North Carolina @ East Carolina preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 2, 2010 ) East Carolina 17, North Carolina 42

THE STORY: North Carolina, coming off its first loss of the season last weekend, travels 100 miles to Greenville, N.C., for what should be a tough non-conference game against East Carolina. The Tar Heels are looking for their first 4-1 start since 2008, but venture into hostile territory at sold out Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, where East Carolina has won four of seven against Atlantic Coast Conference teams.

TV: CBS Sports Network. LINE: East Carolina -6

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA (3-1): The Tar Heels fell at No. 21 Georgia Tech 35-28 last week after rallying from a 14-point second half deficit. Redshirt freshman tailback Giovani Bernard rushed for a career-best 155 yards and two touchdowns as he topped the 100-yard mark for the second straight week. Bernard is third in the ACC with 100.5 yards per game and he shares the league lead with six touchdowns. Quarterback Bryn Renner is third in the ACC in passing efficiency (168.9), and has completed 78 percent of his passes (74-of-95) for 897 yards and seven touchdowns. North Carolina has outscored its first four opponents 28-3 in the opening quarter.

ABOUT EAST CAROLINA (1-2): Junior running back Reggie Bullock rushed for 169 yards and a touchdown, while senior quarterback Dominique Davis threw for three more scores in last week's 28-23 Conference USA victory over Alabama-Birmingham. Davis is third in the nation in completions per game and 35th in passing yards per game. East Carolina shares the nation's lead in turnovers, averaging 4.3 per game. The Pirates tied a school record with seven turnovers against Alabama-Birmingham. East Carolina's two losses this year have come against Top 10 teams - No. 9 South Carolina and No. 10 Virginia Tech.

EXTRA POINTS

1. North Carolina owns a 10-2-1 advantage in 13 meetings against East Carolina. North Carolina won the last two contests in Chapel Hill, including 42-17 last season. However, the last time these teams met in Greenville, East Carolina won 34-31 in 2008 with a field goal on the final play of the game.

2. East Carolina has lost eight of its last nine games against the ACC.

3. Saturday's game will pit two African-American coaches who are good friends: North Carolina interim mentor Everett Withers and East Carolina's Ruffin McNeill, who played against the Tar Heels three times when he played defensive back at East Carolina from 1976-80.

PREDICTION: North Carolina 34, East Carolina 27 - North Carolina will control the game with its strong ground attack and solid passing game of Renner, while forcing a couple turnovers.