University of North Carolina Athletics
LSU Game Guide
September 2, 2010 | Football
Sept. 2, 2010
By Lauren Brownlow
The Basics
No. 18/18 North Carolina will open up the 2010 football season against No. 21/16 LSU in Atlanta in the Georgia Dome. The Tar Heels were 8-5 last season while the Tigers were 9-4. The game marks Carolina's first trip to the Georgia Dome since a win over Auburn in the Peach Bowl in 2001. This will be the first neutral-site meeting between the two schools; LSU holds a 5-1 edge in the all-time series. Carolina's only win came in 1948 when Charlie "Choo-Choo" Justice and company beat the Tigers 34-7 in Chapel Hill.
Game Time: LSU vs. North Carolina, 8:00 PM, ABC Carolina's game notes can be found here and LSU's official football site is here.
Last Time: LSU beat North Carolina 30-3 in 1986 in Baton Rouge.
Gameday Weather: Check the local weather forecast before heading to the game.
Radio Coverage: Tar Heel Sports Network coverage begins at 6:00 PM. The radio broadcast is also available on XM Channel 191/Sirius 213 at 8:00 PM.
TV Coverage: The game will be shown nationally on ABC.
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
Who can run the football?: It's eerie how similar Carolina and LSU's offensive statistics were nationwide; the Tar Heels were 108th in total offense (307.7 per game) while the Tigers were 112th (304.5). They were close in scoring offense as well; LSU was No. 76 at 24.85 points while Carolina was 83rd at 23.77. Both had offensive lines that struggled early on, an inconsistent running game and a quarterback that took a disproportionate share of the blame. As any offensive coordinator will tell you, if you can't run the ball, you can't throw it either. Carolina was 79th in the nation in rushing with 132.9 yards per game while LSU was 90th at 122.8, but the Tigers averaged more yards per carry, barely (3.67 to 3.62 for Carolina). LSU averaged 54 yards rushing in four FBS losses and 130 in six FBS wins. Carolina's transition was more chronological; it went from averaging 59.8 yards against its first four FBS opponents to 151.8 against its final seven FBS foes. oth of these offensive lines have made improvements and both expect the running game to be better. LSU's quarterback is more than capable of leading drives, but the Tigers will want to limit the chance for the Carolina defense to capitalize on a mistake and pound the ball on the ground. Carolina will want to do the same thing to keep its defense off the field and also to establish what it hopes will be the offensive identity this season.
Carolina's rushing defense was tenth in the nation last year (95.6 allowed per game) while LSU's was 46th. The Tigers ranked 26th in total defense (Carolina was sixth) but the Tigers were higher than Carolina in scoring defense, allowing 16.23 points compared to 17.1 allowed by the Tar Heels. A big reason for that is LSU's red zone touchdown defense. LSU's opponents scored 32 of 40 times they reached the red zone (80%) but just 32% of red zone trips ended in a touchdown. In four losses, just one of 13 drives by their opponent into the red zone resulted in a touchdown; the other 11 scores allowed were field goals. The problem was that in each of those losses, LSU allowed one touchdown of 24 yards or more; in three of the losses, it was the only touchdown they gave up.
It's harder to mount a methodical drive ending in a score against the Tigers than perhaps any opponent Carolina faced last season. It's an issue that this offense wants to resolve this season, exchanging field goals for touchdowns. Carolina converted 37-of-43 red zone trips (21 touchdowns). In losses, that number was 10-of-15 (66.7%) and just five touchdowns (33.3 percent). In wins, Carolina scored 27-of-28 times in the red zone and 16 were touchdowns (57.1 percent). Just one touchdown in the red zone at NC State for instance might have been the difference between a win or a loss.
At The Game
Listening to the Tar Heel Sports Network at the game: An in-stadium frequency at the Georgia Dome is not available.
Tickets: Tickets are available for purchase here.
How to get to the game: For directions to the Georgia Dome and information about using the MARTA, click here. Parking could be tricky, so be sure to do your research. For parking information, click <="" href="http://www.cfack.com/FANCENTRAL/Parking/tabid/86/Default.aspx?DB_OEM_ID=3350">.
