Baiiy (Bar Med
mpec£
North Carolina has never
beaten Florida State.
Is this UNC's year?
By Brian Murphy
Sports Editor
When top-ranked Florida State takes the field
Saturday against North Carolina, it will have anoth
er ACC team on its mind.
This would be good news for the Tar Heels in most
cases. Most cases concern the opponent looking past
a team to its next foe or still riding the crest of an
emotional win, limiting its concentration on the
task at hand.
But this is not most cases because the
Seminoles will not be remembering their 42-11
demolition of the Wolfpack last Saturday, nor
will FSU be focusing its attention on a Oct. 5
contest with Duke.
Instead the Seminoles’ thoughts will be
on their 1998 game against N.C. State.
That’s a bad thing for the Tar Heels.
And that’s just the way FSU coach Bobby
Bowden wants it.
“We’ve been favored nearly every game
for the past two or three years, so our motto
is “avoid the upset,” Bowden said. “That’s
exacdy what we talk to our players about.
Avoid the upset.
“Can it occur? Yes, it occurred last year
against North Carolina State.”
That’s what happens when your team has
finished in The Associated Press top-4 for the
past 12 years. That’s the mentality that accom
panies a team penciled in for an Alliance Bowl
bid and a possible NCAA championship each year.
The Seminole dynasty has showed no signs of
slowing in 1999. FSU enters Saturday’s contest 3-0
with conference victories against Georgia Tech and
N.C. State, teams expected to be among its top chal
lenges in the ACC. With four returning All-Americans,
the Seminoles’ talent level is as high as ever.
And this year, Florida State has other reasons to
dominate its opponents. Wide receiver Peter Warrick
is aiming for the Heisman Trophy. Quarterback Chris
Weinke is battling back from a neck injury. The ’Noles
are seeking the undefeated season that has eluded
Bowden so far.
Oh, add reasserting their belief that they, and they
alone, rule the ACC to the Seminoles’ to-do list.
Not that the Tar Heels are unaware of what they are
up against. “It’s one of those games where you know
you’re going against the best,” UNC left guard Mike
Gimbol said. “We’ve just got to take every play, every
snap and give it our best shot.”
Two years ago, it was the Tar Heels who were
poised to knock the Seminoles off their perch. North
Carolina entered the Nov. 7th “Judgement Day” game
unbeaten and ranked No. 5 in the country. The
Seminoles, also unbeaten, brought the nation’s No. 3
ranking to Kenan Stadium.
ESPN showed up. Fans nearly trapped themselves
against the stadium gates before the game. Chapel Hill
was at a fever pitch.
The Seminoles crashed the party - quickly. FSU
sacked Tar Heel quarterbacks nine times. They ended
starter Oscar Davenport’s season with a broken ankle.
After the 20-3 victory, they ripped up the Kenan
Stadium sod and brought it home for their 'Sod
Cemetery.’
Thus ended the first challenge to FSU’s conference
supremacy.
While the Seminoles have continued their course
since the game two years ago, the Tar Heels have faced
a number of challenges. Coach Mack Brown left for
Texas after the 1997 campaign. A dismal 0-3 start over
shadowed last season’s 7-5 record. This season,
Virginia topped UNC on a last-second field goal.
No. 1 Florida State at North Carolina
3MJ, 2*o in tM ACC I*l,M
Kenan Stadium
3:30 p.m., Saturday
Television: ABC: Radio: WCHLI36O-AM
||§|||l|i2 Series Record: Florida State leads 9-0-1
never . \
1 <>eid
“i"’' 1 Bo I m _ji k
lllr fß****“ N *''*V j^*'* 1 *
111. 'S m ■ &
; ; / . gk
BK
IB ii-iS jr*- _ WB'j .7- ■"
| MM - Ml
sH I wKk
st 3-0
ch and ■ , 4
ip chal- . |
-Vamck return to the S
k Chns and national, ;S
eluded North Carolina with \ *
Florida. They’ve got the
id they resources, they’ve got the Xw '**' Jjjß|
it. tradition, and I’ve always felt
North Carolina
j know way,” Bowden said.
and Mike "When Mack Brown
’, every North Carolina, I told him. 'I ‘\££ f.
thought you made a mistake - M
o were going from North Carolina to •_ kjWttßZf
. North Texas because I thought you had BB
” game one of the best jobs in the country.’
y. The I always felt like North Carolina was
s No. 3 one of the choice jobs.
“When you make a coaching change
nselves there has to be a transition, and to me
pel Hill they’re making that transition.”
Transition. Something Bowden has not had to North Carolina
y. FSU deal with in quite a while. And one reason that the linebacker
• ended Seminoles enter the game thinking about avoiding Sedrick Hodge
i ankle. the upset, while the Tar Heels are concentrating on (above) and nis
Kenan their own strengths. teammates on the
ir ‘Sod “The best thing to do is for us to just go out and Tar Heel defense have a
play our game -to just go out and do what we can tall order to fill Saturday \ >
ference do and not worry about what they can and can’t as they attempt to slow jLgtigL
do,” said UNC tailback Anthony Saunders. Florida State
course If the Tar Heels can accomplish that tall task, wide receiver
e faced maybe they will get the Seminoles undivided atten- Peter Warrick
left for fion. and the ferocious
rt over- Seminole attack.
But Bowden sees no
reason why the Tar Jffl
Heels won’t again
return to the confer
ence, and national, elite. ss*
“I’ve always compared l|9|H|
North Carolina with V3|
Florida. They’ve got the Ys|
resources, they’ve got the ty|
tradition, and I’ve always felt l|
North Carolina is the same V
way,” Bowden said.
“When Mack Brown left
North Carolina, I told him, ‘I
thought you made a mistake
going from North Carolina to
Texas because I thought you had
one of the best jobs in the country.’
