Sophomore quarterback Chas Dodd has been efficient in the first half for the Rutgers University football program, but the Scarlet Knights defense and special teams have not been able to stop the big play of the University of North Carolina, which leads 17-12 at halftime in a non-conference game in Chapel Hill, N.C. Dodd finished the first half completing 10-of-24 passes for 83 yards and a 19-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mohamed Sanu, which came with 19 second remaining in the second quarter and cut the RU deficit to 14-12.
However, on the ensuing RU kick off, UNC junior wide receiver T.J. Thorpe ran 59 yards to the Scarlet Knight 35-yard line. After a six-yard screen pass from sophomore quarterback Bryn Renner to freshman running back Giovani Bernard, Tar Heels kicker Casey Barth nailed a 46-yard field goal to help UNC take a 17-12 advantage into halftime.
The Tar Heels first score of the game came on a 66-yard TD pass from Renner to senior Dwight Jones, which helped make it 7-0. After a pair of field goals by RU kicker San San Te, which came early in the second quarter, UNC's Bernard ran 60 yards into the end zone to help make it 14-6 with 9:26 remaining in the half.