MY MEMORABLE STATE-UNC MOMENT: Mike Rose
Former Wolfpack standout Mike Rose recalls playing the Tar Heels and his most memorable moment from the State-Carolina rivalry.
I grew up in South Carolina, so I didn't know how big this game was until I actually got to State.
You heard about it from the fans and other players when you get on campus, but until you play in it, you don't really know, and when you graduate, you really know.
With UNC, you always put a "W" on that game because you assume you're going to kick their ass. That's the mindset you have to take because it is such a big game.
It really hit me how important this series was my redshirt freshman year. That was the year Bernard ran back that punt return to win it over there. I saw the look on the faces of our seniors and you realize you don't like UNC.
Everything about them just doesn't seem right. You just don't like those guys.
I played against North Carolina under O'Brien and Doeren, and I thought the treated the series a little differently. With OB, he just let it all come to him. He treated every game the same, at least I felt that way. Dave put an asterisk on UNC. He seemed to put more of an emphasis on how we needed to kick their ass and win the state title every year.
My most memorable moment in the series would be from the 2014 game. It wasn't anything really that I did. It was when Jacoby [Brissett] broke off a big run, maybe for about 50 yards. We all know Jacoby is more quick than fast, but I remember those guys trying to chase him down. We were beating them badly, and that play was the perfect example of how it happened. It wasn't difficult, it was a simple run, and we ran all over them that day.
I'll never forget that win.
For me, they all were not wins against UNC. My last game in Carter-Finley Stadium was in 2015, Senior Day against them. What do I remember most? They kicked our asses.
Senior Day is an emotional day, whether you want it to be or not. Its your last game at home in front of your family and the Wolfpack fans. They've supported you all those years, paid for your scholarship. You'll never play in front of them again, and for a lot of seniors its maybe your last game ever playing football.
That's an emotional experience.
We obviously didn't handle it well that day, but you want to create a legacy and winning games against North Carolina are important to that. I remember the big wins, but you remember the losses and games you should have won even more.
If I could give advice to this year's seniors, I'd tell them to treat UNC just like you did Louisville and Florida State this season. Go out there and take care of business.
Don't look at their record. Just kick their asses.
