Miami Continues ACC Play at North Carolina
Oct. 2, 2007
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MIAMI HURRICANES
at NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS
When: Saturday, October 6, 2007, at noon ET
Where: Kenan Stadium (natural grass, 60,000) in Chapel Hill, N.C.
TV: The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2, with Pam Ward (play by play), Ray Bentley (analyst) and Quint Kessenich (field reporter)
Tape Delay Telecast: On CSS at 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 9.
Local Radio: The Hurricanes Radio Network (WQAM 560 AM) will carry the game live with Joe Zagacki (play by play), Don Bailey Jr. (analysis) and Brian London (sideline reporter).
National Radio: The game will be broadcast nationally on XM Radio
Radio En Espanol: The game will broadcast in Spanish on WWWK 105.5 FM and WPIK 102.5 FM with Joe Pujala (play by play) and Joe Martinez (analysis).
Websites: Miami (www.hurricanesports.com) and North Carolina (www.tarheelblue.com)
THIS WEEK’S GAME
Riding a three-game winning streak, the Miami Hurricanes go back on the road for only the second time this season when they travel to Chapel Hill, N.C. to face the North Carolina Tar Heels at noon Saturday in Kenan Stadium. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN2.
It will be Miami’s first game against Butch Davis, the North Carolina head coach who served as the Hurricanes’ head coach from 1995-2000, compiling a record of 51-20. But Hurricanes head coach Randy Shannon, who played and coached under Davis, doesn’t see it that way. “It isn’t me against Butch or the University of Miami against Butch,” Shannon said. “It’s just a regular football game.”
The Hurricanes have won their last four games at home but they have been victorious in only one of their last seven road games, a streak they are trying to end. They also get a chance to avenge a huge upset loss at North Carolina in 2004 when they were ranked fourth in the country and lost 31-28 on a last-second field goal. This is Miami’s first trip to North Carolina since that game. The Hurricanes defeated the Tar Heels in Miami each of the last two seasons at the Orange Bowl.
Miami has yet to break into the national polls, but a decisive victory over North Carolina combined with some timely losses by other teams could do that by next week. Currently, the Hurricanes rank 26th in the USA Today Coaches poll and 27th in both the AP and Harris polls.
Miami is 4-1, with victories over Marshall, FIU, then 16th-ranked Texas A&M and Duke. This is only the second road game for the Hurricanes this season. Earlier this season they lost 51-13 at Oklahoma. North Carolina is 1-4 this season. The Tar Heels won their opener over James Madison, but since then they have dropped four straight to East Carolina, Virginia, South Florida and Virginia Tech. North Carolina is quarterbacked by T.J. Yates, who has passed for 1,168 yards and nine touchdowns so far.
Miami is led by quarterback Kyle Wright, who, in his last two games, has completed 40 of 49 passes (81.6 percent) for 505 yards and four touchdowns, with only two interceptions. The Hurricanes have gained more than 400 yards on offense in each of the last three games, their first streak of three consecutive 400-yard games since 2004.
THE OPPONENT
North Carolina is 1-4 this season. The Tar Heels have not played in a bowl game since 2004 and have not finished over .500 since 2001 when they finished 8-5. Last year North Carolina was 3-9 in their final season under John Bunting.
THE SERIES
This will be the 11th game between the two schools, and each has won five games. Miami has lost both games played at North Carolina, in 1981 and 2004. Since joining the ACC, Miami has a 2-1 lead in the series.
THE COACHES
Randy Shannon is 4-1 in his first season at Miami. North Carolina’s Butch Davis is 1-4 this season and 52-24 in seven years as a college coach.
A HURRICANES VICTORY OVER THE TAR HEELS WOULD
Give Miami their fourth straight win and a 5-1 record for the season. It would also give them a 2-0 mark in the ACC and their third consecutive win over North Carolina, as well as their first-ever win in Chapel Hill.
DEFENSE NO. 1 IN THE ACC
Miami is allowing only 290.2 yards per game, which is top’s in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Hurricanes enter this week ranked 19th nationally in total defense. UM’s rushing defense is 23rd nationally, yielding 97 yards per game, and Miami’s pass defense ranks 36th, allowing 193.20 yards per game.
HURRICANES TOUGH ON TOBACCO ROAD TEAMS
Since joining the ACC in 2004, Miami has been tough on teams from Tobacco Road. UM is a combined 8-1 against North Carolina, NC State, Wake Forest and Duke. North Carolina is the only team with a victory over the Hurricanes. UNC won 31-28 in 2004 in Miami’s only trip to Chapel Hill since joining the league.
UM against Tobacco Road Teams
Oct. 23, 2004 Miami 45, NC State 31 (Raleigh, N.C.)
Oct. 30, 2004 North Carolina 31, Miami 28 (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Nov. 20, 2004 Miami 52, Wake Forest 7 (Orange Bowl)
Oct. 8, 2005 Miami 52, Duke 7 (Orange Bowl)
Oct. 29, 2005 Miami 34, North Carolina 16 (Orange Bowl)
Nov. 12, 2005 Miami 47, Wake Forest 17 (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
Oct. 7, 2006 Miami 27, North Carolina 7 (Orange Bowl)
Oct. 21, 2006 Miami 20, Duke 15 (Durham, N.C.)
Sept. 29, 2007 Miami 24, Duke 14 (Orange Bowl)
HURRICANES ON THE ROAD IN THE ACC
Miami is 7-5 on the road in the ACC since joining the league in 2004. UM has lost its last three road games in conference play, all of which were last season. On the road, Miami has outscored ACC teams 311-226. Miami has allowed only 20 or more points five times.
UM on the road in the ACC
Oct. 2, 2004 Miami 27, Georgia Tech 3 (Atlanta, Ga.)
Oct. 23, 2004 Miami 45, NC State 31 (Raleigh, N.C.)
Oct 30, 2004 North Carolina 31, Miami 28 (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Nov. 13, 2004 Miami 31, Virginia 21 (Charlottesville, Va.)
Sept. 5, 2005 Florida State 10, Miami 7 (Tallahassee, Fla.)
Sept. 17, 2005 Miami 36, Clemson 30 3OT (Clemson, S.C.)
Nov. 5, 2005 Miami 27, Virginia Tech 7 (Blacksburg, Va.)
Nov 12, 2005 Miami 47, Wake Forest 17 (Winston Salem, N.C.)
Oct. 21, 2006 Miami 20, Duke 15 (Durham, N.C.)
Oct. 28, 2006 Georgia Tech 30, Miami 23 (Atlanta, Ga.)
Nov. 11, 2006 Maryland 14, Miami 13 (College Park, Md.)
Nov. 18, 2006 Virginia 17, Miami 7 (Charlottesville, Va.)
