2:40 PM -- We are LIVE at Bank of America Stadium in the queen city of Charlotte for2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl game between the 9-3 Pittsburgh Panthers and the 8-4 University of North Carolina Tar Heels!Matt will be down on the field getting the photos from field level, while Jamie will be providing updates on-site from the BOA Press Box. Game time is slated for 4:30 p.m. and pregame festivities are underway as we countdown to kickoff.
Special thanks to Frank Kay and his
staff with the Meineke Car Care Bowl for helping to make this coverage possible today.This afternoon's contest features a pair of tough defenses. The Pitt Panthers surrender 20 points per contest, while the Tar Heels allow only 16.9 points per contest. Pittsburgh holds a decisive offensive advantage, averaging 33.2 points per contest, while Carolina only averages 24.3 points per game.
Today's contest features a number of players to watch. For Carolina, players who will look to make an impact include Marvin Austin (6'3", 305 lb. Jr.), as well as 6-3, 230 lb. junior Bruce Carter. The Panthers will feature an offensive dynamic duo of quarterback Bill Stull (6-3, 215 lb. Sr.) and tailback Dion Lewis (5-8, 195 lb. Fr.)
Carolina is making its second consecutive trip to the Meineke Car Care Bowl. UNC fell to West Virginia 31-30 last December before a crowd of 73,712 at Bank of America Stadium. The Tar Heels are looking for their first win in three attempts at this particular bowl contest, as the Heels fell 37-24 in 2004 to future ACC member Boston College, then a member of the Big East Conference.
Both Carolina and Pitt are coming off hard-luck losses. UNC lost 28-27 to North Carolina State in its regular season finale, while Pitt fell 45-44 to Cincinnati in the Big East Conference title game.
We'll have information, stats, and who knows what else along the way this afternoon. Thanks for reading!
Update #1: The teams have warmed up and returned to their respective locker rooms about 20 minutes before opening kickoff. The crowd is somewhat sparse here at the stadium. The lowest total attendance in the history of the Meineke Car Care Bowl has been around 51,000, but it may be a strain to get 35000-40000 for this afternoon's game.
Kickoff coming up soon!
Update #2: UNC has won the opening coin toss and deferred. Pitt will be receiving the opening kickoff on an overcast and chilly evening as game temperature is a balmy 47 degrees. UNC is in their home blue jerseys and Pitt is in road white. Pitt starts its first drive of the game from its own 35-yard line.The Panthers move the football inside Carolina territory, where a pass interference call against the Heels pushes the ball inside the UNC 30. The drive stalls at the UNC 23, where a field goal attempt of 40 yards by Dan Hutchins in no good, wide right. Carolina takes over for its first offensive series at its own 23 yard line. 11:20 left in the opening period and there is no score.
Update #3: UNC opens with a reverse to Greg Little that picks up huge yardage to the Pitt 46. Carolina is also utilizing a no-huddle shotgun offense to keep the Pitt defense guessing. Two additional pass plays and a facemask penalty on Pitt puts UNC at the Pitt 5-yard line first and goal.
Carolina connects on a TD pass from Yates to Zack Pianalto, but an illegal formation against the Heels called the score back. A pass completion put UNC at the Pitt 7-yard line. On 2nd and goal, Tar Heels quarterback TJ Yates is called for a penalty. Greg Little makes a SportsCenter Highlight catch for a touchdown. Little then kicked the football into the stands, drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. The touchdown covered 15 yards, and the PAT gives the Heels the first score of the game. Heels lead 7-0 with 6:57 left in the first quarter. UNC takes seven plays to move 77 yards over 4:23 of clock time.
Update #4: Pitt takes over possession at its own 37 yard line and drives to the UNC 26-yard line. On 3rd and 3, Dion Lewis breaks through to the UNC 2-yard line, but fumbled the football out of the end zone, giving Carolina the football on the turnover.
Lewis is seeking to break Tony Dorsett's all-time freshman rushing record at Pitt, needing only 47 yards in today's game. Lewis took care of the record early, as his last run breaks the mark.
Yates completes a pass to wide receiver Highsmith, who fumbles the football which Pitt recovers. UNC's first turnover of the ballgame gives Pitt the football at the UNC 40 yard line.
Update #5: A 22-yard completion from Stull to Shanahan moves Pitt to the Carolina 14-yard line. A final rushing play nets one yard as time expires in the first period. UNC leads 7-0 after 15 minutes of play.
