Tar Heels Look to Stop Clemson QB

Site: Memorial Stadium

TV/radio: ESPN2 will provide national coverage. The Tar Heel Sports Radio Network will provide live radio coverage; its flagship station is WCHL 1360 AM.

Records: North Carolina is 4-3, 3-1 in the ACC. Clemson is 4-1, 2-1 in the ACC.

Series: Clemson leads 31-17-1.

Personnel Update: Clemson -- WR Roscoe Crosby (sprained knee, broken nose) and CB Kevin Johnson (broken rib) are questionable. WR Jackie Robinson (broken jaw) is doubtful. LB Altroy Bodrick (knee), WR Tony Elliott (broken wrist), CB Marcus Houskin (broken neck) and WR Kevin Youngblood (broken leg) are out.

North Carolina -- QB Ronald Curry (inflamed left Achilles' tendon) is probable. SS DeFonte Coleman (dislocated left shoulder) is out.

The key matchup: Containing Woodrow Dantzler isn't an easy task. Just ask N.C. State.

Dantzler, Clemson's 5-foot-11, 205-pound quarterback and offensive factory, stomped all over the Wolfpack defense Saturday with 333 passing yards and 184 yards rushing. In his last two games, Dantzler has combined for 935 yards of total offense and 10 touchdowns. The No. 13 Tigers posted 45 and 47 points in those wins at Georgia Tech and N.C. State, respectively.

"He's strong. He's fast. He's quick. He's tremendously agile," said UNC coach John Bunting, who called Dantzler a faster Roger Staubach. "He has great presence, a great feel. He sees everything. And he can throw the ball as well as the quarterback we faced from East Carolina. He throws the ball extremely well. He has a very, very live arm. He's the total package."

So is the potent offense he leads. Clemson is tops in the ACC and 12th in the nation with 455.4 yards per outing.

"They're a very, very, very talented team," Bunting said. "This offense Dantzler is running is unbelievable. Great operation. Good operation with a great operator. He's a superb operator. He's a surgeon general. Scary. They're scary."

Especially scary for a UNC defense that has slipped some in recent weeks.

The Tar Heels allowed nearly 271 yards in its first four games against Oklahoma, Maryland, Texas and Florida State. Since then, they've conceded 355 yards a game.

"We're just not playing like we're supposed to," said defensive tackle Ryan Sims. "We're not making plays on the ball. It's consistency more than anything."

Bunting said that with the talent Clemson will bring to the table, making open-field tackles, especially against Dantzler, will be key to any success his team has.

But the defensive unit wants to keep Dantzler healthy.

"This week we're solely concentrating on (Dantzler) and keeping him contained," Sims said. "Every time we play Clemson they beat us and their backup quarterback kills us. So we're going to try to keep him in the game."

Final analysis/prediction: Last year at Kenan Stadium, UNC jumped out to a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter before Dantzler got knocked out of the game. Willie Simmons came in and proceeded to throw for four touchdowns and 228 yards en route to a 38-24 win. In 1999, Dantzler took over for the injured Brandon Streeter in another come-from-behind victory.

But this is a different, more confident team from those Tar Heel squads. This one is riding a four-game winning streak for the first time since 1997.

Kicker Jeff Reed attributes much of that to Bunting's attitude and motivating.

"What he brings to this team is extreme pride, loyalty and success," Reed said.

Bunting was 1-0 at Death Valley in his playing days for UNC, notching a 42-7 win in 1970. The Tar Heels have won once there since 1980.

But Bunting has them believing again.

He said, "We're playing a little bit better than the talent that we have."

UNC 27, Clemson 24.

-- Compiled by Mike Ogle