Tar Heels try to make a statement vs. Gamecocks
COLUMBIA, S. C. -- University of North Carolina's opener against South Carolina on Thursday not only gives the Tar Heels an opportunity for an early season statement, it also is a chance for the Atlantic Coast Conference to make a statement against college football's premier conference, the Southeastern Conference, on national television (6 p.m. ET, ESPN).
The No.6-ranked Gamecocks are in the hunt for the SEC's Eastern Division title. They also feature one of the most dominant college defensive players in recent history, Jadeveon Clowney, a 6-foot-4, 274-pound junior defensive end whose massive hit in the Outback Bowl still leads highlight shows. He also enters the season in conversations for the Heisman Trophy.
His presence promises to have fans rocking Williams-Brice Stadium.
The Tar Heels got only a sprinkling of votes in the two national polls, but the conference-vs.-conference hype is not something that has been a topic of conversation in the North Carolina camp, or so says coach Larry Fedora.
"We don't really even get into conference games," he said. "We talk about the next opponent. That's all we focus on."
It's not that the Tar Heels don't sense the importance of the game, though, because they do.
"That's all that's out there in the media," Fedora said. "It's the SEC. But we're not playing the SEC. We're playing South Carolina. It's one team in that league. A very good football team in that league, a team that's ranked No. 6 in the country."
The Tar Heels are serving up quarterback Bryn Renner as the target of Clowney's attention.
Renner goes into his senior season as one of the most accurate passers in ACC history, ranking No. 4 at 66.7 percent completions, and he is 15 touchdown passes from setting a school record in the category. He also has earned praised for the way he has handled Fedora's up-tempo offense in his second season in the scheme.
If he can avoid being pummeled by Clowney, he may show off his talents with the help of wide receiver Quinshad Davis, who led the Tar Heels in receptions and receiving yardage with 61 catches for 776 yards as a freshman last season.
Fedora thinks he has the potential for a 100-catch season.
On defense, North Carolina's top returnee is end Kareem Martin, who had 15.5 tackles for a loss and four sacks last year.
The Tar Heels hold a 34-18-4 advantage over their neighbors to the south, but the Gamecocks have won four of the past five meetings, including the last one by a 21-15 score in 2007. That was the first time the two teams met since completing a four-game series in 1991.
--Team correspondents for The Sports Xchange contributed material for this story.
