Georgia Tech Runs Past North Carolina

Joe Burns ran for a career-high 198 yards and a touchdown and No. 23 Georgia Tech held No. 22 North Carolina to 13 yards rushing in the Yellow Jackets’ 28-21 victory Thursday night in Atlanta.

George Godsey threw for 187 yards and a touchdown and ran for another as Georgia Tech, 6-2 overall and 3-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, ended the Tar Heels’ winning streak at five games.

North Carolina quarterback Darian Durant played the entire game for the first time this season and threw for 286 yards and three touchdowns. He had split time this season with Ronald Curry, but Curry sat out with a hamstring injury.

The Tar Heels (5-4, 4-2) pulled within seven points on Durant’s 21-yard scoring toss to Sam Aiken late in the fourth quarter.

But Georgia Tech ground out the clock behind the running of Burns, forcing North Carolina to use its final two timeouts. The Yellow Jackets converted 10 of 17 third-down attempts, including five straight in the second half.

Two came on offside penalties on the Tar Heels.

Burns’ scoring run, a 51-yarder midway through the fourth quarter, gave the Yellow Jackets a 28-14 lead. He broke a tackle at the 20 and outran the defense for Georgia Tech’s longest scoring play of the season. He broke his previous career high of 179 yards, set against Maryland in 1998.

“To be honest, I felt going into the game that we could run the ball with success against North Carolina,” Burns said. “We certainly proved we could.”

North Carolina had averaged 166 yards rushing during its winning streak but never got on track, failing to gain yardage on any running play in the second quarter. Durant was the leading rusher, gain 12 yards on five carries.

Jonathan Smith caught eight passes for 82 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown early in the second quarter to give Georgia Tech a 7-0 lead. Durant’s first scoring toss, a 30-yarder to Kory Bailey, tied the game at 7.

Luke Manget, who missed five field goals in the Yellow Jackets’ last game, missed a 32-yarder in the second quarter, but added two field goals for a 13-7 halftime lead.

Manget has made 120 straight extra points, breaking the school record of 119 held by Scott Sisson. The Tar Heels took their only lead on a 15-yard scoring pass from Durant to Aiken early in the third quarter.

“They kind of picked us apart,” said Julius Peppers, North Carolina’s dominating defensive end who was held to two tackles. “They were running where they wanted to. We didn’t think that could ever happen.”

Georgia Tech Coach George O’Leary was glad it did. “I’m happy for the players because they’ve come under some undue criticism and really shouldn’t have,” he said.

No. 13 Brigham Young 56, Colorado State 34--Luke Staley ran for 196 yards and five touchdowns, while Brandon Doman threw for 284 yards and a touchdown and ran for 165 yards and two scores as the Cougars (9-0, 5-0 Mountain West) won at Provo, Utah.

BYU helped Coach Gary Crowton beat his old team. He was a quarterback and defensive back at Colorado State (4-5, 3-2) from 1977-78.

Staley’s 20-yard scoring run in the third quarter made him BYU’s career touchdown leader, breaking the record of 40 set by Jamal Willis from 1991-94. Staley has 42 touchdowns, 22 this season.