Defense snags five interceptions in 31-13 win over Boston College

CHESTNUT HILL, MASS. — Deunta Williams had a memorable 21st birthday.

There was a party with about 40,000 screaming guests. And there were gifts — three of them, courtesy of a mistake-prone Boston College offense.

Williams came away with a career-high three interceptions in North Carolina’s 31-13 victory against the Eagles.

“Whenever he throws the ball, your eyes light up,” Williams said of opposing quarterbacks.

“It’s like a kid at Christmas time. You see the ball in the air, and, being a receiver before, I just think the ball is mine every time it’s in the air.”

Most of the time Saturday, it was. But he also shared a few with his friends.

The UNC defense came up with five interceptions, a fumble recovery and two defensive touchdowns to fuel an important UNC win.

North Carolina (8-3, 4-3 ACC) has now won four straight games for the first time since 2001 and vaulted into the AP poll at No. 23.

And the Eagles (7-4, 4-3), who had been undefeated at home before Saturday, saw their shot at winning the division crumble.

Cam Thomas returned a fumble for a touchdown, and Kendric Burney took an interception 30 yards back, giving the Tar Heels a sudden 21-0 first quarter lead.

But North Carolina needed all the production it could get from the defense, since it wasn’t getting any from the offense.

Quarterback T.J. Yates was right on pace with BC signal-caller David Shinskie for a while. Yates ended up with three interceptions.

“The interceptions, just uncalled for,” Yates said. “It’s just me making poor decisions.”

As soon as one team turned the ball over, the other was quick to give it right back.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been in a game where there were as many sudden-change situations as there were today,” UNC coach Butch Davis said.

UNC also was unable to run the ball as well as it had the last few weeks. A physical front seven for BC, combined with a bruise to Ryan Houston’s thigh, helped limit the Tar Heels’ rush.

“We’re not holding up our end of the bargain on offense,” Yates said. “If our defense has half the day that they did today, it might have been a much closer game than it was.

“They bail us out all the time.”

Two of those turnovers set BC up deep in UNC territory, but the defensive unit was able to hold the Eagles to field goals each time. And after giving up one second-quarter score to make it 21-13, the defense shut the door the rest of the way.

UNC now leads the ACC with seven non-offensive touchdowns this season, and four have come in the last two games. UNC also has nine picks in the last two weeks.

Williams took one of his interceptions back 39 yards toward the end zone, only to be tackled about six inches short.

Burney, who set a school record with his third career interception for a score, was going to make sure Williams didn’t forget which one of them found pay dirt.

“I’m going to write on a piece of paper ‘1-yard-line’ and hand it to him while he sleeps,” Burney said.



Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.