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Carolina D leads Heels to 31-13 win over BC

Nov 21, 2009 - 8:44 PM By JIMMY GOLEN AP Sports Writer

BOSTON(AP) -- Cam Thomas and Kendric Burney each had defensive touchdowns on Saturday as North Carolina scored three times in a span of 2 minutes, 19 seconds to open a 21-point lead and hold on to beat Boston College 31-13.

North Carolina (8-3, 4-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) forced six turnovers totaled to win its fourth consecutive game.

Deunta Williams had three interceptions, returning one 39 yards to the BC 6 inch-line with 4:42 left in the game. Ryan Houston ran it in from there for his second touchdown of the game to make it 28-13.

Boston College (7-4, 4-3) had an outside shot at winning the ACC division title, but that disappeared with a flurry of first-quarter turnovers by quarterback Dave Shinskie that helped spot the Tar Heels to a 21-0 lead. The Eagles would have needed to win their last two games and hope Clemson lost to Virginia, which is in last place in the ACC Coastal Division.

Shinskie fumbled away one ball that Thomas returned 20 yards for a touchdown and then, two plays later, threw an interception that Burney ran in from 30 yards out. Shinskie had four interceptions in all; he also fumbled twice more when BC recovered, and another interception was negated by a pass interference call.

Mike Marscovetra relieved him late in the fourth quarter; his first pass was picked off by Melvin Williams.

T.J. Yates threw three interceptions of his own, including one in the end zone when Carolina was still sitting on a 21-13 lead. But Roderick Rollins, who had been called for a late hit that moved the Tar Heels in position to score, outjumped the receiver and kept BC in the game.

Three plays later, Deunta Williams grabbed his third interception of the game.

Montel Harris ran 23 times for 132 yards for BC, becoming the 16th back in school history to reach the 2,000 yard plateau. Rich Gunnell caught six passes for 60 yards and the Eagles' only touchdown and left-footed walk-on Steve Aponavicius, playing his last home game in the stadium where he was discovered, made two field goals to remain perfect for the season.

With bowl scouts in the press box and Boston College looking for just its second perfect home season since 1985, the Eagles couldn't hold onto the ball.

Houston ran for 1 yard to make it 7-0, and the Eagles ran just two plays before Shinskie fumbled when was hit from behind by E.J. Wilson. Thomas, a defensive tackle, picked the bouncing ball up and rumbled the last 20 yards, fighting off Harris near the goal line and scoring his first career touchdown to make it 14-0.

After BC got the ball back, Shinskie ran just one play before Burney cut in front of the receiver and took the interception 30 yards for another TD. It was his third career interception return for a touchdown, a school record.

It was 21-0 before BC got its first, first down, with 5 minutes left in the first quarter. But the Eagles trailed just 21-13 at the half, converting three Carolina turnovers into a pair of field goals and then a 2-yard pass to Gunnell with 1:13 left in the second quarter.