THURSDAY
North Carolina (7-5) vs. Tennessee (6-6), 6:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Line: North Carolina by 2.
Series Record: Tennessee 20-10-1.
Last Meeting: 1961, North Carolina 22-21.
WHAT’S AT STAKE
North Carolina can match its 8-5 record of the past two years and salvage a trying season with a win. The Tar Heels had great expectations for 2010, but were derailed by an NCAA investigation into agent-related benefits and academic misconduct that eventually forced 14 players to miss at least one game. Seven missed the entire season. Tennessee wants to finish off coach Derek Dooley’s first season with a five-game winning streak after a 2-6 start.
KEY MATCHUP
Tennessee secondary against North Carolina passing offense. The Tar Heels rank third in the Atlantic Coast Conference and 25th nationally, averaging 266.5 yards passing per game. Tennessee ranked 82nd nationally, allowing 229.3 yards passing per game. But the Vols intercepted 17 passes this season, which tied for second in the Southeastern Conference and tied for ninth nationally. DB Prentiss Waggner returned three interceptions for TDs for the Vols.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
North Carolina: QB T.J. Yates. The senior already is the first player in Tar Heels’ history to throw for more than 3,000 yards in a season, and he has thrown 18 touchdown passes with only eight interceptions. He holds 31 school records and goes into this bowl with 79 pass attempts without an interception.
Tennessee: QB Tyler Bray. He already has thrown for more yards than any other freshman in school history, including Peyton Manning. Bray is one of only three SEC quarterbacks to throw for 300 yards at least three times this season, and he had a career-best 354 yards in the regular season finale against Kentucky.
FACTS & FIGURES
These teams met yearly between 1945 and 1961. … North Carolina has lost its last three bowl games, all played in Charlotte. … The Tar Heels lost their last two bowls by a combined three points. … Tennessee tied Texas for second all-time in bowl appearances in FBS with this the Vols’ 49th. The Vols are 25-23 all-time in bowls. … The Vols lost their last bowl and are 2-3 in their last five bowls.
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