University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina Set to Tackle Syracuse on Saturday
September 5, 2003 | Football
Sept. 5, 2003
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Time: 1:35 p.m.
TV: None
Site: Kenan Stadium (natural grass, 60,000)
Series Record: Carolina leads, 2-1
Last Meeting: Carolina 30, Syracuse 22 on September 7, 2002, in Syracuse, N.Y.
Rankings: Neither team is ranked
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); Syracuse (suathletics.com)
Injuries: TBA
After opening the 2003 season last week with its first shutout loss at home since 1989, North Carolina looks to end a seven-game losing streak at Kenan Stadium this weekend against Syracuse. The Tar Heels face the Orangemen in Chapel Hill on Saturday, Sept. 6, at 1:35 p.m. The game will not be televised.
Carolina is looking to win its second straight over Syracuse after winning last season, 30-22, in the Carrier Dome. In the short series between the two schools, neither team has ever won at home. Saturday's game is the season-opener for Syracuse.
UNC-SYRACUSE SERIES NOTES
Carolina and Syracuse are meeting for just the fourth time. In all three previous meetings the road team has prevailed. Syracuse defeated the Tar Heels, 20-9, in the 1995 season opener at Kenan Stadium. Carolina returned the favor with a 27-10 victory at the Carrier Dome the following season. The 1996 victory over the No. 9 Orangemen was Carolina's first road victory over a top 10 opponent since 1966. Carolina continued the trend last year with a 30-22 win at the Carrier Dome, scoring two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to earn the victory.
NEWCOMERS SEE ACTION
Eight true freshmen saw action in Carolina's loss on Saturday evening to Florida State, including safety Kareen Taylor, linebacker Larry Edwards, linebacker Fred Sparkman, linebacker Melik Brown, tailback Ronnie McGill, wide receiver Adarius Bowman, wide receiver Mike Mason and wide receiver Jesse Holley. All eight played in the first half and seven played in the first quarter. Last year, Carolina played just seven true freshmen all season.
rown, who started at linebacker, and McGill saw the most extensive action. McGill led the team with 48 rushing yards on 12 carries, including a long of 19 yards. Mason, a native of Rocky Mount, N.C., caught five passes for 25 yards.
A total of 17 Tar Heels played in their first career game against Florida State. In addition to the eight true freshmen, junior college transfer Lionell Green, tight end John Dunn, tight end Justin Phillips, offensive tackle Brian Chacos, offensive tackle Drew Hunter, punter David Wooldridge, defensive back D.J. Walker, linebacker Victor Worsley and junior transfer running back Chad Scott saw action for the first time. In John Bunting's three seasons at Carolina, 21 true freshmen have seen playing time, including six in 2001, seven in 2002 and eight in 2003.
OFFENSIVE LINE EXPERIENCE
Carolina has one of the most experienced offensive lines in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tar Heels returned all five starters on the offensive line this season for the first time since 1996. Carolina's starting five offensive linemen includes two seniors and three juniors. Those five - guards Jeb Terry and Jupiter Wilson, tackles Willie McNeill and Skip Seagraves, and center Jason Brown - have combined to make 92 career starts.
Terry, a senior from Dallas, Texas, is a three-year starter who leads all linemen with 23 career starts. McNeill, a junior from Wagram, N.C., has 21 career starts and has started at least 10 games in each of the last two seasons. Wilson, a senior from Chesapeake, Va., has 19 career starts and has started at least eight games in each of the last two seasons. Brown, a junior from Henderson, N.C., has 16 career starts, including 13 straight at center. Seagraves, a junior from Burlington, N.C., became a full-time starter in 2002 and has 13 career starts.
In addition to the starting five, sophomore guards Kyle Ralph and Steven Bell have seen extensive playing time over the last two seasons. Ralph started five games as a true freshmen in 2002 and Bell made two starts last year.
In Carolina's season opener against Florida State, nine players (Terry, McNeill, Wilson, Brown, Seagraves, Ralph, Bell, Brian Chacos and Drew Hunter) played on the offensive line.
