On This Date: 1999 Clemson- 31 North Carolina- 20

Oct 2, 2022, 11:42 AM

10/02/1999
Death Valley, SC

FOOTBALL FALLS TO CLEMSON, 31-20

Box Score

By MARK PRATT

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) - Woody Dantzler, playing for injured starter Brandon Streeter, passed for one touchdown and ran for another to lead Clemson to a 31-20 victory over North Carolina on Saturday.

With the Tar Heels (1-3, 0-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) leading 17-10 in the third quarter, Dantzler hit Rod Gardner with a 49-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 17-17.

Then, midway through the fourth quarter, Dantzler gave the Tigers (2-2, 2-0) some breathing room with a 56-yard tackle-breaking run down the sideline.

The run was the longest from scrimmage for the Tigers since the last game of the 1997 season. Dantzler rushed 11 times for 82 yards and completed 7-of-15 passes for 131 yards.

The victory made Tommy Bowden just the second Clemson coach to win his first two ACC games. Red Parker won his first two conference games in 1973.

Bowden has Dantzler to thank.

The sophomore, who had limited playing time as a freshman, came in for Streeter with about four minutes left in the first quarter after Streeter broke his collarbone falling out of bounds at the end of a 14-yard run on third-and-9. The senior was 8-for-11 for 77 yards when he was hurt.

Dantzler kept the drive going with an 8-yard run before Travis Zachery (129 yards on 28 carries) gave the Tigers a 7-0 lead with an 8-yard touchdown.

The Tar Heels pulled ahead 17-10 in the third quarter on touchdown runs by Deon Dyer and Daniel Davis and a Josh McGee field goal.

Then Dantzler found a wide open Gardner behind the North Carolina secondary for a 49-yard touchdown pass that tied the game. It was Dantzler's first career touchdown pass. Gardner had seven catches for 127 yards.

Terry Witherspoon put the Tigers ahead 24-17 with a 1-yard dive midway through the third quarter, and McGee made it 24-20 with his second field goal. Dantzler secured the victory with his long run.

Clemson's defense played its part by limiting the Tar Heels to 275 yards of total offense, picking off four passes and sacking North Carolina quarterback Ronald Curry seven times.

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Best Is The Standard

Do you know if this whole game is available anywhere online? I was a walk-on in 1999 and late in the game, Robert Carswell got the game-ending interception. I was a tight end, and lucky to have Brad Scott as a coach. Brad Scott looked at me and said "go in there".... Tommy Bowden was screaming at him over the headset for putting me in there, but before I went in, Brad grabbed me and said, "just don't jump offsides".

I don't even remember the play, but I was pretty sure that even though the game was over, Julius Peppers was lined up across from me and I was thinking I was about to be murdered. I didn't jump offsides.

I had no business being on that team... athletically and physically, I was not up to par, but I worked hard on the scout team and loved getting the defense ready for the upcoming game. I loved being with Reggie Herring every practice and hearing the hilarious things he said.

I have a VHS tape of the game, but would love to get a digital copy to watch.

On This Date: 1999 Clemson- 31 North Carolina- 20

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