This allowed the Tar Heels to make one more play and score a game-tying field goal; the team went on to win the game 30–27 in double overtime.
The controversial ending resulted in an NCAA rule change for the following season, in which a 10-second runoff is assessed on clock-stopping penalties during the final minute of the game.
Nonetheless, freshman quarterback Tyler Bray had thrown 12 TD passes in his last four starts to get the Vols bowl eligible.
While the head referee declared the game over and Volunteers players and coaches streamed onto the field in celebration, the replay official called for a review since there had been one second left on the clock when the ball was spiked.
North Carolina kicker Casey Barth then kicked a 39-yard field goal to tie the score at 20–20 and send the game into overtime.
[7] [8] Because of the 4th quarter situation in which North Carolina's foul stopped the clock, a rule change was made effective beginning with the 2011 season.
The new rule calls for a 10-second runoff to be assessed in addition to any yardage penalty when the offense commits a foul that causes a clock stoppage unless the penalized team opts to take a time out.
[9] Two years later, the NCAA adopted additional rules stipulating that at least three seconds must be left in the half for a team to spike the ball and stop the clock for another play.