What to do in Atlanta: There are all kinds of events going on in Atlanta, including a Tar Heel tailgate at the Georgia World Congress Center from 4-7 PM, a Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game FanZone from 12-6, and even the Kickoff Cook-Off pitting Carolina and LSU fans against each other in tailgating games. For more information on those events, click here. You can also check out the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game website here. The Old Well Walk will also take place, just as it does before home games. Come out to the FanZone at 5:20 to see both teams depart for the Georgia Dome.
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.
ABC coverage: The game will be shown nationally on ABC. Brent Musberger will handle the play-by-play, Kirk Herbstreit will serve as the analyst and Erin Andrews will be the sideline reporter. ESPN's College GameDay will also broadcast live from Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta starting at 9:00 AM on ESPNU and then moving to ESPN from 10:00-12:00. Chris Fowler, Lee Corso, Desmond Howard, Herbstreit and Andrews will all be on hand.
Names To Know
T.J. Yates: The redshirt senior quarterback has been out of the spotlight with the recent distractions surrounding the team, and perhaps that's for the best. He struggled quite a bit early in the ACC season particularly, behind a young offensive line and throwing to inexperienced wide receivers. He even struggled some in the spring game. But Butch Davis points out that he finally had an off-season fully healthy to prepare and get stronger, and that's what he's done. He has impressed his teammates in camp and has embraced his role as a leader this season. Despite a subpar spring game, though, he had a good end to last season. Over 42% of Yates' total yards came in the final four games of the year. Over a quarter of his yards came in the final two, when he threw for 505 yards (252.5 per game), four touchdowns and two interceptions, completing 62.2% of his passes. What Carolina needs Yates to do is be efficient, and make plays when they're there. "Just try not to take as many chances," Yates said. "You obviously take chances when they're there, but you've got to stay on the field and hit your checkdowns, do better situation football so you don't get yourself into the third and longs. When it's second and ten, first and ten, cut your losses - get to the second and mids, second and five's, so you don't have to go to those third and long pass plays and you don't have to force things."
Tydreke Powell: The junior defensive tackle is the most experienced tackle on the roster at the moment since Marvin Austin will be out, but he's not a household name like some of his teammates. Powell has a chance to show just what he can do and he has shown flashes already in his career. As a backup tackle last year, he had 24 tackles (15 solo) including 4.0 for loss, two sacks, three passes defended and one forced fumble. That forced fumble came in Blacksburg and happened to be the one that set up the game-winning field goal. He also had a sack of Tyrod Taylor in that game that took the Hokies out of field goal range; his performance that night earned him Defensive Lineman of the Week honors in the ACC. Carolina will need Powell to plug up the middle and force LSU to pass the ball, but it could also use a few of those plays Powell has shown a penchant for making.
Jordan Jefferson: Jefferson can relate to Yates in a lot of ways; he's constantly having to prove himself. But with the heat Jefferson took last season, the fact that he finished 36th in the nation in pass efficiency and seventh in total offense seems surprising. And according to ESPN Stats and Information, Jordan Jefferson had the second-highest passing efficiency nationwide inside the red zone. However, his favorite target, Brandon LaFell, is now in the NFL (7 of his 11 red-zone touchdowns were thrown to LaFell, per ESPN). Terrence Toliver and Rueben Randle, however, are both taller than 6-3. In ten games against FBS teams in 2009, Jefferson and LSU went 6-4, but Jefferson completed 64.2% of his passes in six wins for 196 yards a game, adding nine scores and two picks. He also rushed for a touchdown and averaged 2.3 per rush. But in four losses, he completed 55.8% of his passes - still a good number - and averaged 166 yards, but threw four touchdowns and four interceptions, managing only negative rushing yards. Still, it's his second year under offensive coordinator Gary Crowton. And after successfully battling for his starting spot with former starter Jarrett Lee, he has more than earned the job.
Patrick Peterson: LSU's 6-1 junior cornerback Patrick Peterson has the potential to slow or shut down Carolina's top receiving option. Peterson held A.J. Green of Georgia to four catches and Alabama's Julio Jones to just three; both had over 90 yards and a score but both are go-to targets for their quarterbacks. Peterson's 15 passes defended (13 breakups and two interceptions) ranked fourth in the SEC; he returned one of those interceptions for a touchdown. Five of his pass breakups came while guarding the aforementioned wide receivers. His 43 solo tackles were second most on the team.
Lauren Brownlow is the executive editor of Tar Heel Monthly.
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