2010 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game

The 2010 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game featured the North Carolina Tar Heels, of the ACC, and the LSU Tigers, of the SEC, on September 4, 2010. The game took place in Atlanta, Georgia at the Georgia Dome. In the 2009 edition, Alabama defeated the Virginia Tech Hokies 34-24. Both teams made their Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game debut. LSU went on to win, with the help of a goal line stand, 30-24.
Game Summary
North Carolina would get off to a rough start as Johnny Whote would fumble on UNC's 2nd play of the game. LSU would not be able to convert, though as Josh Jasper would miss a 43-yd Field Goal. North Carolina's rough start would continue as UNC would fumble the ball again on the 2nd play of that possession. Jordan Jefferson would convert on LSU's next possession with a 6-yd touchdown pass to Russell Shepard to put the Tigers ahead 7-0. UNC would have another rough possession as LSU's Sam Montgomery tackled T.J. Yates for a loss of 9 yards on 3rd and 8 to force a 3 and out. LSU would not be able to convert on their next possession to as UNC was able to force a three-and-out on them. The 1st quarter would end with the Tigers ahead 7-0.
UNC would finally be able to convert as T.J. Yates had a 9-yd touchdown pass to Devon Ramsay to tie the game at 7-7. After UNC would force a punt on LSU's next possession, T.J. Yates had a 75-yd pass to Jheranie Boyd to get UNC all the way to the LSU 5 yard line and this would lead to a 20-yd field goal by Casey Barth to give the Tar Heels a 10-7 lead. LSU would strike back instantly as Russell Shepard would have a 50-yd touchdown run on LSU's 1st play of their next possession to give the Tigers a 14-10 lead. UNC would have another rough possession as they would fumble the ball which they would recover in the end zone and then they get tackled in the end zone which resulted in a safety and a 16-10 lead for LSU. LSU would also have a rough possession as Richard Murphy would fumble the ball on the UNC 46 yard line after a 2-yd pass from Jordan Jefferson resulting in a turnover. LSU would strike back instantly as Drake Nevis would sack T.J. Yates on 2nd and 8 which would lead to a 3 and out and then, Patrick Peterson would have a 87-yd punt return resulting in a touchdown to give LSU a 23-10 lead. LSU would keep their momentum going as they would force a three-and-out again on UNC and on their 1st play of their next possession, Jordan Jefferson would have a 51-yd touchdown pass to Rueben Randle to give LSU a 30-10 lead. LSU would maintain their momentum by forcing another three-and-out. LSU would have a 30-10 lead at halftime.
LSU would get off to a hot start in the 2nd half with a Ron Brooks 50-yd kickoff return and a Jordan Jefferson 21-yd pass to Mitch Joseph would help LSU being the ball all the way to UNC's 15-yd line and then, Stevan Ridley fumbled the football which would be recovered by UNC on their own 12 yard line. Both teams forced a three-and-out on each other's next possessions. UNC would be able to advance the ball to midfield on their next possession but a 5-yd delay of game penalty and a Josh Downs sacking T.J. Yates for a loss of 9 yards, UNC would be forced to punt. After both teams forced a three and out on each other's next possessions, the 3rd quarter would come to a close with LSU ahead 30-10.
LSU would get off to a hot start to the 4th quarter as they would be able to bring the ball all the way to UNC's 19 yard line but a 10-yd holding penalty and Kareem Martin sacking Jordan Jefferson for a loss of 22 yards, LSU would be forced to punt. UNC would explode on their next possession as T.J. Yates would have a 97-yd touchdown pass to Jheranie Boyd on their 1st play of that possession to cut the LSU lead to 30-17. UNC would be able to keep their comeback going as UNC would force LSU to punt and T.J. Yates would have a 14-yd touchdown pass to Erik Highsmith to cut the LSU lead to 30-24. UNC would recover an onside kick to maintain possession but they would be forced to punt. LSU would get nothing out of their next possession as Stevan Ridley would fumble the ball which would be recovered by UNC. With one minute remaining, UNC would be able to bring the ball all the way to the LSU 6 yard line but however, T.J. Yates would throw an incomplete pass to Zack Pianalto on their last play and LSU would hold off the UNC rally with a 30-24 win.
Scoring Summary

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