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BLACKSBURG, Va. -
As Darren Evans draped his arm over Ryan Williams' head, and Kenny Lewis placed a towel over Williams, a whirling celebration was taking place inside Lane Stadium.
Moments earlier, Williams had fumbled away Virginia Tech's final opportunity in regulation to beat North Carolina. Sitting on that Tech sideline, UNC's 20-17 victory against No. 14 Tech (5-3 overall, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) was still sinking in for Williams -- and it hurt.
"As of right now, there probably isn't anything you can say to lift me up, because regardless of what anybody says -- personally, I kind of took the game away from us today," said Williams, a redshirt freshman. "It was on the line. It was in my hands, and I fumbled."
With the score tied at 17, Tech was looking at third-and-6 from its own 28-yard line. Williams took a handoff from Taylor and crashed through the middle of the line, where defensive tackle Tydreke Powell stripped the ball away after a 2-yard gain and free safety Deunta Williams recovered it at Tech's 24.
It was Ryan Williams' second fumble of the season, and his first on a carry. His other fumble came on a muffed punt against Alabama.
After six consecutive runs by running back Ryan Houston carried UNC down to Tech's 4, the Tar Heels called a timeout with two seconds left. Casey Barth knocked through a 21-yard field goal as time expired.
UNC (5-3, 1-3) finished with 312 yards, including 181 yards rushing. Running back Shaun Draughn had 12 carries for 77 yards. UNC converted 10 of 19 third-down plays for first downs, and held the ball for 121/2 more minutes than Tech. Quarterback T.J. Yates completed 18 of 28 passes for 131 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Tech had 256 yards, its lowest total since it had 155 against Alabama. Williams finished with 23 carries for 96 yards. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor, a Hampton High graduate, was 11 of 23 passing for 161 yards.
On the opening drive, Tech looked like it was going to make a mockery of UNC's defense, which entered the game seventh in the nation in yards surrendered per game (266). Williams gained 25 yards rushing on the first play, and Taylor hit Jarrett Boykin for a 20-yard pass on the second play, but Boykin fumbled the ball away at UNC's 27-yard line.
After those two opening plays, Tech managed to gain only 63 yards for the remainder of the half. Tech ventured in to UNC territory on its first three drives, but came away with no points. UNC got to Tech's side of the field on just one of its first four drives.
Yates and receiver Greg Little finally helped UNC sustain a lengthy drive late in the second quarter. Yates found Little for passing gains of 17 and seven yards, and Little carried for 23 yards to move the Tar Heels to the Hokies' 16.
On third-and-7 from Tech's 13, Yates completed a touchdown pass in the right corner of the end zone to receiver Jheranie Boyd, who beat cornerback Rashad Carmichael on a flag route to put UNC ahead 7-0 with 2:44 left.
Tech didn't put together its first scoring drive until midway through the third quarter. Taylor completed three consecutive passes to three different receivers--Smithfield High graduate Dyrell Roberts for 22 yards, receiver Danny Coale for 16 yards and receiver Xavier Boyce for 15 yards--to take Tech from its own 11 to UNC's 36.
Then, Williams ripped off a 22-yard run to get to UNC's 14. It took Tech seven more running plays to get in the end zone, but Taylor finally crept in from the 1-yard line to tie the game 7-7 with 6:44 left in the third.
UNC answered right back with its own marathon drive, highlighted by a 44-yard run from Draughn, who got a huge block from receiver Dwight Jones on strong safety Davon Morgan to get loose for the gain to Tech's 17. Three plays later, on third-and-8, Yates lofted a pass in the left corner of the end zone to Little, who got behind linebacker Cody Grimm for a 15-yard touchdown catch to put UNC back up 14-7 with 1:51 remaining in the third.
Taylor looked like he was going to put together another a passing-led drive on Tech's next possession, as he hit Roberts for 13 yards and Boykin for 16 yards to get to UNC's 40. Tech's drive stalled at UNC's 19, and Matt Waldron nailed a 36-yard field goal with 13:27 left in the game to cut UNC's advantage to 14-10.
On the drive, Tech had an apparent 20-yard touchdown run by Williams negated by a holding penalty on right tackle Blake DeChristopher. The penalty ended up being huge.
Tech got the ball right back when Yates was hit on first down by defensive tackle Cordarrow Thompson, resulting in an interception to Carmichael, who returned it six yards to UNC's 5. Taylor scored on a 1-yard run to put the Hokies ahead 17-14 with 11:51 remaining.
Though Yates had his confidence rattled, he didn't show it on UNC's next drive. He completed a third-and-7 pass to tight end Zack Pianalto for 17 yards to move the Tar Heels to the Hokies' 39. Then, after a false start penalty, UNC faced third-and-16 at Tech's 45.
Yates found receiver Erik Highsmith for a 9-yard gain, and spotted Little for a 19-yard pickup on fourth-and-7 to get to Tech's 17 with 5:33 left. UNC had to settle for a 19-yard field goal from Barth to tie the game with 2:52 remaining.
