N.C. blows out S.C. in the Shrine Bowl

North Carolina dominated the 79th annual Shrine Bowl at Wofford College Saturday, winning 54-39 aganst South Carolina on Saturday.

North Carolina QB and Oklahoma commit Austin Kendall won North Carolina’s Offensive MVP honors by throwing for 203 yards on 14 of 17 passing and three touchdowns as the Tarheels snapped a three-game losing streak to the Sandlappers.

The 93 combined points scored between the two teams broke the previous record of 80 set in South Carolina’s 66-14 win in 2000.

J.H. Rose wide receiver Cornell Powell, a Clemson commit, had 264 yards of total offense and two touchdowns, including a 99-yard kickoff return to put North Carolina up 21-6 in the first quarter.

The Tarheels stretched the lead to 35-12 with 12:52 left in the second quarter when Kendall hit Virginia Tech commit Devine Diablo on a 24-yard touchdown pass.

South Carolina answered with a pair of touchdowns, and K.J. Chamberlin’s 50-yard interception return in the second quarter got the Sandlappers within 35-26 with 1:46 left in the second quarter.

TURNING POINT

Leading 21-12 in the first quarter, North Carolina scored two touchdowns in a three minute, 17 second span. Rico Dowdle scored on a 15-yard run to make it 28-12 with 1:09 left in the first quarter. On South Carolina’s next possession, Tyler Pistorio (Providence High) blocked Matt Graveley’s punt and North Carolina recovered on the South Carolina 21. Three players later, Kendall hit Diablo on a 24-yard pass to make it 35-12 with 12:52 left in the second quarter.

KEY NUMBERS

36: Average yards per kickoff return for North Carolina

3: Combined number of blocked kicks and punts for North Carolina.

788: Combined total offense between the two teams.

This story was originally published December 19, 2015 at 8:11 PM with the headline "N.C. blows out S.C. in the Shrine Bowl."