University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Football opens ACC play at North Carolina
9/19/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
PITT (2-1, 0-0 ACC) vs. NORTH CAROLINA (2-1, 0-0 ACC)
September 24, 2016 • 3:30 p.m., ET
Kenan Stadium (63,000/Natural Grass) • Chapel Hill, N.C.
ESPNU • Pitt IMG Sports Radio Network
PittsburghPanthers.com • @Pitt_FB • #PITTvsUNC
LINK (PDF): Pitt Game Notes (vs. North Carolina)
GAME STORYLINES
- Pitt begins ACC play on the road when it faces Coastal Division foe North Carolina in Chapel Hill. The Panthers are 2-1 all-time in ACC openers, achieving both wins on the road.
- The Tar Heels and Panthers were the top two teams in the Coastal last year. North Carolina won the division with an 8-0 ACC record, while Pitt was the runner-up with a 6-2 mark.
- Narrow margins have been the rule in recent Pitt-UNC series history. The past five meetings have been decided by a combined 24 points, an average of 4.8 points per game.
- Since 2013, North Carolina is the only team in the Coastal that Pitt has not beaten. The Panthers are 0-3 against the Tar Heels in ACC play.
- Pitt's last victory in the series occurred in the 2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte. The Panthers edged the Tar Heels, 19-17, on a field goal with 52 seconds left.
- The Panthers own the nation's No. 10 rushing defense, surrendering just 75.7 yards per game. Pitt will be tested this week when it faces the Tar Heels' Elijah Hood, a first-team All-ACC performer last season when he rushed for 1,463 yards. Hood is averaging 6.2 yards per carry this year (266 yards on 43 attempts).
- Pitt defensive end Ejuan Price is producing at an All-America rate in the opening month of the season. The senior leads the nation in forced fumbles (1.00 per game) and ranks fourth in quarterback sacks (1.50 avg.) and tackles for loss (2.50 avg.). Price paces the ACC in each of those categories and should be considered an early frontrunner for the league's Defensive Player of the Year honor.
- In sophomore receiver Quadree Henderson, Pitt boasts one of the nation's top all-purpose players. Henderson is averaging 192.0 all-purpose yards per game to lead the ACC and rank third nationally. He leads the country in kickoff returns with a 40.8 average.
SERIES NOTES
This is the 11th meeting between Pitt and North Carolina in a series that dates back to 1974…seven of the 10 games have been decided by single digits, including each of the last five contests...the Tar Heels lead the overall series, 7-3, and have won all three ACC encounters: 26-19 in Pittsburgh last season, 40-35 in Chapel Hill in 2014 and 34-27 in Pittsburgh in 2013...Pitt and North Carolina meet annually as members of the ACC's Coastal Division...the Panthers are 0-4 all-time in Chapel Hill and 2-3 against the Tar Heels in Pittsburgh...Pitt won the lone neutral site meeting, 19-17, in the 2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte...bowl MVP Dion Lewis rushed for 159 yards and a touchdown, while Dan Hutchins provided the winning points on a 33-yard field goal with 52 seconds left to upend the Tar Heels...that 2009 bowl victory capped a 10-3 season for Pitt...the Panthers' only two regular-season wins in the series both occurred in Pittsburgh: 20-16 in 1978 and 7-6 in 1982…the '82 game served as the opener for both schools and was a battle of preseason Top 5 teams in Three Rivers Stadium…Pitt, led by quarterback Dan Marino, was the preseason No. 1 team, while North Carolina, which featured tailback Kelvin Bryant, was No. 5…the '82 game was played in Three Rivers Stadium to accommodate a weeknight CBS primetime TV audience.
SERIES IN BRIEF
Series Began: 1974
Series Overall: UNC leads 7-3
ACC Series: UNC leads 3-0
At Pittsburgh: UNC leads 3-2
At UNC: UNC leads 4-0
At Neutral Sites: Pitt leads 1-0
Last Meeting: Oct. 29, 2015 (UNC 26, Pitt 19)
Last Meeting at UNC: Nov. 15, 2014 (UNC 40, Pitt 35)
Current Series Streak: UNC has won 3 (2013-15)
Longest Pitt Series Win Streak: 1 game (three times)
Longest UNC Series Win Streak: 3 games (2013-15)
Largest Pitt Victory Margin: 4 points (20-16, 1978)
Largest UNC Victory Margin: 19 points (29-10, 1998)
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Television • ESPN
Clay Matvick, play-by-play
Dusty Dvoracek, analyst
Pitt Radio • 93.7 The Fan & the Pitt IMG Sports Network
Bill Hillgrove, play-by-play
Bill Osborn, analyst
Larry Richert, reporter
SiriusXM Satellite Radio
Internet Channel 964 (Pitt broadcast)
WPTS Radio (Pitt Student Station) • 92.1 FM
Pitt IMG Sports Network Online Audio Options
PittsburghPanthers.com via CSLive
Pitt Gameday LIVE App
TuneIn (free live and on-demand content)
—PITT—
