University of North Carolina Athletics
Postgame Notes
October 11, 2008 | Football
Oct. 11, 2008
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• Today's attendance of 60,500 tied the third-largest in Kenan Stadium history (62,000 vs. Florida State in 1997, 61,000 vs. South Carolina in 2007 and 60,500 vs. Texas in 2002).
• Carolina is now 5-1, its best start to a season since it went 8-0 at the start of the 1997 season.
• Saturday marked Carolina's first game as a ranked team since a 28-21 loss at Georgia Tech Nov. 1, 2001, and its first at Kenan Stadium since a 13-10 loss to Miami (Ohio) Sept. 5, 1998.
• Today's win is Carolina's first as a ranked team in the AP Top 25 since Jan. 1, 1998, when the #7 ranked Tar Heels beat Virginia Tech, 42-3, in the Gator Bowl in Carl Torbush's first game as the head coach.
• On Notre Dame's final offensive play: on 4th-and-13 from the 33, Jimmy Clausen's pass was caught at the 7-yard line by Michael Floyd, who was tackled by Jordan Hemby and Da'Norris Searcy. Hemby stripped the ball and Trimane Goddard recovered at the 19-yard line with three seconds to play. Sexton took a knee on the final play of the game to run out the clock.
• Carolina's win is just the second in 18 meetings with Notre Dame. The Tar Heels last defeated the Fighting Irish in 1960 by a 12-7 margin in a game played at Kenan Stadium.
• The win is the Tar Heels' fifth in 2008 after just four a year ago. Butch Davis is now 9-9 at Carolina.
• Carolina improved to plus-13 in turnovers margin in its five victories and plus-11 in all six games. (UNC was minus-two in its loss to Virginia Tech.) UNC's defense had two interceptions (one for a TD by linebacker Quan Sturdivant and another in the fourth quarter by Deunta Williams) and three fumble recoveries (Aleric Mullins, LaCount Fantroy and Trimane Goddard). This was Notre Dame's worst turnover margin since 2002 against Boston College.
• This was the most turnovers forced by the Tar Heels since Utah had five in 2005.
• Junior wide receiver Hakeem Nicks had nine receptions for 141 yards to record his eighth career 100-yard game, which set a UNC record. He shared the mark with Octavus Barnes. Nicks, who had seven catches for 116 yards in the first half, recorded a catch for the 19th straight game and the 28th time in 29 career outings.
• Two of Nicks' eight 100-yard games have come against the Fighting Irish. He posted a career-best 171 yards on six catches at Notre Dame in 2006 and has 312 yards on 15 catches in two games against the Irish.
• Nicks now has 146 career receptions, tying him for fifth in UNC history with Sam Aiken. He has 2,171 yards, which moves him past Na Brown into fourth place at UNC alltime.
• Sophomore linebacker Quan Sturdivant returned an interception 32 yards for a touchdown on Notre Dame's opening drive of the second half to bring the Tar Heels within a point at 17-16. It was the 13th pick of the season for UNC, which entered the week as the nation's leader in interceptions. Sturdivant has three career interceptions, including two this season. Sturdivant had 10 tackles today, the second game in a row in which he has recorded 10 or more tackles (11 vs. Connecticut).
• With Sturdivant's interception, Carolina has 334 interception return yards this season to move within seven of the school record of 341 yards in 1972 on 21 picks.
• Sophomore tailback Shaun Draughn ran for 91 yards on 17 carries today and has 200 rushing yards in the last two games.
• Sophomore tailback Ryan Houston, who ran for 28 yards on eight carries, scored on a 1-yard run for his third straight game with a short-yardage TD. Houston has four career scores.
• Junior quarterback Cameron Sexton was 18 for 32 with 201 yards passing and gave the Tar Heels their first lead of the game on a 4-yard rushing touchdown - just the second of his career - to open the fourth quarter. Sexton's last rushing TD came at Clemson in 2006.
• Sexton completed a career-high 18 passes (the 32 attempts also are a career high). His previous highs were 14 completions vs. Furman in 2006 and 28 attempts at Miami in 2008.
• Sexton was 8 for 12 for 75 yards in the second half.
• True freshman kicker Casey Barth connected on a career-long 42-yard field goal in the second quarter for the Tar Heels. He added kicks of 34 and 41 yards to account for all nine first half Carolina points. The 41-yarder was also a career long kick until he hit the one from 42. He made only one field goal coming into today's game.
• Sophomore linebacker Bruce Carter picked up his first career sack when he dropped Jimmy Clausen for a 15-yard loss in the first quarter.
• Wide receiver Brandon Tate missed most of the game after suffering a sprained right knee returning a punt in the first half. With Tate out of action, wide receivers Cooter Arnold and Kenton Thornton collected their first catches of the season. Tate had only nine all-purpose yards today.
• Carolina has 14 interceptions in six games, its highest season total since UNC had 15 pass thefts in 1997. The Tar Heels came into today's game leading the nation in interceptions under first-year defensive backs coach and coordinator Everett Withers.
• First downs after the first quarter were 11-4 Notre Dame. The rest of the game, first downs were 17-16 UNC.
Players Mentioned
