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CHAPEL HILL -- Mother Nature wreaked havoc on North Carolina's season-opening contest against McNeese State on Saturday night, but there was nothing in the universe that could stop Brandon Tate.

"I felt like I was able to play a big role on special teams and offense," Tate said.

It was clear that Tate still hadn't quite come to grips with his historic performance. The senior wide receiver from Burlington racked up a school-record 397 all-purpose yards and scored two touchdowns to lead the Heels past the Cowboys 35-27 in the first-ever meeting between the teams.

It was the second-most all-purpose yards for a single game in ACC history, trailing only Wake Forest's John Leach, who had 411 against Maryland in 1993.

Tate did his damage on just 11 touches (three rushes, four catches, three punt returns and a kickoff return) and became the first UNC wide receiver to surpass 100 rushing yards in a game.

The Tar Heels, who were outplayed in nearly every other facet of the game, needed every bit of Tate's final jaw-dropping line: Ninety-three yards through the air, 106 on the ground, 142 on punt returns and 56 on his lone kick return.

Coach Butch Davis, who compared Tate's playmaking ability to the Chicago Bears' Devin Hester, readily admitted McNeese State's dominance -- if they could have only slowed Tate.

"They were better than us in a lot of phases of the game, but fortunately the only phase they didn't play as well in was with Brandon Tate," Davis said.

The game was delayed 1 hour, 48 minutes with 12:03 left in the opening half after a severe storm system brought frequent lightning strikes dangerously close to Kenan Stadium, leaving the scoreboard inoperable in the second half.

The weather delay swayed the momentum in McNeese State's favor, as the Cowboys rallied for three unanswered scores to take a 20-14 lead -- but it was Tate's night to shine.

The ex-Cummings High star hauled in a 57-yard touchdown reception from T.J. Yates midway through the third quarter giving the Heels the lead for good. Tate has made a name for himself in the ACC as a kick returner, already owning the league record for returns (98) and yardage (2,383) entering the game. His 20-yard rush early in the fourth quarter broke Derrick Fenner's 22-year-old single-game school record.

Tate racked up 237 all-purpose yards before the weather delay, which included an 82-yard punt return touchdown and a 54-yard run to set up Yates' 4-yard touchdown pass to Brooks Foster that gave the Heels a 14-0 lead before the delay. The touchdown return was the sixth of Tate's career -- three from punts, three off kickoffs.

"I still don't think the whole thing's sunk in yet," he said. "I just know we needed some big plays tonight and every time I got the ball I was able to make one."

McNeese St. 0 14 6 7 -- 27

North Carolina 7 7 7 14 -- 35

NC--Tate 82 punt return (Barth kick)

NC--Foster 4 pass from Yates (Barth kick)

McN--M.Fontenot 1 run (Bercegeay kick)

McN--Lawrence 70 punt return (Bercegeay kick)

McN--D.Fourroux 2 run (kick blocked)

NC--Tate 57 pass from Yates (Barth kick)

NC--Draughn 13 run (Barth kick)

NC--Little 5 run (Barth kick)

McN--Clark 16 pass from D.Fourroux (Bercegeay kick)

A--58,000.

McNeese St. UNC

First downs 22 13

Rushes-yards 46-152 29-163

Passing 239 221

Comp-Att-Int 18-32-1 15-26-1

Return Yards 71 142

Punts-Avg. 7-40.6 5-39.0

Fumbles-Lost 3-1 1-1

Penalties-Yards 8-64 5-51

Time of Possession 35:16 24:44

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING--McNeese St., Pendland 26-85, D.Fourroux 11-43, Jones 2-13, T.Jackson 2-7, Whitehead 2-4, M.Fontenot 2-1, Team 1-(minus 1). North Carolina, Tate 3-106, Little 14-37, Draughn 7-30, Houston 1-2, Team 1-(minus 2), Yates 3-(minus 10).

PASSING--McNeese St., D.Fourroux 14-26-1-181, M.Fontenot 4-6-0-58. North Carolina, Yates 15-26-1-221.

RECEIVING--McNeese St., Pendland 6-60, Whitehead 5-67, Lawrence 4-73, Broussard 1-16, Clark 1-16, Davis 1-7. North Carolina, Nicks 6-110, Tate 4-93, Foster 3-17, Rome 1-3, Draughn 1-(minus 2).