University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina To Face Auburn In Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
December 9, 2001 | Football
Dec. 9, 2001
AUBURN, Ala. - The ACC vs. SEC Showdown on New Year's Eve is set. The Tigers-Tar Heels match-up was completed when Auburn Athletic Director David Housel today accepted an invitation to represent the Southeastern Conference in the 34th annual Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Dec. 31 in Atlanta.
"This is absolutely the best game we could have asked for," said Gary Stokan, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl president. "Auburn defines great SEC football tradition, and they got the job done this year as co-champions of the SEC West and earned their way into our game with huge wins over Florida, Georgia and Ole Miss."
The Tigers finished the season 7-4 (5-3, SEC) - tied for first in the SEC West and were ranked as high as No. 17 (Nov.11, AP). Auburn is making its third appearance in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and is 2-0 all-time (1996: defeated Clemson 21-17, 1990: defeated Indiana 27-23).
"This is a tremendous step forward for our program," Auburn Athletic Director David Housel said. "Winning our second divisional championship and going to the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl is a great statement for what coach Tuberville and our team has accomplished in the last three years. We look forward to going to Atlanta. The people in the tourism and service industries have gone out of their way to make us and all Auburn people feel welcome there."
oth Auburn and North Carolina enter the game with seven wins and 5-3 conference records setting up what could prove to be another chapter in the Bowl's long history of close games. UNC and Auburn each played a tough slate of games this season with Strength of Schedule rankings of No. 19 and No. 20 respectively.
"We're extremely excited to be playing in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl," head coach Tommy Tuberville said. "The Peach Bowl has a great tradition and I know our players and fans will enjoy being in Atlanta. We're looking forward to the challenge of facing North Carolina in the Dome on New Year's Eve."
This year's Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl will feature 2001 Lombardi Award and ednarik Award winner Julius Peppers and a tough Tar Heels team against an equally strong Tiger club led by Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner Kendall Simmons and All-America special teams playmaker Damon Duval.
The Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl is the only guaranteed ACC vs. SEC match-up and is recognized as the most competitive bowl game in history with an average margin of victory of 8.8 points. The 2001 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl will be played 7:30 p.m., Dec. 31 in the Georgia Dome and will be nationally televised on ESPN.
