University of North Carolina Athletics
Auburn, North Carolina Take Different Paths to the Peach Bowl
December 31, 2001 | Football
Dec 31, 2001
By PAUL NEWBERRY
AP Sports Writer
ATLANTA (AP) - North Carolina believes it's on the verge of a great season.
OK, so the Peach Bowl isn't exactly the Bowl Championship Series. Still, when a team that hasn't been anywhere since 1998 bounces back from an 0-3 start, any postseason game is a cause for celebration.
On Monday night, the Tar Heels (7-5) meet Auburn in the Peach Bowl, the final game of 2001.
"Some people believe we've already had a great season," first-year coach John Bunting said. "I say it's a good season. If we win this game, we can say we've had a great season."
Auburn, on the other hand, was expecting bigger and better things. The Tigers (7-4) played in the Southeastern Conference title game last season and were on the verge of going back again this year.
Ending the season with losses to Alabama and LSU wrecked any hope of playing in the BCS, forcing Auburn to settle for a belated trip to the Georgia Dome.
"To be totally honest, we didn't envision ourselves in this game," linebacker James Callier said. "You go for the stars, but sometimes you miss and hit the moon."
North Carolina started the season by losing road games to Oklahoma, Maryland and Texas - all of which ended the regular season in the Top Ten.
"We didn't have a terrible showing in any of those games," All-American defensive end Julius Peppers said. "We had confidence that we could pull together. We came together against Florida State."
North Carolina turned things around with a shocking 41-9 triumph over the Seminoles, beginning a five-game winning streak. There was another bump in a road when Ronald Curry, half of the quarterback rotation, missed two games because of an injury and a death in his family. The Tar Heels lost both, but clinched a bowl bid by winning their final two games after Curry returned.
Though they took different paths to the Peach Bowl, North Carolina and Auburn are linked in many respects.
"There are a lot of similarities, even down to the suspended receivers," unting quipped Sunday.
"I got mine earlier," Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville interjected.
Two weeks ago, Tuberville suspended Deandre Green, the team's second-leading receiver with 32 catches, for violating team rules. After the Tar Heels arrived in Atlanta, Bunting sent junior Bosley Allen home for the same unspecified reason, giving up a player who had 39 receptions for 562 yards and averaged 10.3 yards as a punt returner.
North Carolina will have offensive coordinator Gary Tranquill, who underwent surgery a couple of weeks ago for a lung infection. While the 40-year coaching veteran didn't take part in the team's outdoor practices, he was on the field Saturday for a workout at the Georgia Dome.
"He threw his hat and yelled and screamed," Bunting said. "The players got all fired up about that. They know Tranq is back."
Barring any complications, Tranquill will be in the booth calling plays for Curry and freshman Darian Durant.
Tuberville doesn't expect the quarterback rotation to cause any major problems for Auburn's defense.
"We prepare for the offense more than the quarterbacks," he said. "Both those guys are athletic and do a lot of things. It's not that big a transition."
Auburn will have its own rotation at running back. Freshman Carnell "Cadillac" Williams won't be able to play after breaking his shoulder blade in a Nov. 17 loss to Alabama.
Williams worked out with the team in Atlanta but X-rays showed the injury had not healed enough. Redshirt freshman Ronnie Brown will start at running back, but Casinious Moore and Chris Butler also will get playing time.
"We've had a running back by committee all year anyway," Tuberville said.
Players Mentioned
