Offensive line must protect Baker to win

Game and Time: North Carolina at N.C. State. Kickoff is at 12 p.m. Saturday.

Site: Carter-Finley Stadium.

TV/Radio: The game will be televised on Jefferson-Pilot Sports. The Tar Heel Sports Network will provide radio coverage; the game can be heard locally on 1360-AM and 106.1-FM.

Records: North Carolina is 0-2 (0-1 in the ACC). N.C. State is 1-1 (0-1).

Series: North Carolina leads, 61-27-6.

Personnel update: North Carolina - LB Doug Justice (broken foot) is out. C Ben Lemming (shoulder) and WR Mike Mason (shoulder) are probable.

N.C. State - WR Brian Clark (ankle) and OG Dwayne Herndon (stinger) are questionable. CB Phillip Holloman (ankle) is probable.

The Key Matchup: The North Carolina offensive line against the N.C. State front four.

Two critical factors will determine whether North Carolina has a chance of springing an upset on the Wolfpack. The Tar Heels need to establish the run, and they absolutely must protect QB Matt Baker.

Responsibility for both tasks rests squarely with the offensive line. The importance of keeping UNC's quarterback off the ground, in particular, cannot be overstated.

"If he goes down, I don't know what's going to happen," said senior wide receiver Wallace Wright. "I don't even want to think about that at this point."

But the task won't be easy, not with Mario Williams and Manny Lawson lining up at opposite ends of the N.C. State defensive line. Both players earned All-ACC honors a season ago, and both create nightmares for even the best of offensive linemen.

"This is going to be a good test for Skip (Seagraves), and I think we're both up to the challenge," said offensive tackle Brian Chacos. "We're ready to play those two guys."

As difficult as it might seem to prevent Williams and Lawson from repeatedly wreaking havoc in the North Carolina backfield, the Tar Heels cannot let the duo run wild if they expect to have a quarterback come Sunday morning.

Baker took several vicious hits against Wisconsin last week, including a blow to the ribs that left him down on the Kenan Stadium turf for several minutes.

And while one can't help but admire his toughness under fire, Baker can't keep taking those hits if he is to pilot the offense for an entire season. North Carolina's blockers must withstand the heavy pressure and shield their quarterback from a game-ending - or season-ending - blow from a defender.

Final analysis/prediction: With two losses already in the books, North Carolina only now opens the most brutal stretch of its schedule.

Games against Utah, Louisville, Virginia, Miami and Boston College follow in succession after Saturday's tilt with N.C. State, and North Carolina might not be favored to win any of those games.

In short, North Carolina desperately needs to beat the Wolfpack.

"To say that we're starving for a win would probably be an understatement," said North Carolina head coach John Bunting on Tuesday.

But in last Saturday's game, the opposing team's punter scored 40 percent of North Carolina's points. The Tar Heels simply have not demonstrated that they have an offense potent enough to find the end zone against the Wolfpack - one of the nation's best defensive teams.

The Bottom Line: N.C. State 20, North Carolina 9.

 

- Compiled by Brian MacPherson