""That's enough.""
After watching Boston College run into the end zone with the ball he had just fumbled" UNC quarterback Cameron Sexton decided he was fed up.
So Sexton started throwing the ball to Hakeem Nicks — and by the end of the day it was then-No.23 Boston College that'd had enough.
After falling behind 10-0 in the game's opening nine minutes Sexton and UNC came storming back to win scoring 24 second-quarter points on its way to a 45-24 win at Kenan Stadium.
Nicks' 170 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns keyed the UNC effort which vaulted the Tar Heels (6-2 2-2 ACC) back into the AP's Top 25 at No. 21.
Sexton was the offensive leader UNC needed going 19-for-30 with 238 yards and three touchdowns — and more notably no interceptions.
The Tar Heels converted eight of 15 third downs largely on the strength of Sexton-to-Nicks hookups and Shaun Draughn's team-high 64 rushing yards.
But it was the Tar Heel defense that didn't so much clamp down on the Eagles as devour them.
Following BC's game-opening drive that went 58 yards in 12 plays" the Eagles had exactly one drive that lasted more than six plays — and punted six times.
Turnovers and poor punting combined to let five UNC drives start in Boston College territory — resulting in 24 UNC points.
""They didn't run the ball at all against us" senior linebacker Mark Paschal said. We've still got to improve on our pass defense" but as a whole we played about as good a game defensively as you can.""
Boston College's backs Montel Harris and Josh Haden couldn't get past the two hulking frames of defensive tackles Cam Thomas and Marvin Austin. As a team" Boston College (5-2" 2-2 ACC) rushed for a season-low 40 yards.
""Me and Cam" we feel like we're not trying to let anybody run the ball up the middle because we're too big" Austin said. We just try to clog the holes and let the linebackers fill the gaps.""
With the running attack stuffed" the Eagles tried to attack the team which leads the nation in interceptions through the pass.
It proved not to be the equation for success.
Quarterback Chris Crane threw three picks and UNC recorded 21 points off those turnovers. In the third quarter Kendric Burney leapt in front of a Crane throw over the middle and returned it 37 yards" breaking at least four tackles — but came up just short of the end zone.
""It felt like I was in high school" running the option again" Burney said of the return.
I didn't even think about how frustrating it was (not to score) because I was so tired and I had grass all in my mouth afterwards. I was just ready to lay down.""
While Ryan Houston finished what Burney had started with a one-yard touchdown run"" the defense managed a score of its own on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Senior safety Trimane Goddard returned his fifth interception of the year 51 yards for his first touchdown since he was a senior in high school — five years ago.
""It just felt good to get into the end zone again"" Goddard said.
The UNC pass defense also regained some of its menace after allowing Virginia huge chunks of yardage the previous week. On the day, BC's longest pass play was 20 yards.
Today was probably the most complete team game that we've played"" coach Butch Davis said.
We never felt like we didn't have a grasp and a handle on what we wanted to do in all three phases.""
Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
Heels pick apart BC
Marvin Austin had two QB hurries on BC?s Chris Crane on Saturday" and pressure allowed UNC?s defense to snag three interceptions. ?We forced him into some bad throws and we capitalized on it? linebacker Mark Paschal said.
