WRAL Sports Fan

North Carolina

UNC has seven home football games in 2009

Feb 12, 2009

Seven home games, including the first Thursday night home game in UNC history, highlight the 2009 North Carolina football schedule, released Thursday by the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Eight of the Tar Heels’ 12 opponents played in a bowl game last season, including Florida State, which returns to Kenan Stadium for the first time since 2003. The Tar Heels and Seminoles will meet over Carolina’s Fall Break on Thursday, Oct. 22 in an ESPN nationally televised game. The following week, Carolina goes on the road to Virginia Tech for another ESPN Thursday night game in Blacksburg, Va.

“Thursday night home games have grown into an excellent way to promote your football program and campus and bring your fans together in a unique experience,” Athletics Director Dick Baddour said in a statement. “It’s the college version of Monday Night Football – it is the only show in town and football fans across the nation are watching. We have chosen not to play host to previous Thursday night games due to the disruption it would cause at a university like ours where the football stadium is in the heart of campus. After discussions with Chancellor Thorp, faculty leaders and officials from UNC Hospitals, we think we have a plan to make this work. The ACC also worked with us to select a game on the Thursday of Fall Break, thus there are no classes that day or the following day.”

Carolina’s home slate features games against The Citadel (Sept. 5), East Carolina (Sept. 19), Virginia (Oct. 3), Georgia Southern (Oct. 10), Florida State (Oct. 22), Duke (Nov. 7) and Miami (Nov. 14). It is the first game between Carolina and Florida State since 2004, and the schools’ first meeting in Kenan Stadium since the 2003 season opener. The 2009 home schedule also marks the first time Carolina and Duke have not ended the year

The Tar Heels’ road schedule feature contests at Connecticut (Sept. 12), Georgia Tech (Sept. 26), Virginia Tech (Oct. 29), Boston College (Nov. 21) and N.C. State (Nov. 28).

2009 North Carolina Schedule
Sept. 5 – The Citadel
Sept. 12 – at Connecticut
Sept. 19 – East Carolina
Sept. 26 – at Georgia Tech
Oct. 3 – Virginia
Oct. 10 – Georgia Southern
Oct. 17 – Open
Oct. 22 (Thurs) - Florida State (ESPN)
Oct. 29 (Thurs) - at Virginia Tech (ESPN)
Nov. 7 – Duke
Nov. 14 – Miami
Nov. 21 – at Boston College
Nov. 28 – at NC State