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2012 Schedule Released

Chapel Hill, N.C. - In Larry Fedora's first year as head coach at North Carolina in 2012, the Tar Heels will play a seven-game home schedule that includes games against in-state opponents East Carolina (Sept. 22) and NC State (Oct. 27).
The home slate also features games against ACC opponents Virginia Tech (Oct. 6), Georgia Tech (Nov. 10) and Maryland (Nov. 24) and non-conference games vs. Elon (Sept. 1) and Idaho (Sept. 29).
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Season tickets go on sale Thursday, March 1 at TarHeelBlue.com.
"Our team is looking forward to the challenges of the 2012 season," said Fedora. "I challenge our fans to fill Kenan Stadium every week and support the Tar Heels. This will be an exciting year as we unveil new schemes on special teams, offense and defense. I'm already looking forward to the Spring Game on April 14 and our home opener on Sept. 1."
The Tar Heels will go on the road to face Wake Forest (Sept. 8), Louisville (Sept. 15), Miami (Oct. 13), Duke (Oct. 20) and Virginia (Thursday, Nov. 15).
Carolina faces a quick turnaround from its home game against Georgia Tech on Nov. 10 to travel to Charlottesville for its first road Thursday night game at Virginia since 2006. The Virginia game will be televised nationally by ESPN.
Carolina returns eight starters on offense, including quarterback Bryn Renner, who threw for a school-record 26 touchdowns last season, and tailback Giovani Bernard, the first Tar Heel to rush for 1,000 yards since 1997.
UNC also returns four of its five starters on the offensive line. On defense, Carolina welcomes back five starters, including standout linebacker Kevin Reddick and defensive tackle Sylvester Williams.
North Carolina kicks off the 2012 season with the Spring Game on April 14 at 3 p.m. at Kenan Stadium. Admission is free.
Schedule Notes
---This is the first time Carolina has faced Maryland since 2008 and the first time the two teams have met at Kenan Stadium since a 16-13 UNC victory in 2007. This is the first time Carolina and Maryland have met in the final game of the regular season. It is the first time Carolina has played an opponent other than Duke or NC State in the final game of the year since playing at Virginia Tech in 2005.
---This is the first time game at Duke has not been played on the final weekend of the regular season since 1998. That year, the Tar Heels played NC State in Charlotte on Nov. 28.
---The Tar Heels will play five opponents from the state of North Carolina - Elon, Duke, NC State, Wake Forest and East Carolina - for the first time since the 1940s.
---Carolina and East Carolina will be meeting for the fifth time in the last six years. The Tar Heels are 3-1 in the four previous meetings, including a 35-20 win in 2011 and a 42-17 win in 2010.
---Carolina will travel to Louisville for just the second time in school history and the first since 2005. The series with the Cardinals is tied at three.
---The meetings with Elon and Idaho are the first in school history.
2012 UNC Football Schedule
Sat. Sept. 1 Elon Chapel Hill
Sat. Sept. 8 at Wake Forest Winston-Salem, N.C.
Sat. Sept. 15 at Louisville Louisville, Ky.
Sat. Sept. 22 East Carolina Chapel Hill
Sat. Sept. 29 Idaho Chapel Hill
Sat. Oct. 6 Virginia Tech Chapel Hill
Sat. Oct. 13 at Miami Miami Gardens, Fla.
Sat. Oct. 20 at Duke Durham, N.C.
Sat. Oct. 27 NC State Chapel Hill
Sat. Nov. 10 Georgia Tech Chapel Hill
Thur. Nov. 15 at Virginia (ESPN) Charlottesville, Va.
Sat. Nov. 24 Maryland Chapel Hill
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