There was 1986: Dick Sheridan's first year where we stopped a game deciding 2 point conversion with 7 seconds left to win 35-34.
In 1990: We had the Damon Hartman 56 yard field goal to win it.
How about 1991 or 1992 where we pushed our streak to five in a row. '92 was a personal favorite as it was my first trip to Chapel Hill to see the Pack, and we drove 78 yards in the closing minutes to win 27-20.
In 2000, Philip Rivers caught his one and only receiving touchdown to win 34-17.
O'Brien's first State-UNC game in 2007, the 41-10 blowout in 2008, and the regular season finale in 2009 were all pretty sweet.
But to get pumped for the 2011 season, why not go with the most recent game, the 2 yard Hail Mary game in the 100th game in the series, that simultaneously gave us our fourth win in a row over the Heels, and put us in a position to play for a division title.
It was a high noon showdown amongst the intimidating pine trees in Chapel Hill, and Carolina carried the play in the early going. An early drive down to the State 28 was ended by Nate Irving causing the first turnover of the game, forcing a fumble, and setting the tone for the Heels on how hard it would be to get in the end zone this day. After another State punt, UNC took over on their own 19. From there they marched 81 yards and with a 7 yard TD pass to Anthony Elzy, they went up 7-0 with 4:34 to go in the 1st quarter.
State's offense continued to struggle to get in gear, and after another 3 and out, UNC started to drive again as the first quarter ended. They entered State territory again, but this time the defense held and forced a punt that was down at the 13. This time the Moose got loose with a couple of runs and an 11 yard reception to get State near midfield.
Then a 48 yard pass to Owen Spencer gave NC State first and goal, where on 2nd down, Russell Wilson hit Darrell Davis on the slant for the touchdown and the game was tied 7-7.
A quick 3 and out and the momentum was on the Pack's side, but an interception on the next drive swung it right back to the Heels. UNC with the ball now on the Pack 39, drove to the 10. 1st and Goal. On third down a swing pass to Elzy and he raced to the corner. CJ Wilson knocked him out of bounds as he dove for the pylon. No touchdown. The play was reviewed and the call upheld. 4th down, and UNC elected to kick the field goal. 10-7 Heels.
On the ensuing kickoff, TJ Graham returned it 35 yards, and with a penalty tacked on, State had the ball at midfield. Wilson with passed to Spencer and Davis quickly moved into field goal range, and Josh Czakowski, who had been declared out for the season with a hamstring injury just two weeks ago, came on and kicked a season long 47 yard field goal to tie it back up at 10.
With 1:08 to play, the Heels had just enough time on the clock to get something going and they did. A 29 yard TJ Yates pass on first down immediately got them close to field goal range. Another 7 yarder got them even closer with the clock ticking well under a minute. Two incompletions later, Casey Barth was trying a career long 49 yarder, and he was down the middle. To the locker rooms, both teams went with UNC up 13-10.
The third quarter started with everything going Carolina's way. On State's first drive, a trifecta of penalty, sack, and then fumble, had us punting out of the end zone. UNC with the ball on the 39 quickly raced down the field and had 1st and goal at the 7. But on 3rd down, Nate Irving with the pass knockdown, and UNC was forced to settle for another field goal. 16-10 UNC.
Another three and out, and another drive by UNC. This 67 yard drive got them into field goal range again, but the Pack defense held, and Barth came on for another field goal. UNC led 19-10 with 4:30 to play in the third and it wasn't looking good. But it was time for Russell Wilson to make his move. A nice TJ Graham 26 yard return got it started, and then a Wilson to Spencer 20 yarder crossed midfield. A Paige-Moss sack though, put the Pack in 3rd and 18. Then came the kind of play that defined Wilson's career at State. He dropped back, scrambled to his right. Takes off running, cuts, back left, the stiff arm.....
Gets a block and turns the corner near the sideline. Finally pushed out of bounds at the 8. Plus an extremely late hit by Coples and the Pack had first and goal at the 4!
Three plays later, the Pack was on the two, and O'Brien had a choice to make. He was going for it! Wilson rolls right, stops, spins, scrambles left some more. Looking, looking, drifting back, to the 20 with defenders closing in. He heaves it to the end zone, back of the end zone, tipped by Jarvis Williams left hand and UNC's Searcy's right hand...
Owen Spencer sees it...
...he dives...
GOT IT! TOUCHDOWN WOLFPACK!
The two-yard hail mary works! NC State has cut the lead to 19-17 late in the third and the Pack has the momentum. Next drive, Audie Cole with the sack on 2nd down, Earl Wolff with the sack on their, and now it's TJ Graham's turn. The UNC punt came down on the 13, he cuts up the left side. Gets a block. The blocking wall is formed, one man to beat, he races past the punter and nothing green grass in front of him and red Wolfpack fans to his left. He takes it to the house, check that, to the construction site, and NC State leads!
Now it's the time for the defense to step up and they do. Rieskamp with a sack, and another 3 and out for Yates. NC State has the ball with 12 to play, and it's time for another Moose crossing. On the strength of Greene and Washington, NC State marches from the State 37 to the UNC 3. But a huge false start penalty on 2nd and goal, ends the momentum, and the Pack has to settle for 3. It's now 27-19 NC State with just 5:41 to play.
Now the senior TJ Yates with once last chance to try and beat State comes on the field. He hits Elzy on a 17 yard screen, and Elzy again on a 42 yard screen. Three stops for the Pack and it's 4th down. But freshman Josh Adams tips his own pass but holds on for the first down and goal. On first down, a huge sack by Nate Irving pushes UNC to the 16....tick tick tick...they are letting a lot of time go. Incomplete on 2nd, but on 3rd and goal, Yates on the check down to Highsmith and he pushes towards the end zone. Audie Cole drags him down, and what was originally ruled touchdown is reversed to down at the 1. 4th and goal now 70 seconds to play. Yates keeps the Heels alive with a 1 yard TD pass, 27-25 with a 2 point conversion attempt coming. Yates rolls right, heaves it in the end zone, it's tipped, but this one falls to the ground, NO GOOD!
1:04 to play, and a failed onside kick attempt allows NC State to force UNC to burn all of their timeouts. Under a minute now and State's got to punt from the 39. Jeff Ruiz, gets it off, and it's the punt of his life! It rolls all the way to the four, with just 36 seconds to play. Does Yates have a miracle in him? Is 36 seconds and no time outs long enough? The answer was given by Terrell Manning, and it was an emphatic NO! On 2nd down, Manning with the delayed blitz up the middle...SACK...
..SAFETY....
29-25 and this baby is over! A failed onside free kick, and one kneeldown, and the Pack has a four game winning streak over UNC! Let the celebration begin.
Today's honorable mention:
Many are mentioned above, but for the last 25 years, they all deserve a mention:
1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010!
Up next:
The 12 day finale: Florida State
Also, another big note of thanks and credit to Gene Galin of accfootballphotos dot com His work is incredible, particularly on the 2 yard hail mary!
No comments:
Post a Comment