CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (October 14, 2006) USF's offense had its most balanced effort of the season in putting up 417 yards, and the defense tallied a season-best five sacks and allowed just two scoring drives that covered more than 24 yards to propel the Bulls to a 37-20 win over the Tar Heels.
USF (5-2, 1-1) sophomore running back Ricky Ponton came off a six-game suspension and ran for 101 yards on 17 carries, including two touchdowns. Redshirt freshman Matt Grothe was an efficient 14 of 21 or 158 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown pass was his ninth of the season through seven games, eclipsing USF's total all of last season. Grothe spread his completions over seven different receivers, and Amarri Jackson took a reverse and completed a pass for 25 yards to Cedric Hill, a ninth USF receiver on the day.
Meanwhile, five different USF players had a sack, while the defense limited North Carolina (1-5, 0-3) to 285 total yards and intercepted quarterback Cam Sexton twice, while limiting the freshman to nine of 26 passing for just 117 yards.
"You could see some energy there (with Ricky Ponton)," said USF head coach Jim Leavitt. "You could see he's a pretty good running back, and that he really helped us."
North Carolina did score first however after each team failed to move on its respective opening drive. After a 47-yard punt from Justin Teachey placed the Tar Heels at their own 30-yard line, North Carolina needed just six plays to move 70 yards, culminating with a 15-yard touchdown run by Ronnie McGill with 8:32 remaining in the first quarter.
USF's Mike Benzer missed a 46-yard field goal attempt on USF's next drive, but the Bulls soon got on the scoreboard after taking over again on their own 34-yard line. Grothe and Ponton combined for 26 rushing yards on the first four plays before Grothe found Jackie Chambers on a six-yard pass that put the Bulls at the UNC 34-yard line. Ponton ran for 15 more yards, setting up an impressive 19-yard reverse from Taurus Johnson that tied the game at 7-7.
On its first drive of the second quarter, the Bulls put together a five-play, 35-yard touchdown drive that was set up by senior Stephen Nicholas, who picked up his first career interception. Matt Grothe ran twice for a total of nine yards, and after he had to take a breather following a solid hit to the back, Pat Julmiste came in and ran for nine yards on his first play. After a false start penalty on USF and a two-yard Ponton run, Grothe returned with the ball at the UNC 21, and he found S.J. Green in the end zone for a 21-yard score that put the Bulls ahead 14-7.
Just two plays later, the USF offense was back on the field after Danny Verpaele picked off a Sexton pass and returned it to the UNC 21, where it took the Bulls just five plays to push the ball across the end zone again, this time on a one-yard Ponton run. Benzer missed the PAT, but the Bulls still had a 20-7 lead with 9:10 remaining in the half.
Two USF possessions later, Grothe did give up USF's only turnover of the game when he fumbled at the end of a six-yard run, allowing the Tar Heels to take over at the Bulls' 37. After the USF defense stymied for no yards on three plays, the Tar Heels lined up for a 52-yard field goal, but caught the Bulls in a maximum field goal block mode and kicker Connor Barth ran for 21 yards and a first down. But the defense came up large again, holding the Tar Heels to a 29-yard field goal that made the halftime score 20-10 in favor of the Bulls.
The Bulls quickly grabbed the momentum in the second half, starting shop at their own 29-yard line after a 27-yard kick return from Taurus Johnson. In just eight plays, Grothe piloted the team 71 yards, culminating the drive with a one-yard run from Benjamin Williams after Jackson threw his 25-yard end around pass to Hill at the one-yard line. Just like that the Bulls were ahead 27-10.
Although UNC responded with a field goal to stay within two touchdowns, the Tar Heels handed USF outstanding field position when Barth's onside kick attempt fell absolutely dead at nine yards, disallowing a UNC recovery. The Bulls took over at the 44-yard line and eight plays later Ponton went in from two yards out to put the Bulls up 34-13, the largest lead of the game with 3:38 remaining in the third quarter.
The Tar Heels did cut it back to 14 at 34-20, but the USF defense held strong and freshman kicker Delbert Alvarado picked up his first career field goal from 26 yards out after Grothe had led the offense 71 yards in 15 plays that erased 7:23 from the clock and sealed UNC's fate.
USF's next game comes next Sunday in front of a national television audience (ESPN) at Cincinnati at 8 p.m. With a win, the Bulls will become Bowl eligible for a second straight season. Ironically, it was Cincinnati that the Bulls beat last season for their sixth win as well.
