East Carolina Pirates vs North Carolina Tar Heels Match Player Stats On Sep 28, 2013

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 28, 2013


East Carolina 55, North Carolina 31: Shane Carden passed for three touchdowns and ran for three more, leading the visiting Pirates to their first victory over the in-state rival Tar Heels since 2007.

Carden was 32-of-47 for 376 yards and connected with 12 different receivers. He was backed by a strong running game led by Vintavious Cooper, who had 186 yards rushing for East Carolina (3-1), which came in averaging just 63 yards on the ground.

Bryn Renner passed for 366 yards with three touchdowns and an interception for North Carolina (1-3) but lost for the first time against the Pirates. The Tar Heels struggled establishing a ground game, gaining just 67 yards on 32 carries, and also were plagued by costly penalties (nine for 94 yards).

Carden threw two touchdown passes in the opening quarter, the first capping an 11-play, 73-yard drive to begin the game and set the tone for the Pirates. He added two 1-yard runs in the second quarter to help give East Carolina a 28-10 halftime lead.

Carden ran for his third 1-yard score in the third quarter and capped the scoring with his second TD pass to Lance Ray from 48 yards out late in the fourth quarter. Renner threw all of his touchdown passes in the second half to give him 61 for his career, moving him past T. J. Yates (58 from 2007-10) for second all-time for the Tar Heels.

GAME NOTEBOOK: East Carolina, which tied a school record by running 100 plays, won for just the third time in 16 meetings with North Carolina. … Renner, who totaled six TD passes in his previous two starts against the Pirates, threw his first interception against the in-state rivals. … Tar Heels WR Quinshad Davis passed for a touchdown coming off a reverse in the second quarter and caught a TD pass in the fourth quarter.