North Carolina Tar Heels
Rutgers Stadium (52,454/Field Turf)
Piscataway, N.J.'
Television
ESPNU — Pam Ward and Danny Kanell
Rutgers Radio
WOR-AM 790, WCTC-AM 1450, WPEN-FM 97.5 (flagships)
National Radio
Westwood One Radio Network
John Tautges and Terry Donahue
THE GAME
Rutgers holds a 3-1 lead in its series with North Carolina … The previous meetings were in 1894, 1919, 2006 and 2008 … Saturday’s game is the third of a scheduled four-game series with the Tar Heels that will end when the Scarlet Knights head to Chapel Hill, N.C., next season … North Carolina was a 44-12 winner in Piscataway in 2008 behind a pair of touchdowns from WRs Hakeem Nicks and Brandon Tate … Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano was the defensive coordinator on North Carolina coach Butch Davis’ staff at Miami (Fla.) in 1999 and 2000.
RUTGERS (2-0)
Head Coach
Greg Schiano (Bucknell ’88)
57-55, 10th season
NOTES
Rutgers is off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2007 after wins against Norfolk State (31-0) and Florida International (19-14) … A win against North Carolina would give Rutgers its fifth 3-0 start since 1980 … Since 2005, Rutgers has gone 8-2 after bye weeks with four consecutive wins after idle weeks … Rutgers ranks third nationally, and leads the BIG EAST, in scoring defense (7.0 points allowed per game) … The Scarlet Knights finished the 2009 season ranked 16th nationally in scoring defense … Rutgers has held its first two opponents to 3-for-25 on third down (12 percent), good for third nationally … WR Mohamed Sanu has rushed for a touchdown, thrown a TD pass and has a touchdown catch … Sanu has seven catches for 90 yards to go with 63 rushing yards this year …QB Tom Savage has completed 17 of 34 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown with one interception … RB Joe Martinek is the leading rusher at 68.5 yards per game … LB Antonio Lowery and LB Steve Beauharnais have a team-high 15 tackles each … DT Alex Silvestro has four tackles for loss … SS Joe Lefeged has two blocked punts, two forced fumbles and an interception.
NORTH CAROLINA (0-2)
Head Coach
Butch Davis (Arkansas ’74)
20-19, fourth season at North Carolina
71-39, 10th season as collegiate head coach
NOTES
North Carolina is off to an 0-2 start after consecutive 30-24 losses to Louisiana State and Georgia Tech … The backstory to the Tar Heels’ season has been an NCAA investigation that left 12 players sidelined against Georgia Tech last week … Thirteeen players, including seven defensive starters, missed the season-opener against LSU … Despite the absence of key players, North Carolina has had possession with a chance for the winning score in the final minutes of both games … Veteran QB T.J. Yates has completed 46 of 70 passes for 621 yards and four touchdowns without an interception … RB Johnny White has rushed for 142 yards and a touchdown in two games … LB Quan Sturdivant was an All-ACC First Team selection last yhear who leads the Tar Heels with 15 tackles in 2010 … North Carolina has registered just one sack … Head coach Butch Davis was the 2000 BIG EAST Coach of the Year at Miami (Fla.) … Davis led the Hurricanes to BIG EAST titles in 1996 (shared with Virginia Tech and Syracuse) and 2000.