SportsDirect Inc. staff
Dec 30, 2010
Casey Barth tied it at the end of regulation then booted the game-winning field goal for North Carolina in the second overtime Thursday, as the Tar Heels rallied past Tennessee 30-27 to win the Music City Bowl in Nashville.
The Tar Heels (8-5) trailed 20-17 with 31 seconds left in regulation and the ball at their 20, but T.J. Yates completed two passes and a personal foul penalty on Tennessee set the stage for Barth’s game-tying 40-yard field goal to force overtime. After both teams traded touchdowns in the first overtime, UNC’s Quan Sturdivant intercepted Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray in the second overtime. Three plays later, Barth came on and kicked a 23-yard field goal to cap the comeback.
Tennessee (6-7) took a 20-17 lead with 5:16 to go on Bray’s 8-yard touchdown pass to Justin Hunter. But Daniel Lincoln missed the extra point, which came back to haunt the Volunteers.
UNC’s Shaun Draughn rushed for 160 yards on 23 carries, opening the scoring with a 58-yard touchdown run, giving UNC a 7-0 lead with 10:58 left in the first quarter. Barth’s 28-yard field goal with 10:24 to go before halftime pushed the Tar Heels back in front, 10-7, and Yates hit Erik Highsmith on a 39-yard touchdown pass with 27 seconds left, capping a 72-yard drive to give UNC a 17-14 halftime advantage.
Yates finished 23-of-39 for 234 yards. Bray finished 27-of-45 for 308 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions.