CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - T.A. McLendon was emphatic. He scored to win the game.<br>
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``I was in,'' he said. ``They called a touchdown, didn't they?''<br>
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Well, they did, but only for an instant.<br>
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North Carolina's much-maligned defense stopped McLendon inches short of the end zone with 6 seconds left after his touchdown on the previous play was disallowed and the Tar Heels hung on to beat North Carolina State 30-24 on Saturday night.<br>
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After linesman Mike Owens clearly signaled McLendon had scored on second down, a quick huddle by the officials left the Wolfpack a yard short. Replays were inconclusive, but referee Jim Knight insisted his crew made the right call.<br>
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``It was not an overrule,'' Knight said in a statement. ``The line judge, Rick Page, saw (McLendon's) knee down before the ball crossed the goal line plane. He relayed that information to me and that was how the play was ruled.''<br>
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The Wolfpack had one more chance, but McLendon's dive over the pile was stopped at the line of scrimmage, and he fumbled on the play. Kareen Taylor recovered for North Carolina, which needed only to run one final play to beat N.C. State for the ninth time in the past 12 games.<br>
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``I was thinking to myself, 'If he runs my way, please let me get him,''' said Khalif Mitchell, who caused the fumble. ``I can't describe it, it's the greatest feeling ever.''<br>
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The frantic conclusion set off a boisterous celebration at midfield, with fans streaming on the field to join the Tar Heels for a final rendition of their school song.<br>
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``I know our players really deserve a lot of credit here for toughness, the belief in one another, the trust in one another,'' North Carolina coach John Bunting said. ``I really respect the way they worked.''<br>
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Darian Durant threw three touchdown passes and Connor Barth kicked three field goals for North Carolina (3-3, 2-2 Atlantic Coast Conference). Barth's final kick from 25 yards made it 30-24 and set up the controversial finish.<br>
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The Wolfpack (3-2, 2-1) drove from their own 18 in the final 4:20 to have their last chance, and they converted a fourth-and-6 along the way. Jay Davis completed an 8-yard pass to Brian Clark to give the Wolfpack first-and-goal at the 6, and McLendon moved it to the 3 before they called their final timeout.<br>
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He bulled his way into the end zone on the next play or so he thought then had to hustle back on the field for one more carry that decided the game.<br>
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``All I know is that six points were taken off the board,'' Wolfpack coach Chuck Amato said. ``I'm going to be a man about this. I told the kids, if we'd have walked into the end zone, we could've ended all the controversy.''<br>
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McLendon finished with 117 yards rushing, and N.C. State fell to 8-1 when he gains at least 100. Davis was 22-for-28 for 273 yards as the Wolfpack outgained the Tar Heels 577-356.<br>
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Still, a couple of turnovers earlier in the second half helped seal N.C. State's fate.<br>
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The Wolfpack got to 13-9 on the opening drive of the third quarter on John Deraney's 26-yard field goal, then drove 48 yards to the Tar Heels' 24 on its next possession. On first down, fourth-string tailback Reggie Davis fumbled, and linebacker Larry Edwards recovered for North Carolina.<br>
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Then, with the Wolfpack trailing 20-16, Davis lobbed a screen toward McLendon, but the ball was batted up in the air by Melik Brown. Edwards leaped to grab it, and he raced 54 yards to N.C. State's 3.<br>
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``Probably the biggest play of the game, along with the goal line play,'' Bunting said.<br>
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On the next snap, Durant found Jon Hamlett open in the back of the end zone, giving the Tar Heels a 27-16 lead.<br>
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``We're not a different team, I think we just stepped up for this game,'' Edwards said. ``We played our hearts out and showed that North Carolina football is back.''
