UNC win in Blacksburgh

Ok, let me say it before I get to the recap of the game: “I need to have a huge piece of crow pie” since I was so convinced that UNC would not be able to stay with Va Tech tonight. The reality is that they did and in the end North Carolina (5-3, 1-3 in the ACC) defeated #13 Virginia Tech (5-3, 3-2 in the ACC) by the final of 20 to 17. But the score can not tell you anything about the game, since the way this team won was something I thought they did not have in them, so for that I need another piece of crow pie! I did though say that tonight could be a win because all the Tar Heels could be in the ACC race is spoilers, by winning this game they were just that for the Hokies. And while I was not always a fan of the play calling I have to say that John Shoop did a very good job in mixing it up, with the only exception being the motion play that got the Little from WR to RB (after 3 times everyone on the field, in the stand and watching the game on ESPN knew what was going to happen).

“This feels so good,” Yates said. “I’ve never really had this feeling before. It sends chills down your spine when your whole team is rushing the field after a big win.”

This sentence basically covers the game, doesn’t it? This was a big win for North Carolina and it came at a time when UNC truly needed a big win! It also came against a team that hasn’t lost to many unranked teams at home or that usually never loses back to back games. In other words this could probably be the best win for head coach Butch Davis since his arrival at Chapel Hill. It’s also a win that has to leave you thinking “what could have been”. Yes, what could have been if the Tar Heels offense had been like this all year. Or what could have been if the O Line hadn’t suffered so many injuries. And we can go on and on all night long with this, but in the end this is a win that few saw coming!

While it was great to see UNC go ahead, then fall behind, only to come back and win the game, it was not so great to see the interception T.J. Yates (18 for 28 – 2 TDs – 1 Int) threw with the Tar Heels winning 14 to 10 giving the Hokies the ball at the UNC’s 5 yard line. When asked about it the QB said this:

“That interception, I don’t know what I was doing,” Yates said. “Smoking some drugs or something.”

Ok, I think the second part could have been avoided, but at least he realizes that for the second time in two games he gave up the ball that caused the opponents to score a touchdown. So here is the question: did North Carolina win because/with the help of T.J. Yates or did the Tar Heels win dispite of him? Again, the jury is out on this one, and the answer for now has to be a bit of both. He had an incridible first half drive to put the Heels up 7-0, then had a bone head throw (where he didn’t even look where/who he was throwing to), but then came back to score once again, hitting a very big fourth and long. But talking about his passes in the first half (until the last drive) it seemed that Yates would only throw to his tight end, Zach Pianalto. Again making my claim that the jury is still out on the quarterback from Chapel Hill.

Lastly the QB does say something I am in complete agreement with:

“If we had lost, this game would have completely broken us,”

Yes, a loss, especially when giving up the lead in the second half once again, would have broken a lot of things (maybe the team, probably most of the fair weather fans, and more). Now, with five wins, and the possibility to win a couple of more, the Heels could definitely be going to a bowl game and have a quality win on their resume!

But there is no way I can do a recap of this game without talking about the defense tonight. They were, for the most part, as good as they have been all season. With the offense not doing their usual “three and out” they were able to stay fresh and contain the Hokies on the ground. The only time that Va Tech had some movement was when they began to throw the ball and UNC didn’t go after them with more than the front four. Other than that there wasn’t much that the home team could muster against a great Carolina D, who finally had a couple of turnovers when they needed them most.

With the Blue Devils coming to Kenan Stadium next week this game is just what the Heels needed. Now they have four games left can easily go 2 and 2 for a post season birth.

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