I always felt like North Carolina was
one of the choice jobs.
“When you make a coaching change
there has to be a transition, and to me
they’re making that transition.”
Transition. Something Bowden has not had to
deal with in quite a while. And one reason that the
Seminoles enter the game thinking about avoiding
the upset, while the Tar Heels are concentrating on
their own strengths.
“The best thing to do is for us to just go out and
play our game - to just go out and do what we can
do and not worry about what they can and can’t
do,” said UNC tailback Anthony Saunders.
If the Tar Heels can accomplish that tall task,
maybe they will get the Seminoles undivided atten
tion.
The Sports Editor can be reached at
sports@unc.edu.
Key Players
■ UNC Q 8 Ronald Curry: The sophomore quarterback
is the key to the Tar Heels' offense His ability to run and
Hi
Peter Warrick
No. 1 Florida State at North Carolina
pass will be essential to keeping the
UNC offense on the field and moving.
• FSU WR Peter Warrick: The
speedy wideout will continue his
Heisman Trophy campaign Saturday
against tire Tar Heels' inexperienced secondary.
It's a combinaiton which could produce spectacular
highlights and plenty qf Seminole points.
Key Matchups
■ FSU Wideouts vs. UNC Secondary: Warrick aid
the other Seminole wideouts have speed to bum. ft's a
speed the inexperienced Tar Heel secondary has not
faced, and a trait game film cannot prepare one for.
■ UNC Offensive line vs. FSU Defensive line:
For the Tar Heels to win this game, the front five must
control the Seminoles' front seven. If UNC's linemen can
give Curry time to throw and tailback Daniel Davis roan
Ronald Curry
to run, the Tar Heels can move the ball. If not Curry will be scrambling for his
life not a sight UNC's coaches want to see.
ifeil* feßßy ’ I*^
Talkative Davis Dazzles
With Running Prowess
By Evan Markfield
Assistant Sports Editor
The only part of Daniel Davis’ body
that might move as fast as his legs is his
mouth.
The speedy freshman tailback has
earned a reputation among his North
Carolina teammates as not only a run
ner with lots of potential but also a
young man whose lips scarcely cease
moving.
“He has the gift of gab,” senior full
back Deon Dyer said, laughing. “He’s a
good kid though. Some people have to
(talk a lot). That’s they’re personality.”
Luckily for the Tar Heels, Davis’ sil
ver tongue is complemented by his
golden feet.
The Stafford, Va., native scampered
his way to 77 yards on 13 carries to lead
UNC in his debut two weeks ago
against Indiana. Davis had big runs on
three Tar Heel touchdown drives in
UNC’s 42-30 win.
Davis rushed for 2,039 yards and 33
touchdowns in his senior year at Brooke
Point High School, earning All-America
honors. On top of that, he was the
Gatorade and USA Today Player of the
Year in Virginia.
Now Davis’ performance in UNC’s
practices and against Indiana has team
mates talking about more than his chat
ty nature.
“(Davis) creates a threat back there
that some of the other guys don’t create
with his slashing,” Tar Heel quarterback
Ronald Curry said. “He’s a very excel
lent back.”
While Curry added that Davis had
some things to learn about running - to
lower his shoulders more when he hit
a hole, for instance - the sophomore
quarterback also said he saw qualities
that set Davis apart as a dangerous tail
back.
“You can’t coach his vision,” Curry
DTH FILE PHOTO
Ok
#
Djnict Davis
Friday, September 24, 1999
DTH/MILLER PEARSALL
said. “You can’t coach the moves he
makes. That’s just him.”
Those moves had Davis slashing and
dashing his way to the best rushing per
formance by a UNC freshman in his
first game (in which he had a carry)
since Leon Johnson - now playing for
the New Yorkjets - rushed for 94 yards
against Southern California in 1993.
Davis’ status for Indiana had been
questionable three days before the game
because he developed an ulcer in his left
eye caused by his contact lenses.
But prescription goggles from the
optical lab at UNC Hospitals arrived in
Bloomington the morning of the game,
paving the way for Davis to get his col
lege football career off to a good start
And with the kind of running he’s
displayed thus far as a Tar Heel - like
the 5.9 yards per carry average he tal
lied against the Hoosiers - it’s only nat
ural Davis might do a good deal of talk
ing on the gridiron too.
“He likes to talk on the field to keep
his confidence,” Dyer said. “He’s very
confident I’ll tell you that”
Game-time talking aside, his mates in
the backfield said Davis seldom missed
an opportunity to put in his two cents off
the field.
“He can add on to any conversation,”
fellow tailback Rufus Brown said. “He
just talks.”
Maybe that’s because Davis wants to
be noticed all around Chapel Hill, not
just in the cozy confines of Kenan
Stadium when he’s carrying the football.
“He’s the kind of person that loves
attention,” Dyer said. “And he’s not
gonna stop talking ’til he gets it”
But as much as Davis might talk,
when it comes to leg speed versus lip
speed, Dyer said it was no contest: “The
legs, definitely.”
The Sports Editor can be reached
atsports@unc.edu.
Final Analysis/Prediction
The contest lacks the hype of two years ago, a fecto that ccwld
work in the Tar Heels' favor. With bigger games on their schedule,
there is the chance that Florida State could overlook UNC.
But Seminole coach Bobby Bowden will not let that happen. He will
have Ns team ready to piay, as usual. And if that's the case, the Tar
Heels iust do fist have the weaßSns match the SemimSes* b*zm
arsenal. Look for Warrick to have a master game
The Tar Heels will score early, but the Seminoles will score often.
7
North
Carolina
freshman
tailback
Daniel Davis,
who ran for
77 yards
against
Indiana,
should be
the future of
the Tar Heel
rushing
attack.