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News Nuggets, 10.31.04
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Games of interest: Hurricanes stall in Chapel Hill

CHAPEL HILL — When it mattered most, when Miami needed one defensive stand to force overtime, the Hurricanes simply couldn't do it.

That fact, perhaps as much as a loss that might have taken them out of the national title race, clearly irked coach Larry Coker.

``It's mind boggling,'' he said.

Connor Barth booted a 42-yard field goal on the final play of the game, giving North Carolina a shocking 31-28 upset of the fourth-ranked Hurricanes on Saturday night.

Miami was one of seven unbeaten teams at the start of the day.

When Miami called a timeout just before the kick, fans began lining the hedges just outside the sidelines in preparation for the celebration. The ball flew just inside the left upright, and soon the field was covered with people, celebrating North Carolina's first win over a top five opponent. Both goal posts went down.

``It's the best feeling in the world,'' Barth said. ``I've never made a game-winner like that. That was the first one ever, and what a game to do it in.''

Darian Durant led the Tar Heels (4-4, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) on a 65-yard drive for the winning points, completing all four passes and getting the final 5 yards on a keeper up the middle. He finished 21-for-29 for 266 yards and two touchdowns, and Chad Scott overcame an injured hip to rush for a career-high 175 yards.

``It just goes to show that anybody can be beaten on any given day, especially in this conference,'' Durant said.

Miami (6-1, 3-1) trailed by seven points with 5:24 left, but Brock Berlin drove his team 89 yards to tie it. Devin Hester went in on a sweep from the 11, setting up the final possession for Durant and North Carolina.

Berlin was 20-for-35 for 338 yards and two touchdowns, but the Hurricanes had only 77 yards rushing, the first time all season they've failed to reach 100.

College football weekend: stars & storylines

STARS

 — Joel Statham threw for 333 yards and ran for a score as Maryland held on to beat fifth-ranked Florida State 20-17.

 — James Pinkney was 26 of 36 for 285 yards and three touchdowns in East Carolina's 38-28 win over Army.

 — Adrian Peterson rushed for 249 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown run, in No. 2 Oklahoma's 38-35 victory over Oklahoma State.

 — Michael Hart had 33 carries for 224 yards  — his third straight 200-yard game  — and a TD to lift No. 12 Michigan to a 45-37 triple overtime win over Michigan State.

 — Cory Ross ran for a career-high 194 yards and two touchdowns to lead Nebraska to a 24-3 victory over Missouri, giving the Cornhuskers sole possession of first place in the Big 12 North.

 — Joshua Cribbs rushed for 223 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 150 yards and another score to lead Kent State to a 42-16 win over Ohio.

 — Noah Herron ran 3 yards for a touchdown with 38 seconds left to lift Northwestern to a 13-10 upset of No. 17 Purdue.

 — Jerious Norwood ran for 165 yards, his third straight 100-yard rushing performance, for Mississippi State in a 22-7 win over Kentucky.

 — Rudy Arcara ran for 313 yards and two touchdowns to help Iona edge La Salle 42-35.

 — Dustin Long threw for 361 yards and four touchdowns as Sam Houston State beat Stephen F. Austin 31-28.

STUNNED

Maryland defeated fifth-ranked Florida State 20-17, the Terrapins' first victory against the Seminoles.

BLANKED

The UCLA Bruins posted their first Pac-10 shutout in 17 years with a 21-0 victory over Stanford. ... Middle Tennessee State blanked Utah State 21-0, the first time the Aggies had been shut out since 1999.

MILESTONES

Texas' Vince Young became the 10th player to surpass 5,000 yards rushing with 141 yards in a 31-7 victory over Colorado. ... Georgia's David Greene tied Eric Zeier's school record with 67 touchdown passes and matched Peyton Manning for the most victories by a starting quarterback in NCAA Division I-A history at 39. ... North Texas' Jamario Thomas became just the fourth freshman to rush for 1,000 yards in his first seven games with a 10-yard run on the first play from scrimmage against Louisiana-Monroe.

SWINGS

No. 17 Purdue lost its third straight, 13-10 to Northwestern, after starting the season 5-0.

SHOOTOUT

Air Force and Wyoming totaled 979 yards in the Cowboys' 43-26 win.

LONG TIME COMING

Texas El Paso secured its second winning season in 16 years with a 38-20 victory over San Jose State.

SNAPPED

No. 10 Georgia ended a six-game losing streak against rival Florida with a 31-24 victory.

STREAKING

Illinois (2-7, 0-6) lost to No. 23 Iowa 23-12, dropping its sixth game in a row and losing its 14th consecutive Big Ten game. ... East Carolina beat Army 38-28, ending the Black Knights' first winning streak in seven years. ... Penn extended its Ivy League record for consecutive wins to 19 with a 20-16 victory over Brown. ... Duquesne has won 15 games in a row at home and 32 straight conference games after a 7-3 win over Marist.

SPEAKING

``The only reward in this game is winning. It's no fun to practice, it's no fun to play and lose.''  — Indiana coach Gerry DiNardo after a 30-21 upset of 24th-ranked Minnesota.

``Nothing lasts forever. You get 14 wins in a row, and it happens when you least expect it.''  — Florida State coach Bobby Bowden after a 20-17 loss to Maryland.

``I just told him it was embarrassing, flat out simple. I said: 'You are embarrassing yourself, you are embarrassing the program.'''-West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez after wide receiver Chris Henry was kicked out of the game for two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in West Virginia's 35-30 win over Rutgers on Saturday.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2004 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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