• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

North Carolina seeks first bowl win since 2001

Dec 27, 2008 - 11:30 AM North Carolina (8-4) vs. West Virginia (8-4), December 27, 1:00 pm EST

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Ticker) -- North Carolina fell short of the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game, but took a significant step forward this year in Butch Davis' second season as coach.

The Tar Heels, who have doubled their 2007 win total, seek their first postseason win in seven years Saturday when they take on West Virginia in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

North Carolina (8-4) has not won a bowl game since defeating Auburn, 16-10, in the 2001 Peach Bowl. Its last bowl appearance came in 2004, a 37-24 defeat to Boston College in the Continental Tire Bowl.

"We wanted to play in meaningful games, games that were important," Davis said. "We wanted to play on national TV. We wanted to play when the blimp was in the air.

"There were a lot of things that we were able to accomplish this year and going to a bowl game is certainly one of those steps along the journey of trying to build the program."

The Tar Heels were in position to win the ACC Coastal Division but suffered consecutive losses to Maryland and North Carolina State before ending the regular season with a win over Duke.

"At one point in the season, we were on a roll and it was looking like we were going to win the ACC," North Carolina defensive end E.J Wilson said. "So it's kind of role reversal. We had to learn how to handle success this year, so it's a big difference from last year."

North Carolina also suffered a number of key injuries, losing wide receiver Brandon Tate for the final seven games of the season and quarterback T.J. Yates for six contests during the year. Yates returned for the final two games.

While the Tar Heels can be happy with an 8-4 record, West Virginia (8-4) clearly underachieved in Bill Stewart's first season as coach.

The Mountaineers began the season as the favorite to win the Big East Conference and ranked eighth in the coaches' poll. However, the Mountaineers suffered early defeats to East Carolina and Colorado before dropping conference games to Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.

North Carolina will have to contend with West Virginia's backfield tandem of record-breaking quarterback Pat White and sophomore running back Noel Devine, who have combined to rush for more than 2,100 yards this season.

This will be the final game in a West Virginia uniform for White, who became the NCAA's all-time leading rusher for a quarterback in the Mountaineers' 35-21 victory over Louisville on November 22.