As second quarter action begins UNC holds and forces a 31-yard field goal by Dan Hutchins, which narrows the UNC lead to 7-3 with 14:11 to go in the first half. The score culminated a 7 play, 26-yard drive over 2:21.
Update #6: Pittsburgh holds UNC to -12 yards over three plays, forcing a punt. Panthers punt returner brings the kick back to Carolina territory to open its next drive.
Two Lewis runs two times for 34 yards to the UNC 11. Lewis makes it easy on a run along the left side, jogging untouched across the goal line for a Panthers touchdown. The PAT by Hutchins is good, giving Pitt its first lead of the game at 10-7 with 11:08 to play in the second period.Update #7: UNC uses its rushing attack with Ryan Houston to control the football and march downfield. Houston carries the football inside the Pitt 30-yard line as the Heels look to tie or take back the lead. Carolina converts on a pass play from Yates to Highsmith on third down to get inside the red zone.
Carolina looks to pound the ball in the end zone with the running of Houston, who advances the ball inside the Pitt 5-yard line. On third and goal, Yates throws an interception to linebacker Dan Mason at the goal line. The second UNC turnover gives the Panthers the football with 4:00 to play before halftime.
Update #8: Casey Barth caps a 5-play, 18 yard drive with a 37-yard field goal, but Pitt answers with a 31 yard field goal from Hutchins as time expires. Pittsburgh leads it 13-10 at halftime. Dion Lewis of Pitt has rushed for 101 yards, his 10th 100-yard rushing game of the season.
Update #9: UNC is held to a three-and-out and punts to Pitt. The Panthers benefit from a personal foul penalty against Carolina and have advanced the football inside the UNC 25-yard line. The Tar Heels defense stiffens to force a 42-yard field goal try. The kick is good, staking Pittsburgh to a 16-10 lead with 9:11 left in the third quarter.
Update #10: UNC moves the football on its ensuing
possession and drove inside the red zone. Yates finds Little for a 18-yard touchdown pass on a seam route to tie the game. The Barth point after gives the Tar Heels back the lead at 17-16 with 4:00 left in the third quarter.The UNC defense forces back Pitt on its next possession with a sack and tackle for loss, forcing a Pittsburgh punt as the third period expires. UNC leads it 17-16.
On a side note...the press box has received the news that Florida's Urban Meyer is resigning from his post as head football coach at the Univ. of Florida due to health reasons.
Update #11: UNC gets the football following the Pitt punt and has moved into Panther territory. Back-to-back sacks forces the Tar Heels to punt the ball back to Pitt, and punter Schallock's kick is downed at the Pitt 5-yard line. 9:39 remains in the game and the Tar Heels lead by a point at 17-16.
Update #12: Pitt has maintained possession of the football, moving the pigskin to the UNC 30-yard line. Faced with a fourth down and 2, Pitt takes a timeout to talk it over. 1:55 remaining in the game and Pitt is looking at a 47-yard field goal attempt from Hutchins, who is 3 of 4 for the game.
Hutchins' kick attempt is not attempted...because the Panthers draw UNC offsides with a hard count, picking up the first down. Ouch for Tar Heel Nation.
50,389 was the announced paid attendance for today's game, but actual people in the stands were considerably less. Still a loud crowd and a great game as this one unfolds.
Update #13: UNC holds Pitt for three plays and the Panthers again line up for a field goal, this time a 33-yard attempt from Hutchins. The kick is GOOD! The Panthers take the lead at 19-17 on Hutchins' fourth field goal of the game. Carolina has 52 seconds and one timeout to try to come up with the winning points. Pitt used a 17-play, 79-yard drive that elapsed 8:47 off the fourth quarter clock to regain the advantage. High drama in Charlotte tonight!
Update #14: Carolina advances to its own 41, but are faced with a fourth and 7 at the UNC 41-yard line. Pass complete to Pianalto gets the first down at midfield with 24 seconds left. Three straight incompletions leave Carolina with a fourth and 10 at the 49 yard line with 12 seconds left. Yates' pass attempt falls incomplete and the Panthers take over on downs.Pitt takes a knee twice to end the game as the Panthers defeat the Tar Heels 19-17. Great effort from both teams.
The Jerry Richardson MVP of the game is Pitt's Dion Lewis, who had 28 carries for 159 yards and a touchdown.
Thanks for following along with today's action!
