Jan. 17, 2003

CHAPEL HILL, N.C.-- The Atlantic Coast Conference released the 2003 football schedule on Friday and for the first time in school history, the University of North Carolina will face nine teams that appeared in postseason bowl games. All nine of those teams posted winning records and three were ranked in the final Associated Press Top 25 Poll. It also will be the third consecutive season Carolina has played 12 regular-season games.

Carolina's home schedule features contests against Florida State, Syracuse, Virginia, Arizona State, Wake Forest and Duke. The Tar Heels face road games at Wisconsin, NC State, East Carolina, Clemson, Maryland and Georgia Tech.

"Obviously, this is a challenging schedule when you consider the number of bowl teams we play in 2003," said head coach John Bunting. "I want to continue to play the nation's top programs because I think that is exciting for our players and our fans. The first two games of the year will be a great challenge and opportunity for our team. Our focus in our offseason workouts and conditioning will be to prepare for Florida State, the defending ACC champion, and a solid Syracuse squad."

Carolina opens the schedule with two consecutive home games for the first time since 1997. The Tar Heels start the season against the Seminoles on August 30 in Chapel Hill. The last time these two teams met in Kenan Stadium, Carolina gave Bunting his first win as its head coach with a 41-9 victory in 2000. Carolina completes the second year of a home-and-home series with Syracuse the following week in Chapel Hill. Last season, Dan Orner tied an NCAA-record with three field goals of at least 50 yards and Darian Durant passed for 284 yards and two touchdowns in Carolina's 30-22 victory at Syracuse.

After an open week on Sept. 13, Carolina travels to Wisconsin on Sept. 20 for its first-ever meeting against the Badgers. It is the first time Carolina has faced a team from the Big 10 since the Tar Heels beat Indiana in 1999. Carolina travels to NC State on Sept. 27 before returning home to face Virginia on October 4.

On Oct. 11, the Tar Heels face East Carolina in Greenville for the first time ever. All nine previous meetings between UNC and ECU were in Chapel Hill. Carolina is 7-1-1 against the Pirates, including a 24-21 in Chapel Hill in 2001.

Carolina plays host to Arizona State on October 18, followed by road games at Clemson and at Maryland. The final three games of the season feature home games against Wake Forest on November 8 and Duke on November 22, sandwiched by a road game at Georgia Tech on November 15.

Schedule Notes
* Carolina's 2003 opponents had a combined winning percentage of .547 (87-72) last season.
* Nine of Carolina's 2003 opponents appeared in bowl games last season. Wisconsin, NC State, Virginia, Maryland and Wake Forest all won bowl games.
* This is the third consecutive season Carolina has played 12 regular-season games.