Heels overcome Vols
N. Carolina comes up big in 2OTs
Casey Barth kicked a 23-yard field goal in the second overtime to send North Carolina past Tennessee, 30-27 in a Music City Bowl that will be remembered much more for the crazy finish of regulation that even gave the Tar Heels a chance to keep playing Thursday night in Nashville, Tenn.
Barth kicked a 39-yard field goal after officials reviewed what had been the final play of the game and decided to penalize the Tar Heels (8-5) for having “more than 11 men” on the field. The Big Ten officiating crew also announced T.J. Yates had spiked the ball with 1 second left.
That allowed Barth to kick the field goal that tied it at 20.
Tyler Bray of Tennessee (6-7) threw a 25-yard TD in the first overtime, but Quan Sturdivant picked him off to end the Vols’ last chance in the second OT.
Syracuse 36, Kan. St. 34
Delone Carter ran for 198 yards and two touchdowns, Marcus Sales caught three long TD passes and Syracuse got some help from a celebration penalty on Kansas State to beat the Wildcats in the first Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium in New York.
Adrian Hilburn caught a pass, slipped a tackle and raced 30 yards for a touchdown with 1:13 remaining to pull Kansas State within two. Hilburn saluted the crowd behind the visitor’s dugout and was flagged 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct, which pushed the 2-point conversion attempt back to the 18-yard line.
Carson Coffman overthrew Aubrey Quarles in the end zone, and when Kansas State (7-6) couldn’t come up with the onside kick, Syracuse (8-5) only had to take a knee to win a bowl game for the first time since 2001.
Army 16, SMU 14
Josh McNary scooped up a fumble and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown and Army held on to beat SMU in the Armed Forces Bowl in Dallas, giving the Black Knights their first winning season since 1996.
Army (7-6) had a 16-0 halftime lead on SMU’s home field, then ran out the final 4 minutes after Matt Szymanski was wide left on a 47-yard field goal attempt that would have put the Mustangs ahead.
SMU (7-7) hasn’t had consecutive winning seasons since resuming play in 1989 after being the only team given the NCAA’s so-called death penalty.
Kyle Padron threw two second-half touchdowns after throwing two interceptions before halftime. He also was sacked and fumbled on the third play, when McNary recovered and scored.
Malcolm Brown had a 13-yard TD run for Army.