LSU survives close one with depleted Heels

By Jeff Haws

For the AJC

Down and depleted, North Carolina was overmatched from the start, but had enough resources to make it interesting down the stretch.

Missing 13 players -- many of them starters -- because of NCAA and school investigations, the Tar Heels made a furious late comeback effort, but were held off by LSU in the Tigers' 30-24 victory at the Georgia Dome.

After trailing 30-10 in the fourth quarter, North Carolina recovered an onside kick with about two minutes left, down 30-24 with a shot to score the winning touchdown. But a T.J. Yates fumble while scrambling gave the ball back to the Tigers, ending what looked like it would be Carolina's last shot.

But LSU's Stevan Ridley fumbled on the ensuing possession, and North Carolina had one more chance with 1:08 left.

Yates quickly moved the Tar Heels down the field, completing short passes at first and then a couple of longer ones to Jheranie Boyd and Joshua Adams to set them up at the LSU 10-yard line with 10 seconds left.

The Tar Heels would get two chances at the winning score. Yates threw two passes, and both of them hit the hands of his intended receiver but fell to the turf to end the comeback bid.

Yates, who graduated from Pope High School, finished with a career-high 412 yards on 28-of-45 passing.

At the top of the list of beneficiaries of the Tar Heels' personnel issues early was LSU's Patrick Peterson, who piled up 257 return yards -- including an 87-yard touchdown -- to set a new school record and notch the second-highest amount in an SEC game.

Russell Shepard's 50-yard run for a touchdown gave the Tigers a lead in the second quarter they would quickly expand and never relinquish.

Less than one minute later, it was 16-10 when a North Carolina shotgun snap sailed past Yates' right shoulder and through the end zone -- effectively the Tar Heels' third lost fumble of the half.

Three minutes after that, Peterson's 87-yard punt return made the score 23-10. And, after one more North Carolina three-and-out, Rueben Randle got behind the defense for a 51-yard touchdown catch to give LSU 23 points in less than six minutes and a 30-10 advantage.

The Tar Heels' comeback began with a 97-yard touchdown pass from Yates to Boyd, halfway through the fourth quarter. It was the longest play from scrimmage in North Carolina history, and it cut the LSU lead to 31-17.

Following a defensive stop, North Carolina got the ball back and marched down the field, finishing the drive with a touchdown pass to Erik Highsmith -- Yates' third of the game -- to get within a score.

Boyd had six catches for 221 yards, as Yates' top target with Greg Little ruled ineligible. He's the fourth player in North Carolina history to post 200 receiving yards in a game.