University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina Postgame Notes vs. Pittsburgh, Dec. 26, 2009
December 26, 2009 | Football
Dec. 26, 2009
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• Making consecutive bowl trips for the first time since 1997-98, North Carolina made its third appearance in the Meineke Car Care Bowl and second straight, but the Tar Heels have dropped all three games. The Tar Heels made has lost its last three bowl games - all in Charlotte - after a 2001 Peach Bowl victory against Auburn.
• The Tar Heels made their 27th all-time bowl appearance and are now 12-15 in the postseason.
• Saturday's loss snapped a school-record winning streak of five in a row against teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25, dating to the start of the 2008 season.
• UNC is now 4-3 in seven all-time meetings with Pittsburgh. The Tar Heels last loss to the Panthers came in 1982.
• Wide receiver Greg Little, who caught seven passes for 87 yards Saturday, registered his first career game with multiple touchdown receptions with a 15-yard grab in the first quarter and a 14-yarder in the third. Five of his six career receiving scores have come this season. Little accounted for 70 yards (31 rushing, 39 receiving) on the Tar Heels' scoring drive on their opening possession.
• With his seven catches for 87 yards Saturday, Greg Little became just the fifth player in school history with 60 or more receptions in a single season. Little finishes the year with 62 catches, which ranks fifth on the UNC single-season list.
• With seven grabs against Pitt, Greg Little posted his third straight game of at least six catches and has recorded 315 yards receiving over this stretch.
• Quarterback T.J. Yates completed his first eight passes to become just the second quarterback in school history to reach the 500-completion mark. Yates was 19-for-32 for 183 yards and two touchdowns Saturday.
• With two catches for 26 yards Saturday, junior tight end Zack Pianalto broke the Carolina single-season record for receptions by a tight end with 33. Freddie Jones established the mark in 1996.
• Junior tailback Ryan Houston rushed for 83 yards on 24 carries and rushed for at least 66 yards in five of the last six games.
• Sophomore kicker Casey Barth's 37-yard field goal was his 21st of the year, which ties a UNC single-season record.
• Senior defensive end E.J. Wilson forced two first-half fumbles and posted five on the season after registering just one over his first three years at Carolina.
• True freshman Travis Bond made his first career start at right guard. Junior Alan Pelc made his first start of the year at center.
