Last Saturday, two local Tobacco Road teams, UNC Tar Heels (6-3, 3-2) and State Wolfpack clashed at Kenan Flagler stadium. The game was a chance for UNC to break State’s (5-3, 2-2) five year winning streak against them.
For UNC fans this 5-year losing streak has been somewhat of an embarrassment and they were dredging on a potential 6th consecutive loss. Some hoped T.J. Yates, the former quarterback, and Butch Davis, former coach from 2007-2011, were the cause of previous losses.
Quarterback Bryn Renner threw for an astounding 358 yards and one touchdown. Bryan Underwood caught six throws for 118 yards and two touchdowns while Tobias Palmer of NC State received over 100 yards.
Carolina scored 15 unanswered points in the first four minutes of the game. Halfway through the first quarter UNC continued their momentum when Erik Highsmith ran 45-yards setting up the Tar Heels for another conversion.
State persevered and came back with a 28-0 run up to the half with Mike Glennon, quarterback, throwing for five touchdowns and 467 yards on 29-52 passes and three receivers, Charlie Hegedus, Rashard Smith and Tobias Palmer each scoring a touchdown.
Fans on both sides were almost certain that the game was going into overtime. Then, GIovanni (Gio) Bernard, running back {#26}, returned the punt 74 yards, finishing the game with UNC on top 43-35 followed by then a two point conversion with less than ten seconds to go.
UNC fans jumped out from their seats and many,students and alumni, celebrated on and off campus partying like it is 1999.
UNC fan and alumnus, Harry Gillespie said, “I was excited to see the turnaround for UNC, however their defense was terrible and they couldn’t hold back State’s running backs.” Carolina’s “mediocre” defense made the game interesting all through the last second.
