Charleston, S.C. - The Citadel Football will open the 2009 season on the road against the University of North Carolina Tar Heels on Saturday, Sept. 5. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at Kenan Stadium.
The game will be available on ESPN 360, ESPN's broadband network, and can be listened to on Bulldog Insider at www.CitadelSports.com or on ESPN Radio 910 The Team with the Voice of the Bulldogs Darren Goldwater and color analyst Walt Nadzak.
Saturday's matchup will be the fourth meeting against the Tar Heels, who lead the series, 3-0. The previous three games were all played in Chapel Hill with the first game dating back to Oct. 2, 1915. The last meeting between the Bulldogs and Tar Heels was exactly 23 years ago on Sept. 6, 1986.
The Bulldogs will be led Saturday by starting quarterback Bart Blanchard and All-America wide receiver Andre Roberts, who both returned this week from ankle injuries suffered during fall camp. The Citadel offense took a blow last month as starting running back Rickey Anderson suffered a broken leg and backup Van Dyke Jones suffered a broken hand. The two will be replaced by freshmen walk-ons Remi Biakabutuka and Bucky Kennedy in Saturday's lineup. The offensive line will be led by All-Conference second team selections Dan DeHaven and Thomas Suggs.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Bulldogs will be led by preseason All-Conference first team selection Terrence Reese who will receive assistance from Western Kentucky transfer Kyle Anderson on the defensive line. Second team selection Cortez Allen at defensive back and linebackers Mel Capers and Jordon Gilmore are also expected to make major contributions going into Saturday's game.
The season-opener will be a reunion of sorts as Bulldog tight end B.J. Phillips returns to Kenan Stadium for the first time since departing the Tar Heel football program last season. Fort Dorchester High School graduates Mel Capers, a linebacker for the Bulldogs, and UNC defensive end Robert Quinn will reconnect since playing together three seasons ago. The game will also mark the first time that Bulldog Head Coach Kevin Higgins and UNC Head Coach Butch Davis meet since playing against each other in the NFL in 2001 when Higgins coached the quarterbacks at Detroit and Davis was the head coach of the Cleveland Browns.
UNC will be the Bulldog's only FBS opponent for the 2009 season. The Citadel is currently 7-37 overall against FBS opponents. The seven wins were against Vanderbilt (1979), Navy (1988, 1989), South Carolina (1990), Army (1991, 1992) and Arkansas (1992), their most recent FBS victory. The Citadel is 6-32-2 overall against current ACC opponents and will be looking for their first win against North Carolina on Saturday.
A game recap and statistics will be available online immediately following the game. For more information on Bulldog Football, go to the official website of The Citadel Athletics, www.CitadelSports.com.
