Syracuse University
North Carolina
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Reyes' Third Touchdown Gives SU a 49-47 Triple-Overtime Win Versus North Carolina
9/7/2003 12:45:35 PM | Football
Box Score
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Junior tailback Walter Reyes scored 14 points in overtime, and Kelvin Smith denied Jacques Lewis on the Tar Heels' two-point conversion attempt on their third possession of the extra session, to give SU a 49-47 victory versus North Carolina.
Reyes scored from 25 yards out on the first play of the third overtime and also tallied the two-point conversion to give SU a 49-41 lead. On the ensuing possession UNC quarterback Darian Durant hit Derrele Mitchell for a 10-yard touchdown, setting up Smith’s heroics.
Reyes rushed 28 times for a career-high 191 yards and tied his personal best with three touchdowns on the day. It was the seventh time Reyes has gone over the 100-yard mark, tying him with Malcom Thomas and Dee Brown for eighth all-time, and his 191 rushing yards is the 10th-highest single-game total in program history.
Senior Johnnie Morant caught seven passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns. All career highs. He also returned four kickoffs for 131 yards, giving him 291 all-purpose yards for the game. It was Morant’s 18th consecutive game with a catch, tying him with Quinton Spotwood for the third longest streak in SU history. It was also his first game with a touchdown reception since the Temple contest in 2001.
UNC kicker Dan Orner opened the scoring with a 46-yard field goal on the Tar Heel's first possession, and quarterback Darian Durant hooked up with John Dunn for a 10-yard touchdown that extended the Tar Heels' advantage to 10-0 at the 2:39 mark of the first quarter. Morant's 36-yard touchdown reception from senior quarterback R.J. Anderson pulled SU to within three, 10-7 with 16 seconds left in the quarter. North Carolina responded two possessions later when Durant tossed a 44-yard scoring pass to Mike Mason to put UNC ahead 17-7 with 10:18 left in the first half.
Reyes carried four times for 36 yards on SU's ensuing possession and capped the seven-play, 80-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown plunge. North Carolina answered again when Ronnie McGill connected with Brandon Russell on a 24-yard halfback pass that extended the North Carolina lead to 24-14 with 4:53 left in the half. Orner’s second field goal of the day, a 39-yard boot, gave the Tar Heels a 27-14 advantage at halftime.
Collin Barber’s 32-yard field goal cut the UNC lead to 10, 27-17 at the 8:18 mark of the third quarter. The field goal was the 17th of Barber’s career moving him into eighth place on SU’s all-time field goals made ledger.
After another Orner field goal, Morant returned the ensuing kickoff 52 yards to the UNC 48. On the next play Anderson and Morant hooked up on a 48-scoring strike to bring SU to within 10, 34-24 with 4:38 left in the quarter.
After trading punts, SU took over on the Tar Heel's 39-yard line and Anderson connected with Damien Rhodes for a 31-yard touchdown, Anderson's third touchdown toss of the day, to bring SU within a field goal, 34-31 with 7:42 left in regulation.
The Syracuse defense gave up two first downs on North Carolina's next possession, but stiffened and forced the Tar Heels to punt. Anderson completed eight passes on the ensuing 12-play drive, setting up a 37-yard Barber field goal that tied the score 34-34 with :27 left in regulation.
SU got the ball first in opening overtime period, and Reyes carried four times, the last a five-yard touchdown run to give SU a 41-34 lead. Durant responded with a four-yard touchdown scamper of his own to tie the score 41-41 and force another overtime session.
In the second overtime,Kellen Pruitt intercepted a Durant pass to give the ball to the Orangemen with a chance to win the game. After three rushes, Syracuse sent on Barber for a 37-yard field goal attempt . His kick sailed wide left, setting the stage for SU's victory in the third overtime.
Anderson finished with 288 yards on 20-33 passing tied his career-high with three touchdowns. Senior co-captain Rich Scanlon led SU’s defense with a career-high 15 tackles. Pruitt and sophomore Steve Gregory also posted personal bests with 11 stops each. Fullback Greg Hanoian made his first career reception in the first quarter. True freshman Marcus Clayton and Tanard Jackson made their collegiate debuts in the contest and Diamond Ferri recorded eight tackles, including four solos.
Darian Durant passed for 316 yards and four touchdowns for North Carolina, and Willie Parker led the UNC ground attack with 76 yards rushing.
The two teams combined for over 1,000 yards of total offense with Syracuse running 80 plays for a total of 518 yards, the highest yardage total since the Orangemen racked up 575 total yards against Temple in 2001.
It was the third triple-ovetime game for SU in the last 10 contests. The Orangemen defeated Virginia Tech in three overtimes last year 50-42 at the Carrier Dome. They also lost 37-34 to Auburn in three extra sessions in 2002.
The Orangemen return to the Carrier Dome to take on Louisville Saturday, Sept. 13. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m.
