The Florida State Seminoles defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels 30-27 to capture their first ACC win of the season. FSU quarterback Christian Ponder had an outstanding game, completing 33 of 40 passes for 395 yards and three touchdowns. One of Ponder's completions was a 98-yard touchdown pass to Rod Owens, tying it for the longest pass play in FSU history. With the win, FSU improved to 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the ACC on the season.

1. www.fsunews.com //
fsview & florida flambeau sports ‘noles handle heels
26october2009
Cameron Mellor
sports editor
page8
Riding a three-game saw a little bit of every- quarterback Christian
losing streak and their thing from junior running Ponder set the Seminoles
worst start in 34 years, back Greg Little, the Tar up in the field goal range.
the Florida State football Heels took their opening True freshman kicker
team took care of business possession 80 yards in Dustin Hopkins was good
this past Thursday night 10 plays for a score. Little from 48 yards out, putting
against what was for- had three receptions on the score at 7-3 in favor of
merly ranked the nations’ the drive for a total of 53 the Tar Heels.
No. 3 ranked defense.. yards before he took a re- The momentum shifted
FSU (3-4, 1-3 Atlantic verse around the left side heavily in the Tar Heels’
Coast Conference) defeat- of the field for a five-yard favor on the next Semi-
ed the North Carlina Tar touchdown scamper. nole drive, as on first and
Heels in the closing minutes FSU’s first drive saw lit- ten from his own 27-yard
of the game to take home tle success as they lost two line, Ponder was hit as the
their first conference vic- yards on three plays be- offensive line collapsed,
tory of the season, 30-27. fore punting the ball away. fumbling the ball and set-
North Carolina (4-3, 0-3) After a UNC three-and-out, ting the Tar Heels up with
came out firing as they FSU got their first points a first and ten from the 12-
Jacobbi McDaniel celebrates victory over North Carolina // photo by Gerry Broome/AP
took the opening kickoff of the night after three yard line.
for a score. In a drive that completions by UNC would score two
Seminoles take down Tar Heels
see handle7
to capture first ACC win of season
behind the numbers
pass play in FSU history
and added credence to
Andrew
the fact that Ponder may
Dymburt
Although the Florida State
staff writer
be quietly becoming a
Seminoles football team is Seminole great.
having a dissappointing Ponder has thrown for
season in 2009 (3-4, 1-3 2,176 yards with 12
ACC), their team leader touchdowns to only one
and starting quarterback interception and has
Christian Ponder contin- shown arguably the most
ues to put up big numbers, improvement out of any
doing so this past Thurs- Seminole football player
upended Liz Brown
day against one of the na- since last season, when
staff writer
tion’s top rated defenses he passed for 2,006 yards
in North Carolina.
No. 7 Florida State upsets No. 2 UNC
while throwing 14 touch-
Ponder completed 33-of-
in double overtime in front of
downs and 13 intercep-
40 passes for 395 yards In front of a sold-out crowd “That was a heck of a per-
tions.
capacity crowd
and three touchdowns in of 2,000 fans — the sec- formance by our kids,”
Can it be argued that Pon-
the Seminoles’ first con- ond largest attendance in FSU head coach Mark
der should be considered
ference win of the year. In- school history — the sev- Krikorian said. “We knew
for the Heisman Trophy?
side of his near 400-yard enth-ranked Florida State it would be a very chal-
The answer to that ques-
performance was a 98- Seminole women’s soccer lenging game and it sure
tion is yes.
yard bomb down the right team stunned second- was. All the fans that were
Tebow has thrown for
side of the field completed ranked North Carolina, here tonight helped con-
only 1,159 yards and
to wide receiver Rod Ow- 3-2 in the final 12 seconds tribute to a great night of
eight touchdowns with
ens in the third quarter. of their double-overtime soccer in Tallahassee. The
four interceptions.
The Ponder-Owens con- matchup this past Thurs- good news for us is that
With five games left to
nection tied for the longest day night. we found a way to get a re-
play in the season, the
Seminoles need to win Sophomore Ella Stephan sult in the end.”
also, three out of their next five netted the golden goal off
a corner kick in the 110th With the win, the Tribe
volleyball in order to become bowl-
minute that clinched the (13-2-1, 6-1-1 ACC)
page7 eligible, which includes an
in-state showdown with victory over the Tar Heels snapped
sports brief No.1 ranked Florida and (12-2-1, 5-2-0 ACC). see upset6
page9 Timmy Tebow.