University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina Football Notebook
September 12, 2002 | Football
Sept. 12, 2002
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Series Against The Longhorns
Carolina and Texas are playing the second game of a two-year series that began last year. In 2001, Carolina lost to the Longhorns, 44-14 in Austin. The Tar Heels and Longhorns are meeting for the ninth time overall, with Texas holding a 5-3 edge in series. Texas has won the last two meetings.
Carolina and Texas have played twice in Chapel Hill with each team winning one game. Saturday's game will be the first regular-season meeting in Chapel Hill since 1952, when Texas won 28-7. In one of the most memorable games in Carolina history, the Tar Heels defeated Texas, 34-7 in 1948 at Kenan Stadium.
The two teams have met three times in bowl games. Carolina defeated Texas in the 1980 Bluebonnet and 1982 Sun Bowls. In the most recent bowl matchup, Texas beat Carolina, 35-31, in the 1994 Sun Bowl. Mack Brown was Carolina's head coach in that game.
Ties To Texas
Last year: Texas 44, Carolina 14
Texas scored 30 unanswered points over the final 35 minutes and held Carolina to just 211 total yards as the Longhorns defeated the Tar Heels, 44-14, before 83,106 fans. Nathan Vasher set a Texas school record by returning eight UNC punts for 153 yards, including a backbreaking, 44-yard return for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
Dusty Mangum kicked three field goals for the Longhorns, including a 51-yarder and a pair of late second-quarter kicks that gave Texas a 20-14 lead at halftime.
Texas scored in a variety of ways, although Carolina held the Longhorns' highly-regarded passing game without a touchdown. Texas benefitted from an interception return for a touchdown, a punt return for a score, a long punt return that set up a short rushing touchdown and a safety.
It was the second straight game in which the Tar Heels had allowed a safety. Simms completed 17 of 35 passes for only 167 yards. His longest completions of the day were 19-yarders to wideouts Roy Williams and Sloan Thomas.
The Longhorns gained 326 yards, despite converting just four of 15 third-down chances.
UNC quarterback Darian Durant played in relief of starter Ronald Curry, completing 5 of 10 passes for 47 yards and one interception.
Carolina Against Ranked Opponents
For the second consecutive year, Carolina is facing a Texas team ranked in the Top 5. Last season, Texas was ranked No. 4 and this year, the Longhorns are No. 2 in the USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll and No. 3 in the AP poll.
Carolina has won two of its last three games against ranked opponents, including last season's 41-9 victory over FSU in Chapel Hill and a 38-3 win at No. 13 Clemson. Carolina lost at No. 22 Georgia Tech last year to end a five-game winning streak.
The FSU win equaled the highest ranked team Carolina had ever defeated according to Associated Poll records. Florida State was No. 6 in the AP Poll entering the game. Carolina also defeated No. 6 Duke in 1960 and No. 6 Navy in 1957.
