CHARLOTTE - Welcome to my live and running blog from the Meineke Car Care Bowl here at BOA Stadium. I just want to start off by saying this blog will provide tidbits of analysis and lots of game action, but the majority of this blog will be to provide a comical view and to make snarky comments. So with that, away we go.
First, let me say this bowl his about 60 percent of what it was last season crowd wise. Ninety-five percent of the crowd are UNC fans, but considering there’s 35,000-40,000 people here, it’s not like it’s a true home crowd like most had expected.
Tar Heels running back/receiver/hot dog vender/assistant coach Greg Little has a big run on a reverse then a nice catch to get the ball down to the Pitt 33. That poor kid has done everything for the Heels except stay at one position.
Pitt takes the opening kickoff and has made a couple of nice throws. Then a big pass interference call on UNC gave Pitt the ball at the Heels 27, but Pitt could only mange four yards and had to settle for a field goal.
Pitt is off to a roaring start. Not only did the Panthers drop a touchdown pass, but the Panthers just missed a 40-yard field goal. So, that means the Panthers have missed their last two kicking attempts. The first one prevented them from taking Cincinnati to overtime and possibly making the BCS. Next up for Pitt, hiring a special teams coach.
Erik Highsmith makes a catch and Pitt grabs his facemask. UNC ball at the 5.
While there’s a penalty on the field, let me take this chance to say that Meineke Car Care Bowl media relations guru Frank Kay is the man. Not only did he hook me up rather late with a press pass, but home boy gave me a rock star seat.
Two straight penalties against UNC makes it first-and-goal at the 15.
One thing is painfully obvious, there are a lot more Steeler fans in Charlotte than Pitt Panther fans.
There’s no truth to the rumor that 168 Pitt fans were just escorted from the stadium by Roy Williams’ henchmen for cheering against the Tar Heels.
UNC’s Greg Little just scored on a remarkable catch, but was given a penalty for celebrating by doing his best Pele impersonation by kicking the ball into the stands. I have to say, as far as punts go, that was by far one of the worst that I’ve seen. Earlier I named all the things that Mr. Little has done for UNC, however we won’t name him as a punter. Gosh, that was bad.
UNC 7, Pitt 0 —- 6:57 left in the first quarter
Is it just me or does Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt look like a porn star with that stache? He’s sort of looks like John Holmes, but only with a bigger chin. Judge for yourself. By the way, you have no idea how nervous I was googling picks of John Holmes here in the press box. Had to be careful.
Pitt has marched down the field again on this UNC defense and is at the 32. This Dion Lewis kid is pretty good. I know I’m being Captain Obvious, but he’s still good.
Who has more facial hair, the Pitt cheerleaders or Wannstedt?
The Heels dodge another bullet as Lewis fumbles at the two and has the ball go out of the end zone for a touchback. So let’s recap on UNC’s luck thus far - a dropped touchdown pass, a missed field goal and a fumble at the two out of the end zone. You’re welcome, Butch.
One of the “perks” of going to bowl games as a sports writer is the free swag we get. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad. In Hawaii at the Aloha Bowl, I got a tee shirt and a hat. In Orlando for the Champs Sports Bowl, I got a beach towel. Ok, mostly the gifts are bad. Today I got a miniature helmet with the bowl’s logo on the side. The helmet is a desk caddy to hold pens and whatnot.
Roy Williams just booted another 43 Pitt fans, which leaves only 400 or so to go before they’re all gone.
UNC fumbles at its own 40. Three possessions for Pitt, and three times the Panthers have been in UNC territory.
They just announced that Dion Lewis now holds the all-time Pitt rushing record by a freshman, breaking Tony Dorsett’s record from 1973. Of course, Tony did it in 11 games, while Dion has done it in 13. And for those of you that don’t know, bowl games didn’t count toward statistics back then. I have no clue why the NCAA doesn’t go back and figure those stats in. Well, yes I do because they are a bunch of pocket-protecting wearing nerds. It’s not like it would take that much time or effort to do that. For some reason they view games against The Citadel, Murray State and Gardner-Webb more worthy of keeping stats than playing somebody like Ohio State in a bowl game.
