UNC football team keeps plays alive to beat Clemson

In a game devoid of big plays, North Carolina made enough little ones to earn a 21-16 win against the Clemson Tigers.

There were only three plays that went for more than 25 yards from scrimmage and no turnovers.

Subsequently, the game saw momentum rise and fall on small plays.

“The biggest thing was clock management,” senior right tackle Mike Ingersoll said.

“We take pride in wearing people down. It starts up front, that’s what people say and it’s true. You got to win the battle down in the trenches.”

UNC’s defense kept the explosive Clemson running game under wraps, while the offense did just enough to win the ballgame.

“It was just a challenge, because we haven’t faced anyone all year that actually runs the ball as much as they do,” defensive end Quinton Coples said. “We were ready for the challenge, and we went out to perform.”

Other than a 74-yard strike from Kyle Parker to Jaron Brown, Clemson’s longest play of the day from scrimmage went for 24 yards.

“The quarterback really was throwing short passes, so the coaches told us to make them catch it in front of us, and then tackle the ball,” UNC linebacker Zach Brown said.

North Carolina’s offense wasn’t much better — its third-longest play of the day went for 19 yards.

In the end, it was the Tar Heels’ ability to make the plays when they needed to that gave them an upper hand.

Never was this illustrated more clearly than on fourth down attempts. Four times UNC opted to go for the first down, risking field position in lieu of a punt, and four times it converted.

“I guess (UNC) coach (Butch) Davis has a lot of confidence in our play calls and the things we can do on fourth down,” quarterback T.J. Yates said. “It gives our guys a whole lot of confidence that he’ll keep going for it on fourth down.”

The most telling of the conversions was the first one. Just six offensive plays into the game, Davis decided to eschew a 43-yard field goal and go for it on fourth-and-two.

Offensive coordinator John Shoop caught the Tiger defense off guard with a quick slant to Jheranie Boyd, and UNC scored six plays later.

Each of the four conversions came when UNC was debatably in field-goal range. Those four fourth-down conversions all came on touchdown drives that kept Clemson’s offense on the sideline.

“They are very talented on offense, and we wanted to give our defense the best chance to win the game for us,” Ingersoll said.

While the execution might have left a little bit to be desired, UNC made enough plays to win.

“As I told the players in the locker room, there are a lot of ways to win football games,” Davis said. “Some of them don’t always look like the blueprint you draw up sometimes, but when the kids compete and play hard the whole game it gives you a chance.”

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.