For the second straight season, North Carolina is playing in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte.
The Tar Heels (8-4) have accepted a bid to play 17th-ranked Pittsburgh (9-3) at 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 26 at Bank of America Stadium in a game that will be televised on ESPN.
Bowl officials sometimes are reluctant to invite the same team in consecutive seasons, but North Carolina's strong record and history of selling lots of tickets to the bowl made the decision easy, according to bowl executive director Will Webb.
Boston College was the only other ACC team available to the Meineke Bowl.
"We're very excited to have them coming back this year," Webb said of the Tar Heels. "In these economic times it's a great place for their fans to come. It's a good opportunity for them to play a ranked team in No. 17 Pittsburgh."
In a statement, North Carolina coach Butch Davis said the Tar Heels are excited to be playing in the Meineke Bowl again.
"We had tremendous fans support at the game in 2008 and will need that against this year against an outstanding Pittsburgh team," Davis said.
Comments
TOP
Mon, 12/07/2009 - 20:58 — unc098will be most important in this game. If the offense can put together some long drives like they are capable of doing without penalties and turnovers our rested defense will be able to stop the run and maybe add a few points.
Eliminate the miscues at State our offense actually played well for most of the game. I just hope they open up the offense for the entire game and not go conservative with a lead. Pitt is really good.
For the defense....
Sun, 12/06/2009 - 21:58 — UNC1998Should be a defensive game. UNC MUST run the ball to atleast make Pitt respect it. Pitt is a run first team, so the front 7 must come ready to tackle. I'll say the team with the highest time of possesion wins the game.
Exactly
Mon, 12/07/2009 - 10:34 — SurferYou are right, but would add that we are going to need specific help from the defense in the form of turnovers and/or points. And while we are at it, lets throw in a reduction in penalties.