BLACKSBURG, Va. -- North Carolina celebrated the ACC's Coastal Division championship Saturday.

Virginia Tech gave its retiring coach a ride off the field anyway.

Spoiling the final home game in Frank Beamer's 29 seasons as Hokies' coach, the No. 17 Tar Heels clinched a spot opposite No. 1 Clemson in the ACC title game with a 30-27 overtime victory at sold-out Lane Stadium.

Minutes after wide receiver Quinshad Davis caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Marquise Williams to wrap up North Carolina's 10th straight win, Virginia Tech players emerged from their post-game locker room to carry Beamer off the field.

The crowd of 65,632, most of whom stuck around to hear a postgame speech by Beamer, chanted his name as the players carried him on their shoulders to the locker room.

"Let's be honest," Beamer said. "Thinking about my 29 years I've coached here, and the years I played here ... I'm a lucky guy. I'm not sad because it's my last game here. Virginia Tech has been great to me."

Beamer nearly won his 279th career game with one of the most dramatic comebacks in program history. The Hokies (5-6, 3-4 ACC) trailed 24-10 with less than five minutes left and the Tar Heels melting clock in their territory, but took advantage of two lost fumbles by Williams to force overtime.

Quarterback Michael Brewer hit tight end Bucky Hodges with an 8-yard scoring strike at the 2:54 mark and found wide receiver Isaiah Ford for a 4-yard touchdown pass on fourth down with 1:07 remaining.

Virginia Tech got the ball to start overtime but couldn't gain a first down, forcing kicker Joey Slye to toe a 41-yard field goal that gave it a brief 27-24 lead.

Four plays later, North Carolina coach Larry Fedora used a timeout to set up the winning play.

"They were talking about what plays to call and coach said, 'Throw it to 14.' I said, 'Good deal,'" Davis said, grinning.

It became a really good deal when Williams placed his throw on Davis' outside shoulder, away from his defender. Davis made the catch as he was falling to the ground in the right front corner of the end zone and the play withstood a brief replay review.

It wrapped up the Tar Heels' first division title since the ACC split into the Coastal and Atlantic Division prior to the 2004 season. At 10-1 overall and 7-0 in the conference, North Carolina maintained its remote hopes of advancing to the College Football Playoff.

"Coming into Lane, it was hard," Williams said. "We had to find a way. Even though I lost (three) fumbles, we found a way."

Williams completed 13 of 26 passes for 205 yards while rushing for 74 yards and a touchdown on 18 attempts. His 18-yard run 3:41 into the game initiated scoring.

Running back Elijah Hood, who finished with 115 yards on 17 attempts, appeared to give the Tar Heels breathing room when he scored on runs of 13 and 7 yards to snap a 10-10 tie in the first 7:04 of the fourth quarter.

But Brewer, who hit 20 of 35 attempts for 273 yards and tossed two interceptions while also rushing for a 3-yard touchdown in the third quarter, led an unlikely rally that nearly gave Beamer a fairy tale ending.

"We wanted to win that game for him," Brewer said. "He deserved to win that game."

The Hokies must win at Virginia, who they've beaten 11 straight years, next week to extend Beamer's career to a 23rd consecutive bowl game.

Fedora admitted the occasion was bittersweet.

"I have a lot of respect for Frank Beamer," he said. "College football is a better place when he's in it."

NOTES: When Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer's 29-year run ends following the season, the FBS coaches with the longest tenure will be Iowa's Kirk Ferentz and Oklahoma's Bob Stoops, who have been at their schools for 17 years apiece. ... North Carolina's second quarter fumble was its first turnover since an Oct. 24 victory over Virginia. ... During Beamer's tenure with the Hokies, 20 different FBS schools have burned through six or more coaches, led by Pittsburgh, Stanford and Vanderbilt with eight.