SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 15, 2012
North Carolina 37, Virginia 13: Bryn Renner threw for 315 yards and three touchdowns while displaying pin-point accuracy and the visiting Tar Heels ended the Cavaliers' bowl hopes in the 117th meeting between the South's oldest rivals.
Renner finished 29-of-36 and Quinshad Davis set a school mark and tied the ACC record with 16 catches for 178 yards as North Carolina (7-4, 4-3 ACC) rebounded from an embarrassing 68-50 loss to Georgia Tech. Tre Boston returned an interception for a touchdown for the Tar Heels, who broke open a close game by scoring the final 17 points.
North Carolina is banned from postseason play, but the Tar Heels made sure their oldest rival will be home come bowl season as well. Virginia (4-7, 2-5) needed to win its final two games to become bowl eligible for a second straight season.
The Cavaliers' bowl hopes vanished in just over four minutes during a sequence that spanned the third and fourth quarters.The Cavaliers, who trailed 20-10 at the half, were threatening to tie the game late in the third when the Tar Heels threw Kevin Parks for a 2-yard loss on fourth-and-goal.
North Carolina then capitalized on the momentum swing and drove 97 yards in 12 plays. Renner's 23-yard touchdown pass to running back Giovani Bernard made it 27-13 with 11:43 to play. Erik Highsmith's second touchdown catch, which came moments after Virginia's Darius Jennings dropped a sure touchdown, put the game out of reach.
The Cavaliers' quarterback tandem of Phillip Sims (8-of-17, 50 yards, touchdown) and Michael Rocco (11-of-16, 155 yards, interception) was largely ineffective.
GAME NOTEBOOK: North Carolina leads the series 60-53-4. ... Rocco, who set a school record with 18 straight completions last week, started and was 4-of-5 for 64 yards on the first two drives. ... The Cavaliers were down to two healthy CBs with Maurice Canady out with a concussion. ... Renner was 19-of-23 for 201 yards in the first half.