North Carolina has been a slow-starting, good finishing team this year. That all changed in a 26-10 loss to Virginia Tech in Chapel Hill.<\/p>\n
On Carolina’s opening drive, the Tar Heels combined a good mix of running and passing and featured a scramble by quarterback T.J. Yates for a first down inside the two. Anthony Elzy, who was starting in place of injured Johnny White, went in for the score to cap an 80-yard drive to put the Heels up 7-0.<\/p>\n
Except for a field goal, that was it for the Tar Heels the rest of the way as drives were stalled or ended by penalties or turnovers (Carolina had six).<\/p>\n
Carolina managed to lead an evenly contested game at the half by a 10-9 score. But the second half, particularly the third quarter, was disastrous for the Heels. In the first nine games this season, Carolina had outscored opponents 113-59. This time, the Heels were outscored 17-0 in the third period as VT quarterback Tyrod Taylor hit Marcus Davis with a pair of touchdown passes.<\/p>\n
The turning point actually seemed to happen in the second quarter. UNC receiver Erik Highsmith and VT safety Eddie Whitley both came down with a Yates pass in the end zone but Whitley wrestled it away for the interception.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that was a gigantic play and a great play,” Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer said. “Two guys go up and he comes down. That\u2019s why I talk about battling, just battling for the ball. I think that was the key, key play in the ball game.”<\/p>\n
The Heels did manage to drive into the Hokies’ territory a couple of times in the fourth quarter but turned it over, once on an Elzy fumble at the two.<\/p>\n
Yates, coming off his best game of the season, had by far his worst game of the season as he threw four interceptions.<\/p>\n
Virginia Tech is almost guaranteed the division title while Carolina falls to 6-4 and 3-3 in the conference with its final two games against rivals N.C. State and Duke.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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