N.C. State doubles up rival UNC

Posted 7:57AM on Sunday 13th October 2002 ( 22 years ago )

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Freshman T.A. McLendon, playing with a cast on his broken right wrist, ran for a season-high 164 yards and two touchdowns as 14th-ranked North Carolina State remained unbeaten with a 34-17 victory over North Carolina on Saturday. The win gave N.C. State (7-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) its second-best start in 111 years of football. The Wolfpack began 8-0 in 1967, when coach Chuck Amato was a senior linebacker under the direction of Lou Holtz. Josh Brown added 88 yards rushing and a TD as the Wolfpack scored 27 unanswered points in the second half to nail down the key win. After falling behind by 10 in the third quarter, N.C. State ran the ball 13 straight times and came up with the biggest defensive play of the game to turn the tide in this rivalry game, which the Wolfpack won for just the second time in the last decade. North Carolina (2-4, 0-2) gave up a school-record 657 yards in a 38-35 win at Arizona State last weekend. But the Tar Heels' defense played its most impressive game of the season, until N.C. State started cranking up its ground attack. Philip Rivers, the nation's top-rated passer, did throw a TD pass and had a 1-yard sneak for another, but he was held to 170 yards passing. Darian Durant completed passes of 20, 18 and 13 yards before finding James Faison from the 5 for a TD on Faison's first career reception as the Tar Heels opened went ahead by 10. N.C. State responded with a score 2.5 minutes later as McLendon, a true freshman, got 64 of his team's 70 yards on the drive to go over 100 yards for the third straight game. The Wolfpack then got the first big break of the game as Durant fumbled while being chased out of the pocket. Dantonio Burnette, playing with a broken thumb, recovered at the North Carolina 4, and McLendon went in six seconds later for the go-ahead score midway through the third quarter. Six straight runs by N.C. State's Josh Brown helped get Rivers within striking distance. His second completion of the second half came early in the fourth a 13-yard scoring play to Bryan Peterson for a 27-17 lead. Brown sealed a 7.5-minute drive late in the fourth with a 12-yard score. N.C. State outscored its first six opponents 152-38 in the first half, but the Wolfpack trailed 10-7 at halftime. The Wolfpack drove 80 yards on its opening drive, getting a 5-yard TD from McLendon. N.C. State has scored on its first possession in six straight games. However, the offense managed just 25 plays the rest of the half. The Tar Heels were pinned at their own 2 late in the first quarter, but Durant completed a risky 20-yard pass on first down and drove his club to the Wolfpack 12 before settling for a 29-yard field goal. After holding the Wolfpack to three-and-out on the next series, Durant gave the Tar Heels a 10-7 lead when he found tight end Bobby Blizzard for a 22-yard score. N.C. State ran out the clock late in the half as the North Carolina defense ranked last in the ACC left the field to a standing ovation.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/10/188943