UNC will try to snap out-of-state skid

UNC will try to snap a 20-game skid outside of N.C. when it faces Rutgers

CHAPEL HILL -- North Carolina safety Trimane Goddard has many reasons for wanting to beat Rutgers on Thursday night: the national spotlight, the possibility of being 2-0, avenging the season-opening loss to the Scarlet Knights in 2006.

"Plus, the plane ride coming home would be so much better,'' the senior added. For 5 1/2 seasons -- before Goddard or any of his teammates became Tar Heels -- charter flights back to Chapel Hill have been quiet, dour, often embarrassing affairs.

Carolina has not won outside the state since its 38-35 victory at Arizona State on Oct. 5, 2002, a span of 20 games.

So there's been no need for celebration at 15,000 feet -- something they want to change. Immediately.

"It would be a great win just to play on national television, play in front of a huge audience ... play efficient in every aspect of the game and show everybody what we have,'' said offensive lineman Garrett Reynolds.

UNC (1-0) came close to that on a couple of occasions last season. Under new coach Butch Davis, the Tar Heels were 0-6 on the road, including 0-3 outside the state. But two of those three losses came by seven points or fewer -- a far cry from the 17 straight out-of-N.C. defeats under former coach John Bunting that included school records for most yardage allowed (during a 46-16 shellacking at Utah in 2004) and most points allowed (during a 69-14 laugher at Louisville in 2005).

Ten of the 17 losses were blowouts by at least 20 points.

"It's frustrating, but that's all in the past,'' Reynolds insisted. "You can't dwell on it, because that's not who we are now."

At least, that's who they're trying not to be.

To that end, road trips have changed under Davis, a former NFL coach who tends to take a more professional approach.

Bunting, for instance, considered outings to the College Football Hall of Fame (when they played at Notre Dame in 2006), the Louisville Slugger bat factory (in 2005) and the Olympic Park in Salt Lake City (Utah in 2004) educational opportunities.

Davis considers such field trips distractions, unless the trip lasts several days. Which is why he tries not to change his team's routine from home games.

"We're not going to visit the Statue of Liberty, we're not going to the zoo, we're not going to stay overnight at Broadway and catch a play,'' Davis said. "It's a business trip, and I think when you've got a very, very young and inexperienced football team, it's something you have to constantly remind them: to stay focused."

Davis, whose six Miami Hurricanes teams were 23-11 on the road, said there are two keys to winning away from home: talent and experience, both of which he's trying to rebuild at UNC.

Rutgers coach Greg Schiano, whose Scarlet Knights (0-1) were 1-9 on the road his first two seasons, said confidence is also important.

"It's human nature to start questioning yourself and until you go out and do it again, you don't know," he said.

For the Heels, though, winning at Rutgers Stadium wouldn't mark an "again" but a first.

And make for a trip they would finally enjoy all the way home.

"You'd have something to talk about on the way back,'' Goddard said, referring to the charter flight. "After a loss, you just don't want to talk about it. You just go to sleep and are ready to get back. It would definitely be different."