Moments earlier, Williams had fumbled away Virginia Tech's final opportunity in regulation to beat North Carolina. Sitting on that Tech sideline, UNC's 20-17 victory against No. 14 Tech (5-3 overall, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) was still sinking in for Williams -- and it hurt.
"As of right now, there probably isn't anything you can say to lift me up, because regardless of what anybody says -- personally, I kind of took the game away from us today," said Williams, a redshirt freshman. "It was on the line. It was in my hands, and I fumbled."
With the score tied at 17, Tech was looking at third-and-6 from its own 28-yard line. Williams took a handoff from Taylor and crashed through the middle of the line, where defensive tackle Tydreke Powell stripped the ball away after a 2-yard gain and free safety Deunta Williams recovered it at Tech's 24.
It was Ryan Williams' second fumble of the season, and his first on a carry. His other fumble came on a muffed punt against Alabama.
After six consecutive runs by running back Ryan Houston carried UNC down to Tech's 4, the Tar Heels called a timeout with two seconds left. Casey Barth knocked through a 21-yard field goal as time expired.
UNC (5-3, 1-3) finished with 312 yards, including 181 yards rushing. Running back Shaun Draughn had 12 carries for 77 yards. UNC converted 10 of 19 third-down plays for first downs, and held the ball for 121/2 more minutes than Tech. Quarterback T.J. Yates completed 18 of 28 passes for 131 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Tech had 256 yards, its lowest total since it had 155 against Alabama. Williams finished with 23 carries for 96 yards. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor, a Hampton High graduate, was 11 of 23 passing for 161 yards.
On the opening drive, Tech looked like it was going to make a mockery of UNC's defense, which entered the game seventh in the nation in yards surrendered per game (266). Williams gained 25 yards rushing on the first play, and Taylor hit Jarrett Boykin for a 20-yard pass on the second play, but Boykin fumbled the ball away at UNC's 27-yard line.
After those two opening plays, Tech managed to gain only 63 yards for the remainder of the half. Tech ventured in to UNC territory on its first three drives, but came away with no points. UNC got to Tech's side of the field on just one of its first four drives.
Yates and receiver Greg Little finally helped UNC sustain a lengthy drive late in the second quarter. Yates found Little for passing gains of 17 and seven yards, and Little carried for 23 yards to move the Tar Heels to the Hokies' 16.
On third-and-7 from Tech's 13, Yates completed a touchdown pass in the right corner of the end zone to receiver Jheranie Boyd, who beat cornerback Rashad Carmichael on a flag route to put UNC ahead 7-0 with 2:44 left.
Tech didn't put together its first scoring drive until midway through the third quarter. Taylor completed three consecutive passes to three different receivers--Smithfield High graduate Dyrell Roberts for 22 yards, receiver Danny Coale for 16 yards and receiver Xavier Boyce for 15 yards--to take Tech from its own 11 to UNC's 36.
Then, Williams ripped off a 22-yard run to get to UNC's 14. It took Tech seven more running plays to get in the end zone, but Taylor finally crept in from the 1-yard line to tie the game 7-7 with 6:44 left in the third.
UNC answered right back with its own marathon drive, highlighted by a 44-yard run from Draughn, who got a huge block from receiver Dwight Jones on strong safety Davon Morgan to get loose for the gain to Tech's 17. Three plays later, on third-and-8, Yates lofted a pass in the left corner of the end zone to Little, who got behind linebacker Cody Grimm for a 15-yard touchdown catch to put UNC back up 14-7 with 1:51 remaining in the third.
Taylor looked like he was going to put together another a passing-led drive on Tech's next possession, as he hit Roberts for 13 yards and Boykin for 16 yards to get to UNC's 40. Tech's drive stalled at UNC's 19, and Matt Waldron nailed a 36-yard field goal with 13:27 left in the game to cut UNC's advantage to 14-10.
On the drive, Tech had an apparent 20-yard touchdown run by Williams negated by a holding penalty on right tackle Blake DeChristopher. The penalty ended up being huge.
Tech got the ball right back when Yates was hit on first down by defensive tackle Cordarrow Thompson, resulting in an interception to Carmichael, who returned it six yards to UNC's 5. Taylor scored on a 1-yard run to put the Hokies ahead 17-14 with 11:51 remaining.
Though Yates had his confidence rattled, he didn't show it on UNC's next drive. He completed a third-and-7 pass to tight end Zack Pianalto for 17 yards to move the Tar Heels to the Hokies' 39. Then, after a false start penalty, UNC faced third-and-16 at Tech's 45.
Yates found receiver Erik Highsmith for a 9-yard gain, and spotted Little for a 19-yard pickup on fourth-and-7 to get to Tech's 17 with 5:33 left. UNC had to settle for a 19-yard field goal from Barth to tie the game with 2:52 remaining.
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