September 30, 2000

Football Pounds North Carolina 42-28

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) – Joe Burns rushed for 123 yards and a career-high four touchdowns, two of them coming in the last four minutes Saturday, September 30 as Georgia Tech defeated North Carolina 42-28.

Tied 28-28 late in the fourth quarter, Burns scored from a yard and 2 yards out to give the Yellow Jackets (3-2, 1-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) their third straight win in the series.

The Tar Heels (3-2, 1-2) seemed to have momentum from last week’s close win against Marshall. But UNC couldn’t take control of the game after fighting back from a 28-14 second-half deficit.

Tar Heel quarterback Ronald Curry threw for a career-high 388 yards and two touchdowns and added a 46-yard scoring run early in the fourth to tie the game.

Georgia Tech took advantage of special-teams blunders by North Carolina in the second half. Kerry Watkins came untouched around the left end of the UNC line and tackled punter Blake Ferguson. Three plays later, Burns scored on an 11-yard pass from Godsey to give Tech a 21-14 edge.

After UNC went three-and-out on its next series, the Yellow Jackets scored on a blocked punt by safety Chris Young. Tony Hollings recovered the ball in the end zone for a 28-14 lead with 7:34 remaining in the quarter.

The Tar Heels struck back with long scoring plays. The first came on a 78-yard touchdown pass from Curry to Kory Bailey with 3:03 to play in the quarter. It was the longest scoring reception in Kenan Stadium history by a UNC player, but Bailey was lost on the play with an injured hamstring.

UNC tied the game at 28-28 with 9:21 to play in the game on a 46-yard draw by Curry.

Yet Georgia Tech answered the Tar Heel push, going on a 12-play, 68-yard scoring drive that ended with a 1-yard run on fourth-and-goal by Burns with 4:02 to play.

After UNC went three-and-out on its next series, Burns sealed the game with a 51-yard run to the 2-yard line on third-and-1. Burns scored his fourth touchdown on the next play for a 14-point lead, sending many of the 51,000 fans at Kenan heading for the aisles.