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TarHeelBlue Game Recap: Tar Heels Stun Seminoles, 41-9
Final Stats | Bunting's Quotes | Player Quotes | Notes
By DAVID DROSCHAK
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) - Florida State took a major hit in its bid to return to a fourth straight national title game, turning the ball over five times in the second half in a 41-9 loss to North Carolina on Saturday.
The Tar Heels, 0-3 and a 17-point underdog, used a 34-point second half to stun Bobby Bowden's No. 6 Seminoles (2-1, 1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference).
Backup quarterback Darian Durant threw a pair of touchdown passes for the Tar Heels (1-3, 1-1) and Jeff Reed had two field goals as North Carolina took command in the third period of John Bunting's home debut.
It was just Florida State's third ACC loss in nine-plus seasons - a span of 74 games.
The Seminoles did lose in the second game of the 1998 season at N.C. State and made it to the Fiesta Bowl. However, Florida State still has No. 1 Miami, No. 2 Florida, No. 10 Georgia Tech and No. 19 Clemson left on its 2001 schedule.
North Carolina, which had already lost at No. 3 Oklahoma and No. 5 Texas, beat its highest-ranked team since a 7-6 victory over No. 6 Duke in 1960.
The loss was Florida State's worst since a 52-20 drubbing by Florida in the 1997 Sugar Bowl, and worst in the regular season since Auburn beat the Seminoles 59-27 in 1985.
Florida State didn't turn the ball over in season-opening wins against Duke and Alabama-Birmingham, but freshman quarterback Chris Rix fumbled twice and threw an interception as the Seminoles' young offense came unglued.
By early in the fourth quarter, North Carolina fans were mocking the Seminoles with their version of the tomahawk chop chant, a scene not seen too often in ACC football circles.
Ronald Curry, benched in favor of Durant to start the second half, capped off the stunner when he found a wide open Kory Bailey on a 53-yard scoring pass with 13:12 left that put the Tar Heels up by 18.
Curry had re-entered the game after Durant hurt his leg trying to pooch punt.
North Carolina's defense limited the Seminoles to just 11 yards in the pivotal third quarter.
Florida State never seemed to recover after an 85-yard touchdown pass from Rix to Javon Walker was called back because of a holding penalty with 6:23 left in the third.
A series later, Rix's pass was picked off by Julius Peppers, and Reed's 39-yard field goal gave the Tar Heels a 20-9 lead.
The Seminoles came into the game 8-for-8 in the red zone in their first two wins, but didn't get close to the North Carolina 20 in the first quarter.
After running the ball on the first eight plays, Florida State got its initial first down 10 minutes in near midfield, but Rix fumbled after scrambling for an 11-yard run on the next play and North Carolina took over.
After Florida State's first turnover of the season, the Tar Heels drove 61 yards to take the lead late in the first, getting a 20-yard scoring pass from Durant to Sam Aiken.
The Seminoles had yet to score midway through the second quarter and appeared to be going nowhere when Rix was sacked for an 11-yard loss at his own 33. But a 38-yard pass over the middle to Walker and a 21-yard TD pass to Taiman Gardner tied the score moments later.
Less than two minutes later, North Carolina had some confusion with personnel on its punting unit and deep snapper Greg Warren hiked the ball well over the head of John Lafferty and out of the end zone for a safety.
Players from both teams wore American flags on the back of their helmets in tribute to those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks.
A look at TarHeelBlue.com's weekly football game coverage:
* Preseason | August 27 | September 3| September 10 * Extra Points Special: The Bunting Era Dawns For Carolina
* Oklahoma Photos: Action, Sideline. * Maryland Photos: Sideline & Action. * Texas Photos: Action, Sideline.
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