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FSU rallies for 30-27 win over North Carolina

The Associated Press

Florida State's Jacobbi McDaniel leads the charge to celebrate FSU's come-from-behind victory over UNC.

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By COREY CLARK

The Tallahassee Democrat

Published: October 23, 2009

Updated: 10/23/2009 01:07 am

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The North Carolina Tar Heels came into Thursday night with the No. 1 pass defense in the United States.

But they hadn't seen anything like Christian Ponder.

The Florida State junior quarterback sliced up the North Carolina defense for a career-high 395 yards (on 33 of 40 passing) and three second-half touchdowns in leading the Seminoles to a remarkable 30-27 comeback win at Kenan Stadium.

"I wouldn't trade my guy for anyone in America," FSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher said. "He's tough. He competes. He does everything a quarterback does."

Trailing 24-6 with 11:38 left in the third quarter, Ponder and the FSU offense caught fire and scorched the Tar Heels for the last two quarters.

Ponder's third TD of the night, an 18-yard pass to tight end Beau Reliford, capped the Seminoles' comeback. Those final points pushed FSU's record to 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the ACC.
There's no telling how many more victories Bobby Bowden will collect as the head coach of Florida State, but this was certainly a memorable one.

Especially considering how ugly his team looked in the first half.

The Seminoles' defense allowed the worst offense in the conference to drive 80 yards for a touchdown on its opening possession. And the up-and-down, hot-and-cold FSU offense went three-and-out on its first series.

And it was a struggle the rest of the half.

"You have to win close games to have a good year," Bowden said. "We finally won the fourth quarter ... our kids pulled it out."

The Seminoles were penalized nine times in the first two quarters, including a holding call that negated a 60-yard pass to Jarmon Fortson.

Ponder's fumble in the first quarter gave the Tar Heels the ball at the FSU 12 and two plays later T.J. Yates was finding a tight end - surprise - in the end zone for a touchdown pass and a 14-3 lead.
A late drive got the Seminoles to a first-and-goal at the UNC 3, but a five-yard loss on first down, followed by a delay of game penalty, pushed the offense back to its own 14.

Two short passes set up Dustin Hopkins' field goal and the score was 17-6 North Carolina at the break.
Keep in mind, UNC had scored a total of 10 points in its first two ACC games.

Ponder completed 12 of 15 passes for 114 yards in the first two quarters, but almost all of his completions netted fewer than 10 yards.

And the FSU rushing attack was non-existent.

The Seminoles had minus-14 yards rushing in the first half, with the running backs getting four carries for a total of eight yards.

"We had a come-to-Jesus meeting," Fisher said. "It was fire and brimstone, because I was hot."
And then the second half started. And it got worse.

A three-and-out for the FSU offense was followed by a 45-yard touchdown drive by the UNC offense and the score was 24-6.

When North Carolina quarterback T.J. Yates rushed in from 10 yards out, with 11:38 remaining in the third quarter, it was all but over.

Or was it?

Ponder came right back and led the first touchdown drive of the game, a 77-yard march that included three straight third-down conversions and culminated in a nice six-yard TD strike to Taiwan Easterling.
But the Seminoles were still down 11 with 21 minutes left in the game.

Then lightning struck.

Senior safety Jamie Robinson recorded his first interception of the season on the Tar Heels' next drive at the FSU 3-yard line.

One play later, after another delay-of-game penalty, Rod Owens was racing 98 yards for the longest touchdown pass of the season for FSU - and the longest in the history of this stadium - to make the score 24-20 in front of a stunned North Carolina crowd.

Hopkins then made it 24-23 on a 40-yard field goal and the Seminoles were just one point away with more than 12 minutes remaining.

The Tar Heels marched right down the field on the next drive, going 82 yards - all on the ground - and kicked a field goal to go up 27-23 with 7:27 left in the game.

It took Ponder all of a minute to answer. The redshirt junior quarterback hit Fortson on consecutive plays for 43 yards and then found Reliford all alone on the sideline for an 18-yard touchdown.
In little more than a quarter, Ponder had led the Seminoles to three touchdowns, 24 points and an improbable 30-27 lead against the No. 3 defense in the country.

When defensive end Markus White sacked Yates on the game's final play around midfield, the three-game losing streak was officially over and smiles had once again returned to the FSU sideline.

"I feel like with this team, we always have a chance," Ponder said. "Especially on the offensive side of the ball. I mean we can score on every drive."

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