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North Carolina Tar Heels: Looking Back at 33 Bowl Games

By John Woodcock

Dec 30, 2016; El Paso, TX, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Jordon Brown (2) scores a touchdown against the Stanford Cardinal defense at Sun Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 30, 2016; El Paso, TX, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Jordon Brown (2) scores a touchdown against the Stanford Cardinal defense at Sun Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 3, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels mascot Rameses XXII during the second quarter against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports /

12. 1982 Sun Bowl

The 1982 Tar Heels thrived on the same formula that had worked for the Tar Heels throughout the 1970s, using multiple running backs to pound away at opponents. For Dooley teams it had been Jim Betterson and Mike Voight and for the early Dick Crum teams it had been Amos Lawrence and Kelvin Bryant.

Bryant was the man heading into the 1982 postseason, but he had a new running partner. That would be Ethan Horton. So when Texas led early in El Paso, it was up to that duo to bring the Heels back. The problem was that Bryant went down with an injury early in the game.

Suddenly the load was all on Horton. The running back didn’t blink, but instead delivered a good performance with 119 yards and a score to bring the Tar Heels all the way back for a 26-10 victory.

The 1982 Sun Bowl was the last game in a bowl winning streak that stretched to four games dating back to the Dooley era. At the time no other ACC team had ever won four straight bowl games. It was also the second time in three years that the Heels had played Texas in the final game of the season.

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