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Tar Heels fall flat: FSU comes back from 24-6 deficit
AP Photo
Florida State's Greg Reid hurdles North Carolina's Kennedy Tinsley during the Seminoles' win.
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Published: October 23, 2009
CHAPEL HILL - Christian Ponder tore into North Carolina with pinpoint passing last night and led Florida State to a come-from-behind 30-27 win at Kenan Stadium.
Down 24-6 with 11:38 left in the third quarter, Ponder led FSU on four straight scoring drives that produced 24 points. He helped produce two touchdowns, a field goal and another touchdown to give FSU its first lead of the game, the 30-27 difference, with 6:20 to play.
The Seminoles' 24 points came in a span of 14:52 against a stunned Tar Heels' defense, which had kept Ponder in check until the Seminoles' second possession of the third quarter. Ponder attacked all over the field, hitting his receivers on the sidelines and over the middle, to get his team its first ACC win of the season.
FSU improved to 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the ACC. UNC fell to 4-3 and 0-3 in the first Thursday night home game in school history, and while wearing navy-blue uniforms for the first time ever.
Coach Butch Davis of UNC said the loss was one of the most disappointing of his career.
"I think everybody certainly feels bad about it," Davis said. "I was so proud of the way our players came out and the way we started. We got off to a great start. We were playing well in basically all three phases of the game."
Ponder finished with 395 yards passing, and completed 33 of 40 pass attempts. He was not intercepted. He was all but perfect in the second half, completing 21 of 25 passes for 281 yards and three touchdowns. He completed his last 16 passes.
Quarterback T.J. Yates gave UNC its 24-6 lead by scoring on a 10-yard run. From then on, the game belonged to Ponder, and UNC's defense, ranked first in the ACC, was powerless to stop the Seminoles.
FSU's first touchdown cut the UNC lead to 11 points. Yates then made a costly mistake, being intercepted for UNC's only turnover of the game.
Yates rolled to his left at the FSU 42 and passed on the run, trying to hit Greg Little. The ball sailed long and went to safety Jaime Robinson at the FSU 3.
FSU was called for a delay-of-game penalty on first down and was sent back to the 2. Ponder then passed to receiver Rod Owens for a 98-yard touchdown that knocked another seven points off the lead.
Owens ran down the right side and faked a move to the inside toward the middle of the field. UNC cornerback Charles Brown went for the move and stumbled when Owens moved back to his right and sped down the side.
Owens caught Ponder's pass at the FSU 33. Brown gave chase and tried to trip Owens at the ankles at the UNC 47, but Owens wouldn't go down. He regained his balance and dashed into the end zone.
The play was the longest offensive play in UNC history, by either UNC or an opponent, and either by pass or run.
Davis said he saw other breakdowns and problems for UNC in the second half that contributed to the collapse.
"I don't think our football team got complacent," Davis said. "Whether it's the poise of a young football team, we had just way too many penalties in the second half that took away opportunities and field position."
The teams exchanged field goals and UNC led 27-23. Ponder wasn't finished and fired his last touchdown pass to Beau Reliford, covering 18 yards, for the lead.
UNC dominated the first half in taking its 11-point lead at halftime, mixing deceptive plays with a stout defense to never trail in the half.
Yates drove UNC to a touchdown on its first possession, which ended when Greg Little, a receiver, scored on a five-yard reverse by leaping into the end zone. Casey Barth's point-after kick gave UNC a 7-0 lead.
FSU cut the lead to 7-3 on the first of Dustin Hopkins' three field goals, covering 48 yards. UNC then forced the half's only turnover, a fumble, and used it to score a second touchdown.
Ponder lost the ball when E.J. Wilson slammed into him when he attempted to pass on first down at the FSU 27. Marvin Austin recovered for UNC at the 15 and returned the ball to the 12.
Two plays later Yates connected with Ed Barham, a tight end, on a 13-yard touchdown pass. UNC lined up in a formation in which Barham was on the left side of the line and appeared to be the tackle. He ran straight up the field and Yates hit him at the two.
Florida State 3 3 14 10 -- 30
North Carolina 14 3 7 3 -- 27
First Quarter
UNC--Little 5 run (Barth kick), 11:30.
FSU--FG Hopkins 48, 5:09.
UNC--Barham 13 pass from Yates (Barth kick), 2:28.
Second Quarter
UNC--FG Barth 34, 9:26.
FSU--FG Hopkins 26, :00.
Third Quarter
UNC--Yates 10 run (Barth kick), 11:38.
FSU--Easterling 6 pass from Ponder (Hopkins kick), 6:12.
FSU--Owens 98 pass from Ponder (Hopkins kick), 4:41.
Fourth Quarter
FSU--FG Hopkins 40, 12:12.
UNC--FG Barth 26, 7:27.
FSU--Reliford 18 pass from Ponder (Hopkins kick), 6:20.
A--58,000.
TEAM STATISTICS
FSU UNC
First downs 20 21
Rushes-yards 25-43 41-238
Passing 395 95
Comp-Att-Int 33-40-0 13-27-1
Return Yards 17 19
Punts-Avg. 5-44.0 5-45.4
Fumbles-Lost 1-1 0-0
Penalties-Yards 16-121 7-59
Time of Possession 30:40 29:20
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--Florida State, C.Thompson 6-18, Thomas 4-17, Ponder 12-14, Pryor 2-3, Givens 1-(minus 9). North Carolina, Draughn 23-126, Little 4-48, J.White 3-40, Boyd 1-21, Houston 4-6, Yates 6-(minus 3).
PASSING--Florida State, Ponder 33-40-0-395. North Carolina, Yates 12-25-1-64, Rome 1-1-0-31, Team 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING--Florida State, Owens 9-199, Reed 8-74, Easterling 5-16, Fortson 3-56, Thomas 3-22, Reliford 2-14, Givens 2-8, Pryor 1-6. North Carolina, Little 6-60, Barham 2-18, Draughn 2-11, Highsmith 1-5, C.Wilson 1-2, Ramsay 1-(minus 1).
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