University of North Carolina Athletics
N.C. State Game Guide
November 19, 2010 | Football
Nov. 19, 2010
By Lauren Brownlow
The Basics
North Carolina (6-4, 3-3) will host NC State (7-3, 4-2) for the 100th meeting between the long-time rivals on Saturday. NC State could win out in its two remaining games and win the Atlantic Division. Carolina will be seeking to end a three-year losing streak to the Wolfpack. Carolina is coming off of a 26-10 loss to Virginia Tech last weekend while NC State beat Wake Forest 38-3. Carolina holds a 63-60-6 edge all-time against NC State.
Game Time: NC State at North Carolina, 12:00 PM, ACC Network
Carolina's game notes can be found here and NC State's official football site is here.
Last Time: Carolina lost at NC State last year on November 28, 2009 by a 28-27 score. The game was back and forth early until T.J. Yates found Jheranie Boyd for a 70-yard touchdown late in the second quarter to give Carolina a 24-14 lead. But Russell Wilson found Owen Spencer for a 56-yard scoring strike early in the third and Carolina could only respond with a field goal to take a 27-21 lead. Early in the fourth, Wilson capped off a 90-yard drive with a 38-yard touchdown pass to Spencer to take a one-point lead. Carolina got down to the State 21-yard line but Casey Barth's field goal attempt was blocked. Yates had perhaps his best game of last season, throwing for 280 yards on 13-of-19 completions and two touchdowns. Johnny White led Carolina with 83 yards rushing on just seven carries; he also had a touchdown. Greg Little had six catches for 159 yards while Boyd had two catches for 105 yards and two scores. For NC State, Wilson completed 20-of-27 passes for 259 yards and four touchdowns. Jarvis Williams had seven catches for 50 yards and two scores while Spencer added four catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns.
Gameday Weather: Check the local weather forecast before heading for the game.
Radio Coverage: Tar Heel Sports Network coverage begins at 11:00 AM. The radio broadcast is also available on XM Channel 191 at 12:00 PM. Since it's a home game, the Tar Heel Sports Network broadcast can be heard on XM.
TV Coverage: The game will be shown where available on the ACC Network (aka Raycom).
Game week TV/radio coverage: "Butch Davis Live", Coach Davis' weekly radio show, will be broadcast live from the Top of the Hill restaurant on Franklin Street every Wednesday at 7:00. Inside the Huddle with Butch Davis airs Saturday morning at 9 a.m. on FOX Sports South. Inside the Huddle with Butch Davis will air on Sunday at 11 a.m. on WTVD ABC 11 in the Triangle and will review Saturday's game. The Tar Heel Football Review show featuring highlights of the previous week's games will air Tuesday's at 7 p.m. and Thursday's at 8 p.m. in the Triangle and Fayetteville on the local Time Warner Cable station.
Storylines Penalties: Carolina has managed to overcome a lot on both sides of the ball, but it was not able to overcome the penalties it had continually nullifying plays or moving the offense backwards last week against Virginia Tech. With the score still 10-9, Carolina compounded an intentional grounding call with a false start. Then down 16-10 in the third, an ineligible downfield penalty was followed by a declined holding call and a false start on a punt. By the time Carolina was able to find any sort of offensive rhythm again, it was too late. And if there's any series where penalties have hurt Carolina, it's been the NC State series, particularly last year. Carolina had ten penalties for 122 yards; all three of Carolina's defensive penalties aided State's touchdown drives and Carolina was forced into field goal tries after offensive penalties on three different drives. This year, State leads the league in fewest penalty yards (36.3 per game) while Carolina has slipped to sixth (56.7). Carolina is still third in opponent penalties (65.9 yards per game) but State is sixth (59.2). Carolina is having enough problems moving the ball and stopping opponents without the kinds of miscues that have plagued both units the last two weeks and they can't afford many against the Wolfpack.
Finding a way defensively: For the last three years, Carolina has struggled to stop NC State and that was even before Russell Wilson took over as the starter two years ago. It never mattered if Carolina was having a great defensive season or not. And now, Carolina arguably has struggled more than ever in the last three years and yet has managed to slow some of the best offenses in the nation like Florida State enough to win the game. Carolina has slowed the Hokies in the red zone early on but the third quarter was too much for the defense to handle. It seemed as if everything they tried against Tyrod Taylor didn't work. And part of what hasn't worked for Carolina in the last few games is what has plagued them against NC State; Carolina has not been able to force any turnovers. Yes, Carolina's offense turned it over six times last week but the defense has forced just one miscue in the last three games (on an end-of-game play against William & Mary). NC State has struggled recently as well; the Wolfpack started out this season in the first four games losing just four turnovers and gaining nine while they have lost 15 and gained 13 in the last six games. Whichever team that can manage to win that battle will likely win this game as well.
