Durham, NC (Sports Network) - Sean Renfree threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Jamison Crowder with 13 seconds left in regulation to push the Duke Blue Devils past the North Carolina Tar Heels 33-30 in an Atlantic Coast Conference thriller at Wallace Wade Stadium.
Renfree threw for 276 yards and the one score on 23 -for-36 passing while also throwing an interception for Duke (6-2, 3-1 ACC). Conner Vernon caught six passes for a game-high 124 yards and Josh Snead had 99 yards rushing. Jela Duncan (74 yards) and Juwan Thompson (64) also had solid games on the ground.
Giovani Bernard rushed for 143 yards and a score for North Carolina (5-3, 2-2) which had won four straight entering play. Bernard also had team-highs in receptions (five) and receiving yards (68) as well as a touchdown reception. Bryn Renner completed 19-of-32 pass attempts for 198 yards and two scores.
A 30-yard field goal from Casey Barth opened up the scoring and gave North Carolina a 3-0 lead.
Anthony Boone scored on a two-yard run later in the first quarter to put Duke on top 7-3.
A pair of Ross Martin field goals, one from 28 yards and the other from 30 yards, helped Duke pull its lead to 13-3.
Barth booted a 23-yard field goal to cap off a nine-play, 80-yard drive on North Carolina's next possession.
A two-yard rushing touchdown from Duncan increased Duke's advantage to 20-6.
The Tar Heels would yet again settle for a Barth field goal, this one from 28- yard, to open the scoring in the second half. The field goal came at the end of a 14-play drive.
Martin added a 20-yard field goal on the end of a 12-play, 72-yard drive for the Blue Devils.
The first touchdown of the game for North Carolina came early in the fourth quarter when Bernard scored on a one-yard run.
Duke gave itself some breathing room with a 43-yard field goal from Martin on its next possession.
Renner capped off a 10-play drive of 75 yards with a five-yard touchdown pass to Sean Tapley as the Tar Heels stayed within striking distance.
The Tar Heels would finally take a lead after Bernard caught a four-yard passing touchdown from Renner.
Duke took over with a little over three minutes left in regulation trailing 30-26. Led by Renfree the Blue Devils drove the ball 87 yards on 14 plays capped by the game-winning touchdown pass from Renfree to Crowder.
Duke converted on 9-of-18 third down attempts while North Carolina was successful on only 4-of-15. Duke had only three touchdowns on seven red zone trips while the Tar Heels had two touchdowns in five tries.
Game Notes
