Heels gaining confidence

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Heels ring up a win

It was fitting two players from North Carolina's defense got the Victory Bell first.

Defensive end E.J. Wilson and cornerback Charlie Brown hopped on the rickety, spray-painted wagon for a celebratory ride after the Tar Heels rode their defense, and running back Ryan Houston, to a 19-6 victory over Duke on Saturday at Kenan Stadium.

The Tar Heels kept Duke's dangerous offense out of the end zone, limited quarterback Thaddeus Lewis to 113 passing yards, sacked Lewis three times and intercepted two passes. Behind a patchwork line, Houston, the second-string back, pounded out a career-best 164 yards on a whopping 37 carries, the most carries by a UNC back since 1990.

Recap: Virginia Tech vs. North Carolina

Casey Barth kicked a 21-yard field goal as the clock expired, as North Carolina took advantage of an untimely fumble to upend 14th-ranked Virginia Tech, 20-17, at Lane Stadium.

Barth kicked two field goals inside the final three minutes, the second made possible by Virginia Tech freshman tailback Ryan Williams' fumble deep in Hokie territory near the two-minute mark. UNC ran Ryan Houston six consecutive times to gain the four, and Barth banged home the game-winner from the right hash to give the Tar Heels (5-3, 1-3 ACC) their first conference win.

T.J. Yates threw for only 131 yards on 18-of-28 attempts but connected on a pair of clutch TD passes to Jheranie Boyd and Greg Little as North Carolina earned its first win over the Hokies since Virginia Tech started ACC play in 2004.

Heels turn to defense in rout

The emphasis on defense in practice this week was pointed: "Take it away, take it away, take it away," North Carolina linebacker Quan Sturdivant said.

And by doing that Saturday -- six times during a 42-12 blowout victory against Georgia Southern -- UNC's "D" ultimately gave back. Not just to the victory column (4-2), but to the Tar Heels' confidence.

"It was critical for us to get a win," wide receiver Greg Little said. "We talked about defense creating turnovers and the offense pushing big plays ... and to come out and do that was tremendous -- especially going into a bye week."

Interceptions help Carolina upset Miami

With a 33-24 win over No. 12 Miami on Saturday, North Carolina clinched a bowl bid for the second straight season.

The Tar Heels have not been to consecutive bowl games since 1997 and 1998. They also won their third straight against Miami, fifth straight against a ranked opponent and improved to 4-0 all-time at home against the Hurricanes. All of the above is good, junior cornerback Kendric Burney said, but it's not the end of the season.

"There's still a lot more we can do," said Burney, who had three interceptions, scored a touchdown and had an assist in a second defensive touchdown.

Yates finds measure of redemption

Just when it looked like North Carolina's experience on Thursday night was not only the worst kind of rerun but a series headed for cancellation, the Tar Heels did something they couldn't do a week ago.

Instead of retreating, they regrouped. Instead of folding, they fought. Instead of another dismal loss on national television, they posted one of the biggest wins of Butch Davis' tenure, knocking off Virginia Tech 20-17 on a Casey Barth field goal with no time left on the clock.

T.J. Yates took as much heat as anyone for what happened last week in the Tar Heels' 30-27 loss to Florida State. If there was redemption to be sought, he found it.