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Connecticut looks to avoid another slip in ACC country

Oct 4, 2008 - 10:07 AM (23) Connecticut (5-0) at North Carolina (3-1), 7:00 pm EDT

CHAPEL HILL, North Carolina (Ticker) -- Last year, Connecticut absorbed its first loss in Atlantic Coast Conference country, suffering a 17-16 defeat at Virginia in its sixth game of the season.

The 23rd-ranked Huskies, who once again are off to a 5-0 start, hope to avoid a similar fate on Saturday when they visit North Carolina in their second straight road contest.

UConn also will have to do it without quarterback Tyler Lorenzen, who suffered a broken right foot in last Friday's 26-21 victory over Louisville and will miss six to eight weeks.

The Huskies made their first appearance in the top 25 in school history last season and were ranked for three weeks, climbing as high as 16th. A win Saturday will move Connecticut to 6-0 for the first time since the school made the jump to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2000.

However, the Huskies could be in for a difficult test, as the Tar Heels (3-1) appear headed in the right direction under second-year coach Butch Davis.

The Tar Heels improved to 3-1 for the first time since 2000 following last week's 28-24 victory at Miami. Cameron Sexton threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Brooks Foster with 46 seconds left as North Carolina rallied from a 14-point deficit in the third quarter.

The Tar Heels' quarterback situation also is unsettled, however. Sexton relieved ineffective starter Mike Paulus and completed 11-of-19 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns, both in the fourth quarter. North Carolina starter T.J. Yates will miss six weeks with a broken left ankle.

North Carolina will attempt to slow down Huskies running back Donald Brown, the nation's leading rusher who already has run for 906 yards. Brown's 11 touchdowns ranks second in the FBS behind Michigan State's Javon Ringer (12).

In last week's win, Brown ran for 190 yards on 33 carries. He already has surpassed 200 yards twice this season, and his lowest total of the year was 146 yards in the season opener against Hofstra.

Connecticut fans have begun touting Brown for Heisman Trophy consideration. With 2,623 career yards, he is just one yard shy of Wilbur Gilliard (2,624) for second place on the school's all-time rushing list.