Pitt is moving once again and has it at the UNC 13 at the start of the second quarter.
I really can’t believe I’ve gone this long and only made two facial hair references with Wannstedt.
Apparently the booze is starting to wear off and fans are getting cold. This place looks more empty now than it did 30 minutes ago. That can’t be a good sign for the fourth quarter.
Pitt stalls and has to settle for a field goal and it’s good from 31 yards out.
UNC 7, Pitt 3 —– 14:11 left in the second quarter
Did you know that Wannstedt was named as having the seventh-greatest mustache in NFL history? I’m not kidding. Look for yourself. MUSTACHE
Pitt has four possessions and should have four touchdowns as Lewis just scored to make on 21-yard run.
Pitt 10, UNC 7 —–11:08 left in second quarter
Ok, sorry for the break. Was googling stuff. OK, after Pitt’s TD, UNC has taken it all the way to the Pitt 8 and has it first-and-goal.
T.J. Yates, the UNC quarterback that was considered for the Heisman Trophey most overrated quarterback in the ACC, threw an awful interception at the Pitt 2. He threw into triple coverage instead of taking the field goal. This is why the Heels have lost to NCSU three straight years. Coincidence T.J. has started all three of those games against the Wolfpack?
For those of you wanting to become friends with Wannstedt’s face fur, you’re in luck. You can do so on Facebook. Friends of the Stache
OK, UNC is back in Pitt territory at the 20. Time for a field goal try.
UNC 10, Pitt 10 ——– 1:05 left in the second quarter
Is there a defense in the house? Pitt once again is in UNC territory. Where in the world is this vaunted UNC defense. They are either poorly coached or just not very bright. With six players on defense that will be in the NFL, how is it that they are getting ripped by Pitt and Wannstedt’s stache.
Pitt kicks a 31-yard field goal at the buzzer. The Panthers should leading 31-10.
Pitt 13, UNC 10 at halftime
Time for some grub, though looking at some of those in the press box, maybe they shouldn’t serve any more food. It’s no wonder that most sports writers are single and get their “dates” on the internet. There are so many slobs that are probably virgins that it’s like being at a Comic Con.
HALFTIME STATS
Rushing: Lewis 11-101, 1 TD…Houston 16-50
Passing: Stull 12-18-0 122….Yates 10-15-1 103, 1 TD
START OF THE SECOND HALF
Well, keeping with the tradition of the football games played here on Sundays, a very sizable portion of the crowd has decided they’ve seen enough and have opted not to return to their seats.
Some mustache jokes:
“You know, except for the mustache, you look a lot like the Pitt cheerleader.”
“But I don’t have a mustache.”
“Yes, but the Pitt cheerleader does.”
An angry mob is walking along the street. Someone yells, “Hey, let’s hang that guy with a mustache!”
Someone else yells, “Nah, let’s use a rope instead!”
UNC goes three-and-out to start the half. Pitt starts in UNC territory. Six possessions, six visits across the 50 for the Panthers.
What’s a mustache’s favourite type of nut? A mustachio, of course!
There’s a break in the mustache jokes as Pitt boots another field goal.
Pitt 16, UNC 10 —- 9:11 left in third quarter
I wonder if Dave Wannstedt drives a Ford Mustache?
I’ve got to be honest, I can’t wait until the game is over so I can visit the hospitality room set up by the bowl committee. It means FREE booze until 11 p.m. If it’s free, then it’s for me.
Well, at least I know the Pitt Panthers are a tougher group than their counterparts at UNC. The Pitt cheerleaders are wearing their skirts, while the UNC cheerleaders are wearing sweatsuits. Somebody is going to make a hairy leg reference, I just know it.
