third quarter as the Tar Heels drove to extend their six point lead. Three plays later" White threw for his third touchdown to give his team a 31-30 advantage.

UNC coach Butch Davis said Draughn's fumble was a key turning point in the game.

""You had a chance" at that time with the lead to maybe go down and score and take it more than a touchdown" he said. It's disappointing when something like that happens.""

And then there was Yates' interception" when North Carolina had one last chance for a game-winning drive.

Even though the season ended in disappointment" the players reflected after the game about their successful season and spoke of how they can use this experience to build toward next year.

""Coach Blake broke it down so good for us in the locker room. You can't have a testimony if you don't go through a test" Williams said. You can't tell anybody how to deal with something if you haven't been there. I felt like this was a test for us" and hopefully we'll have a testimony next year.""


To get the day's news and headlines in your inbox each morning, sign up for our email newsletters.