At The Game
Listening to the Tar Heel Sports Network at the game: WCHL 1360 is the local affiliate.
Parking/construction update: For the latest information, click here.
Pregame activities: Tar Heel Town will open at 9:00 AM on Saturday and the Countdown to Kickoff radio show will broadcast live there beginning at 10:00. The Old Well Walk will be at 9:45 and then the Marching Tar Heels will perform on the steps of Wilson Library at 11:00 before heading to the stadium. Then at 11:15, start making your way to Kenan Stadium and make sure you're in your seats early. For more information, see the new <"> on TarHeelBlue.com.
Postgame activities: See the Fan Guide on TarHeelBlue.com for the latest information on postgame parking and activities.
Watching At Home
Turn down the sound: If you're watching at home while listening to the radio or over the computer via Carolina All-Access, there will inevitably be some delay. For the reason - and a possible solution - click here. A full list of THSN affiliates can be found here.
ACC Network coverage: The game will be shown regionally on the ACC Network, previously known as Raycom Sports. For information on how to watch the game either on television if possible or on the Internet, click here.
Names To Know
T.J. Yates: It's hard to know how the senior quarterback will respond to his worst game of the season. He has already proven so much by his performance this year, but he takes so much of the game on his shoulders as a leader of this team. His four interceptions last week matched his season total and it seemed like whenever anything good was happening on offense, it was nullified by a penalty or a turnover. But Yates has bounced back from struggles before this year and it's reasonable to think he will again, especially in his last home game of his career. He has performed fairly well against NC State, completing 45-of-83 for 637 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions in three games against the Wolfpack, including one coming off of injury in 2008. Last year, he showed signs of the quarterback he would be this year by completing 13-of-19 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns. He was able to find receivers for deep balls against an NC State secondary that struggled last year and has improved mightily this year. If Yates is able to keep making the kinds of decisions that have so benefited the Tar Heel offense for most of this season, then he and the rest of the seniors have a chance to get their first win over the Wolfpack.
Kendric Burney: Carolina's senior cornerback returned most recently of any other defensive player, and his rust is still showing. He has made some great plays in run support and has averaged 5.3 tackles since his return to go with 0.5 for loss and two pass breakups. But he has been victimized on some big plays going for turnovers in the passing game. Still, Burney is reliable and it is only a matter of time until it clicks back into place for him. He had his breakout game as a freshman against the Wolfpack with six tackles (three solo), an interception returned 76 yards and a pass breakup. In his career, he has averaged 5.7 tackles (3.0 solo) and also has two tackles for loss. Carolina will need the kinds of big plays that Burney has provided in the past against NC State's talented wide receivers.
Russell Wilson: Just when everyone thought the junior quarterback was "struggling" because he had actually turned it over a few times, he reminded them how capable he is of carrying this NC State team. Wilson has more interceptions this season (12) than he did all of last year (11) but he has accounted for 29 of NC State's 37 touchdowns this year. He is seventh nationally in total offense and leads the conference in passing yards (281.3 yards per game). He also has five of NC State's six rushing touchdowns in the last three games. In two career games against Carolina, Wilson has completed 37-of-55 passes for 538 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions. Carolina has sacked him four times in those games but he still managed to rush for 34 yards and he has helped lead the Wolfpack offense to 34.5 points per game in the last two contests. Last week's game showed that Carolina can struggle against mobile quarterbacks that are also a threat to throw the ball well. Wilson is both of those things and Carolina will have to finally figure out a way to contain the junior signal-caller.
Nate Irving: The senior linebacker lost last season after a devastating car accident just prior to the year starting, but he has more than made up for it this year so far. He is third nationally in tackles for loss this year (18.5) and is the leading tackler on the team with 81 (41 solo). He also has two forced fumbles, two pass breakups and four quarterback hurries to go with 4.5 sacks. He recovered the game-winning fumble for the Wolfpack against Florida State two weeks ago; that play might have been fluky but it was no coincidence that Irving was right around the ball. Last week against Wake Forest, he set a school record with 8.0 tackles for loss. Against Carolina, he has never dominated the game as he has others in his career, averaging four tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss, but he is more than capable of doing it. And he would love nothing more than to close out his NC State career with four wins over Carolina.
Lauren Brownlow is the executive editor of Tar Heel Monthly.
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