Yates made a nice pass to Houston and the Heels are marching. They have gotten their doors blown off all game and yet they are just six points behind. Amazing.
Carolina tries an option-halfback pass and Pitt is called for defensive holding. First-and-10 at the Pitt 29. How is T.J. going to screw the pooch on this one?
T.J. hits Greg Little on a 14-yard touchdown pass for the Heels to somehow give them the lead. I swear Pitt should be winning by at least 14 points.
UNC 17, Pitt 16 —— 4:00 left in the third quarter
URBAN MEYER HAS JUST RESIGNED, CITING HEALTH REASONS. WHERE WAS TEBOW AND HIS HEALING HANDS?
Start of the fourth quarter and UNC is in Pitt territory near the 50. The Panthers have screwed this one up 15 ways to Sunday. They left 14 points off the board in the first quarter and now the UNC offense is starting to gain momentum. Houston is running hard and Yates is playing slightly better than horrible.
And just when it looked as though the Heels had it all figured out, Yates gets sacked twice and has to punt. Pitt takes over at its own 5 with just over nine minutes to play.
I can’t wait until this game is over to contemplate Urban’s replacement while sipping on a gin and tonic.
Pitt goes for it on fourth down at its own 30 and gets it. Driving at the 48. Will they make it eight straight possessions of getting into UNC territory? Actually, I was just corrected. Eight possession into UNC’s field out of nine possessions.
The ball game is right now. Pitt has it fourth-and-two at the UNC 30 with 1:55 left to play. Here comes the field goal attempt. And on one of the dumbest plays defensively all season, UNC jumps offsides. Brilliant!!!!
First down Pitt.
50,389 is the paid attendance, which the lowest in the bowl’s eight-year history.
There’s 56 seconds left to play at Pitt has it at UNC’s 16. It’s fourth-and-1 and it will be a 33-yard field goal attempt.
The snap was very high, and the holder, Andrew Janocko, did a good job getting it down and Dan Hutchins booted it through.
Pitt 19, UNC 17 —– 0:52 left to play
UNC returns it to the 38. Plenty of time for a Yates led game-winning field goal.
Fourth-and-seven…..Pass completed to the tight end for eight yards. FIRST DOWN. 24 seconds left.
Four plays later, Yates threw a fastball to a receiver that was 10 yards away and it falls incomplete.
Game over.
Pitt 19, UNC 17 FINAL
ACC is now 5-3 in this bowl and UNC has all three losses.
Lewis was named MVP of the game.
Thanks for your reading. Comments are welcome. Time to drink!
The Tar Heels open the season in Atlanta and will try to do what no team from the ACC has been able to do and that’s not get waxed by the opposing SEC team, let alone actually win. UNC faces LSU in the season opener in Atlanta and has to travel to Rutgers. The Heels also have to travel to Florida State and Miami, but at least they get Clemson, Virginia Tech and ECU at home. It’s not an easy schedule, but it’s not a killer, either.
Well, after blowing a monumental lead against a team that plays defense about as stiff as the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, the North Carolina Tar Heels are in big trouble and could and very well be staying home in December to watch the basketball team wax Presbyterian by 70. Everything was set perfectly for a UNC win - a drunken and rowdy student body off on fall break, a full stadium for once, a nationally televised game, Lawrence Taylor and Julius Peppers on the sideline, and a Florida State team that tackles as well as Ashbrook High in Gastonia - but the Heels blew it. Now what?
North Carolina tailback/quarterback A.J. Blue had surgery on his left knee Friday at UNC Hospitals. His anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) were reconstructed and his medial collateral ligament (MCL) was repaired. The surgery was performed by Dr. Jeffrey Spang. Blue, a freshman from Dallas, N.C., will miss the remainder of the season and will not participate in UNC’s 2010 spring practice. His status for next fall will be updated in the summer. Blue played in all six games this season had 18 carries for 33 yards and completed one pass for 24 yards.