It is easy for a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill student to say “We aren’t rivals”, “It is not a real rivalry” for this is the most dreaded phrase an NC State student can hear. I’ll admit it myself that I have gotten flustered over hearing, “you aren’t our real rivals” because to me that sounds ignorant. But for a student at Chapel Hill, what is more fun than watching thousands of students, fans and alumni go red in their face with steam coming out of their ears after hearing one phrase? In the same light, I sometimes enjoy torturing my East Carolina University friends, especially when I tell my little brother (who is a Pirate) that no one in Raleigh really cares about ECU. (That being said, I love the football rivalry we have with ECU as I grew up rooting on the other side) Still, it is time to set the record straight about the Carolina – State Game.
courtesy of The Herald - Sun
A game over a century old, complete with 101 meetings in football, The Carolina – State game spreads over four sports. Now as I write this, I want you as a reader to know how painful it is to write the next few sentences. My fingers are bleeding State Red into this keyboard as I type. The Tar Heels lead the series by a record of 63-32-6. Well, I’m glad that is over with. Beyond that, the record during the ACC era (which – let’s be honest – is when the records really matter) the Tar Heels lead the series 32 – 27. In the grand scheme of things, this is an impressive rivalry record between two teams in the entire spread of college football.
Courtesy of bleacherreport.com
I dug as hard as I could with the resources available to me to find something juicy about the Carolina – State game, but either both Universities have done an excellent job of covering up any fights and things of the sort between the two, or there is literally no bad blood between the two. There are little pranks that have been pulled between the schools, like Red paint appearing everywhere on the Chapel Hill campus, including the Old Well once. Carolina fans and students have come to State and painted the Free Expression Tunnel blue in the past, which resulted in students patrolling the tunnel the nights leading up to the game and by hosting the Ram Roast. Ram Roast is a barbecue/party held outside the free expression tunnel as a pep rally before the big game.
best picture ever, courtesy of The News and Observer
I encourage you to watch the game tomorrow, after a five game losing streak and two coaching changes, the Tar Heels are beginning to become desperate about the game against the Wolfpack. New coach Larry Fedora has made the State game his focal point all season, so this should be a very entertaining game, as it always is. You know how I like to end these things, so GO PACK! And may the odds ever be in the Wolfpack’s favor this weekend. We ARE rivals, we have been for decades, and may this be yet another heated battle between the two.
courtesy of the ACC. Go Pack!