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White rallies West Virginia past UNC

Dec 27, 2008 - 11:36 PM CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Ticker) -- Pat White authored a thrilling final chapter to his record-setting career at West Virginia.

White passed for a career-high 332 yards and three touchdowns, rallying West Virginia to a 31-30 victory over North Carolina in Saturday's Meineke Car Care Bowl.

The NCAA's all-time leading rusher among quarterbacks, White had faced scrutiny regarding his passing ability throughout his career.

But the senior southpaw was on target in his collegiate swan song, completing 26-of-32 attempts while connecting on seven passes of 20 yards or more.

"It feels good to leave Mountaineer Nation with a (win)," said White, who became the first quarterback in NCAA history to go 4-0 as a starter in bowl games. "Once a Mountaineer, always a Mountaineer."

It was the second straight postseason win for West Virginia head coach Bill Stewart, who was hired on a full-time basis last January after guiding the Mountaineers to an upset victory over Oklahoma.

Stewart, who received heavy criticism earlier this season following West Virginia's 1-2 start, deflected attention away from himself.

"It's never about Bill Stewart, it never has been," he said. "We're 9-4, including the bowl game last year we're 10-4. We've got a pretty good thing going."

The speedy White also ran for 55 yards to finish his career with 4,480 yards on the ground.

"(White) is the greatest winner in the game," Stewart said. "All the people in the Big East know it and all the people in America know it. This guy is the greatest player to ever wear a West Virginia football uniform. He's the greatest winner in the game today."

White gave the Mountaineers (9-4) a 31-30 lead with 7:14 remaining when he found Alric Arnett for a 20-yard TD. The go-ahead score came two plays after White hooked up with Jock Sanders for a 41-yard pass and run.

The teams exchanged possessions before North Carolina (8-5) began its final drive at its own 26-yard line with 3:15 remaining. After the Tar Heels recorded a first down, West Virginia sealed the victory when linebacker Pat Lazear intercepted T.J. Yates with just under two minutes left.

The disappointing loss spoiled an outstanding day for North Carolina wide receiver Hakeem Nicks, who hauled in eight receptions for a career-high 217 yards and three TDs.

Nicks gave UNC a 23-21 lead with his third TD of the game, a 25-yard reception from Yates with 10:37 left in the first half. The Tar Heels went ahead, 30-24, with 4:29 left in the third quarter when Yates scrambled to his right and stretched the ball across the goal line for a 4-yard TD run.

Despite stalling on their next three drives, the Mountaineers benefited from a crucial mistake by UNC running back Shaun Draughn, who lost a fumble at the West Virginia 31-yard line with 8:19 remaining.

Three plays later, White gave West Virginia the lead for good with his 20-yard TD to Arnett.

The game began in high-scoring fashion, as the teams exchanged touchdowns on five consecutive possessions in the first quarter.

Nicks snared a highlight-reel 73-yard TD catch from Yates to forge a 7-7 tie, but West Virginia responded just over 2 1/2 minutes later when White slung the ball over the middle to Arnett, who made a spectacular one-handed catch for a 44-yard TD.

UNC answered with a TD on the very next play from scrimmage, as running back Cooter Arnold tossed a 66-yard catch and run to Nicks to make it 14-14.

But West Virginia needed just five plays to reclaim the lead, as White zipped a 35-yard scoring strike to Bradley Starks to make it 21-14.

Yates finished 15-for-25 for 211 yards for the Tar Heels, who fell just short in attempting to win their first bowl game in seven years.