Tar Heels rally, edge Irish

by Pete Byrne (pmbyrne@wsbt.com)

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North Carolina's Kendric Burney (16) follows Notre Dame's Golden Tate (23) into the end zone for Notre Dame's first touchdown in the first half of a NCAA college football game Oct. 11, 2008, Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Sara D. Davis)

By WSBT Sports

Story Created: Oct 11, 2008 at 4:11 PM EST

Story Updated: Oct 11, 2008 at 11:21 PM EST

CHAPEL HILL, NC -- Notre Dame bid to win on the road, upset a ranked team, and likely move into the top 25, came up a few yards short Saturday, falling to North Carolina 29-24.

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Turnovers plagued the Irish, in a tale of two halves.

Notre Dame took the lead early. Jimmy Clausen hooked up with Golden Tate for the game's opening score, a 19-yard touchdown to put Notre Dame up 7-0.

Much maligned kicker Brandon Walker scored Notre Dame's next points.
Walker booted a 42-yard field goal right through the middle of the uprights, giving the Irish a 10-3 lead early in the 2nd quarter.

Shortly before halftime, Jimmy Clausen threw his 2nd touchdown pass of the game. A perfect pass to freshman Mike Floyd on 3rd and goal lifted the Irish to a 17-6 edge.

By halftime, Clausen had already thrown for 200 yards. The Irish defense had not allowed a touchdown, holding the Tar Heels to three field goals. The momentum belonged to Notre Dame, who led 17-9.

One play in the 2nd half changed everything. The Tar Heels intercepted Clausen on the first play of the 3rd quarter, and returned it 32 yards for the touchdown, to make it a 17-16 game. Perhaps more important than the score, the Heels had stolen the "Big Mo".

Notre Dame tempered that, responding with a 72 yard scoring drive, capped-off by a two yard touchdown run, the first of his career. That gave Notre Dame a 24-16 lead.

Carolina answered with a touchdown drive of their own, a short run by Ryan Houston. The Tar Heels went for two and Cameron Sexton's pass was batted down.

Notre Dame led 24-22 after three quarters.

However, the Irish couldn't hang on (to the football, or the lead). North Carolina turned another Irish turnover, a Clausen forced fumble, into another score.

Early in the 4th quarter, quarterback Cameron Sexton scored on the bootleg. The touchdown gave North Carolina their first lead of the game, 29-24 with 14:55 remaining.

Notre Dame made three strong bids to win after that. The first stalled on the North Carolina 23-yard line, as the Irish turned it over on downs.

The second, when Clausen was intercepted in the red zone, for the second time in the game.

Finally, with 11 seconds left, and Notre Dame facing 4th down on the Tar Heel thirty yard line, Jimmy Clausen found Mike Floyd over the middle for the 1st down. Falling to the ground, Floyd was stripped and once again, North Carolina recovered.

Notre Dame's fifth and final turnover, ended their chance at victory.

Notre Dame falls to 4-2 on the season heading into their bye week.

Lost in defeat, is a 3rd consecutive career high by Clausen in passing yards with 384.

Notre Dame returns to action October 25th at Washington.

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