University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina To Face Oklahoma in 2001 Football Opener
Feb. 10, 2001
Chapel Hill, N.C. ----- The University of North Carolina and the University of Oklahoma have agreed to open the 2001 season in the Hispanic College Fund Football Classic, the schools announced today. The game will be played on Saturday, August 25 in Norman, Oklahoma, and will be televised nationally by ESPN at 7:45 p.m. EST.
"I think this is a great opportunity for our football program and is a game our fans will be excited about," said Head Coach John Bunting. "When I came here, I didn't come here to be second best or middle-of-the pack. I only want to be No. 1 and I want to play the best. We want our players to measure themselves against the best and this game is an excellent chance for us to see where are program stands early in the season."
Oklahoma was 13-0 last year and defeated Florida State, 13-2 in the FedEx Orange Bowl to win the national championship. The Tar Heels finished 6-5 overall, but did not receive a bowl berth.
In the inaugural Hispanic Classic last year, Texas Tech defeated New Mexico, 24-3.
This is the first time Carolina has added a 12th game to its schedule since 1993 when the Tar Heels played at Southern California in the Disneyland Pigskin Classic on Aug. 29. Carolina won that game, 31-9.
Carolina now opens the season with three consecutive road games - at Oklahoma (Aug. 25), at Maryland (Sept. 1) and at Texas (Sept. 8) - for the first time in over 100 years. Carolina has opened the year with three straight road contests just twice in its 110-year history of football - 1892 and 1893.
"I realize this game adds to an already difficult schedule," said Bunting. "But we feel that by playing the defending national champion, we will better prepare ourselves for the challenges ahead."
Carolina has never defeated Oklahoma in six previous contests. The most recent was a 28-0 loss in the second game of the 1988 season at Kenan Stadium. This year's game will be the fourth meeting between the two schools in Norman and the first since 1987 when the Sooners defeated UNC, 28-0.
Eight of the 12 teams on UNC's 2001 schedule were in bowl games last year.
The Hispanic College Fund was founded in 1993 and has awarded more than 600 scholarships to aspiring Hispanic students enrolled in colleges and universities throughout the country. Proceeds from the game will benefit both universities and the Hispanic College Fund Scholarship Program.
"Many deserving Hispanic youth in America will benefit from the scholarships that will be funded from the proceeds of the game," said Adam Chavarria, National Director of the Hispanic College Fund. "And, there couldn't have been two more formidable institutions that we could have selected to participate in this event - the University of Oklahoma and the University of North Carolina. The Hispanic College Fund is extremely proud to share in its rich tradition."