University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina-SMU Football Game Notes
November 29, 2001 | Football
UNC-SMU Game Notes (PDF Format)
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NORTH CAROLINA
Date: Saturday, Dec. 1, 2001
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Site: Kenan Memorial Stadium (60,000, grass)
Series Record: Carolina leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: Carolina 28, SMU 24 on October 1, 1994 in Dallas, Texas
Rankings: Neither team is ranked
TV: None
Radio: Tar Heel Sports Radio Network, a division of Learfield Communications. Woody Durham (play-by-play), Mick Mixon (color) and Stephen Gates (sideline) provide the call. A live broadcast also is available on the University of North Carolina's official athletic website, TarHeelBlue.com
Websites: North Carolina (TarHeelBlue.com), SMU (SMUMustangs.com)
Injuries: SS DeFonte Coleman (left shoulder), DT Will Chapman (left knee) and WR Isaiah Robinson (right knee) are out for the season
SETTING THE SCENE
Needing a win to become bowl eligible, North Carolina (6-5, 5-3 ACC) faces SMU on Saturday, Dec. 1 at 1:30 p.m. at Kenan Stadium. The game will not be televised. The Tar Heels and Mustangs were originally scheduled to play on Sept. 15, but the game was rescheduled following the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States.
Since dropping its first three games of the season, Carolina has won six of its last eight contests, including a 52-17 win two weeks ago vs. Duke in its most recent outing. A win over SMU would match the best turnaround in Tar Heel history. Carolina also started the 1998 season 0-3, but won seven of the last nine, including the Las Vegas Bowl, to finish 7-5. The Tar Heels also need a win on Saturday to finish the season with a winning record for the 11th time in the last 12 seasons. Only one other Tar Heel head coach - Carl Torbush in 1998 - posted a winning season in his first year at UNC. Bunting also can tie Torbush for the most wins by a first-year coach with seven.
Saturday's game is just the 12th regular-season contest Carolina has played in the month of December and is the first since 1972. In 1972, Carolina defeated Florida, 28-24 in Jacksonville on Dec. 9 to cap a 10-1 regular season and advance to the Sun Bowl.
Carolina has not played a regular-season home game in December since defeating Virginia, 24-0 on Dec. 2, 1961. Overall, Carolina is 6-4-1 in regular-season games in December. Including bowl games, Carolina is 14-12-1 in games in December.
Carolina enters the game ranked first in the ACC and 15th nationally in total defense. The Tar Heels are first in the conference and seventh in the country in pass efficiency defense. Carolina also is first in the league in pass defense and first in opponents third-down conversions.
THE LAST TIME, THE ONLY TIME: CAROLINA 28, SMU 24
Carolina and SMU have met just one other time in series history. On October 1, 1994, in Dallas, Carolina quarterback Mike Thomas came off the bench in place of injured starter Jason Stanicek and led the Tar Heels to a 28-24 victory over an inspired Mustang squad. Carolina took a 21-3 lead before SMU rallied for a 24-21 lead in the second half. Thomas, in his most significant playing time in more than a year, connected with Octavus Barnes on a game-winning, 66-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter. Stanicek went out of the game late in the first half when he suffered severely bruised ribs after he was hit and forced to fumble near the SMU goal line.
SMU TIES FOR TENUTA
North Carolina defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta spent six seasons at SMU from 1989-94. Tenuta was part of an SMU rebuilding program as the Mustangs did not field a team in 1987 and 1988 because of NCAA probation. Tenuta was the defensive backs coach in 1989 under head coach Forrest Gregg and the following year was promoted to defensive coordinator. In 1992, the Mustangs led the Southwest Conference in pass defense.
CAROLINA AGAINST THE WAC
Carolina is a combined 3-1 against teams from the Western Athletic Conference, including last year's 30-9 win over Tulsa. Carolina also has wins over SMU in 1994 and UTEP in 1993. The only loss to a current member of the WAC was Rice in the 1950 Cotton Bowl, then a member of the Southwest Conference.
FINAL GAME FOR SENIORS
Although Carolina's seniors were honored prior to last week's game against Duke, today's game is the final game at Kenan Stadium for 18 Carolina football players. The seniors who are playing their final game at Kenan Stadium on Saturday are wide receiver Kory Bailey, place-kicker Chris Bender, tight end Doug Brown, quarterback Ronald Curry, wide receiver Danny Davis, defensive end Joey Evans, safety Billy-Dee Greenwood, cornerback Errol Hood, center Adam Metts, linebacker Quincy Monk, defensive tackle Anthony Perkins, linebacker Merceda Perry, place-kicker Jeff Reed, offensive lineman Alex Rozek, defensive tackle Ryan Sims, linebacker David Thornton and punter Brent White. Julius Peppers, who is in his fourth year with the Tar Heels, but is listed as a junior athletically, will be playing his final game in Chapel Hill.
PEPPERS A FINALIST FOR NAGURSKI TROPHY
Defensive end Julius Peppers is one of five finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is awarded annually to the nation's best overall defensive player. The other finalists are Syracuse defensive end Dwight Freeney, Florida defensive end Alex Brown, Oklahoma linebacker Rocky Calmus and Sooners safety Roy Williams. Peppers is only the second Tar Heel to be named a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy since the award first began in 1993. The other was Dre' Bly in 1997. That season, Bly was a finalist along with Andy Katzenmoyer of Ohio State and the winner, Charles Woodson of Michigan.
Peppers has 58 tackles this season, including 18 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. He also leads the team in interceptions and scored one touchdown this year on an interception return vs. Oklahoma. Peppers is three sacks shy of Greg Ellis' school record for career sacks with 32.5.
PEPPERS A FINALIST FOR LOMBARDI AWARD
Peppers is one of three finalists for the 2001 Rotary Lombardi Award, which is presented to the nation's top down lineman. The other finalists are Dwight Freeney of Syracuse and Alex Brown of Florida. Peppers is only the second Tar Heel to be named a finalist for the Lombardi Award. The other was Greg Ellis in 1997. Ellis was a finalist along with Florida State's Andre' Wadsworth, Nebraska's Grant Wistrom and Ohio State's Andy Katzenmoyer. Wistrom won the award.
Peppers has 58 tackles this season, including 18 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. He also leads the team in interceptions and scored one touchdown this year on an interception return vs. Oklahoma. Peppers is three sacks shy of Greg Ellis' school record for career sacks with 32.5.
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