document_title: North Carolina Tar Heels football

question_text: when was the last time unc was ranked in football

question_tokens: when was the last time unc was ranked in football

text: North Carolina Tar Heels football

text: History[edit]

text: Early history (1888–1958)[edit]

text: The University of North Carolina fielded its first football team in 1888.[6] Hector Cowan was Carolina's first head football coach.[6] The Tar Heels played four games with a final record of 1–3. The team captains for the 1888 season were Bob Bingham and Steve Bragaw.[6] The game against Wake Forest was the first in the state, and the first against Trinity the first "scientific" game in the state.[6] Ergo, one or the other is the first intercollegiate game in North Carolina. Princeton star Hector Cowan traveled south and trained the team.[7] In 1889, UNC played two games with a final record of 1–1.[8] The University would not field another football team until 1891. The team captains for the 1889 season were Lacy Little and Steve Bragaw.[6]

text: William A. Reynolds coached the Tar Heels for four seasons. In 1897, Carolina played ten games with a final record of 7–3. The team captain for the 1897 season was Arthur Belden. In 1898, the Tar Heels played nine games with a final record of 9–0. The team captain for the 1898 season was Frank O. Rogers. The team claimed a Southern championship.[9] The season opened with a 18–0 defeat of the Guilford Quakers.[10] Charles Baskerville was umpire.[10] The starting lineup was Tate (left end), Shull (left tackle), Miller (left guard), Cunningham (center), Cromartie (right guard), Bennett (Right tackle), Klotz (right end), Rogers (quarterback), Howell (left halfback), Gregory (right halfback), Graves (fullback).[10] In the second week of play, the Tar Heels defeated the in-state rival North Carolina A&M 34–0. Against the Greensboro Athletic Association, UNC won 11–0 which was followed by a victory over Oak Ridge by a score of 11–0. Touchdowns were made by Bennett, Gregory, Copeland, Shull, and Howell in a 28–6 win over V. P. I.[11] After beating Davidson 11–0, UNC traveled to Macon, Georgia to take on Georgia. the Tar Heels blew out the Georgia Bulldogs 53–0.[12] Tick Tichenor wrote "Such a crush defeat as Georgia sustained at the hands of North Carolina today is almost unparalleled in football".[13] The starting lineup was Klotz (left end), Shull (left tackle), Cromartie (left guard), Cunningham (center), Phifer (right guard), Bennett (Right tackle), Gregoy (right end), Rodgers (quarterback), Austin (left halfback), McRae (right halfback), Graves (fullback).[12] After defeating John Heisman's Auburn Tigers 29–0, UNC beat rival Virginia 6–2, its first win since the first year of the South's Oldest Rivalry. The safety was made just as time called, and Howell scored for UNC.[14] In 1899, UNC played eleven games with a final record of 7–3–1. The team captain for the 1899 season was Samuel Shull.[15] In 1900, Carolina played eight games with a final record of 4–1–3. The team captain for the 1900 season was Frank M. Osborne.[16] From 1897-1900, Reynolds posted a 27–7–4 record[17] before departing the Tar Heels to coach Georgia.

text: Herman Olcott was the head coach for the Tar Heels for two seasons, 1902 and 1903.[17] He compiled an 11–4–3 record.[17] In 1895 and from 1913-1915, the Tar Heels were coached by Thomas Trenchard, who posted a 26–9–2 record in those four seasons.[17] His best season was a 10–1 1914 season. Brothers Bob and Bill Fetzer served as co-head coaches for the Tar Heels from 1921-1925, posting a 30–12–4 overall record.[17] Bob would go on to serve as Carolina's first athletics director from 1923-1952. Chuck Collins served as head coach for the Tar Heels for eight seasons, the longest of any coach to that time in Tar Heel history.[18] His record in Chapel Hill was 38–31–9,[17] his best season being a 9–1 record in 1929,[19] during which Carolina defeated Wake Forest, Maryland, Georgia Tech, VPI, NC State, South Carolina, Davidson, Virginia and Duke.[18]

text: Carl Snavely, nicknamed "The Grey Fox" for his grey suits he would wear on game day,[20] served two stints as the Tar Heels head football coach.[20] He first came to Chapel Hill from Bucknell.[20] He departed after the 1935 season to accept the head football coach position at Cornell[20] but returned in 1945.[20] Snavely then departed again after the 1952 season to accept the head football coach position at Washington University.[20] His final record at UNC was 59–35–5[17] and he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1965.[20] A proponent of the single wing offense,[21] Snavely's teams were known as some of the quickest in the south. His 1946 and 1948 teams reached the Sugar Bowl but lost, finishing ranked #9 and #3, respectively.[22] Those teams posted 8–2–1 and 9–1 records, respectively.[22] Snavely's 1949 team finished 7–4, lost the Cotton Bowl and ranked #16 in the final polls.[22]

text: Raymond Wolf came to Carolina from his post as TCU defensive line coach.[23] In 1936, the Tar Heels finished with an 8–2 record.[24] Wolf's 1937 Tar Heels finished 7–1–1.[25] The next year saw UNC finish 6–2–1.[26] The Tar Heels would enjoy their best season under Wolf's tutelage in 1939, finishing 8–1–1.[27] In 1940, the Tar Heels finished 6–4.[28] The 1941 season saw Carolina finish 3–7,[29] which would result in Wolf's dismissal. Wolf's overall record in the six seasons he was head coach was 38–17–3,[17] with most of his success coming with players that Snavely recruited.

text: Jim Tatum served two stints as head football coach at his alma mater.[17] He enlisted in the Navy for World War II and left the team but returned in 1956.[17] His overall record at UNC is 19–17–3.[17] George T. Barclay, another UNC alum, was promoted from assistant coach to head coach following Snavely's second departure.[30] Barclay struggled as UNC's head football coach, posting an 11–18–1 record in his three seasons[31] before resigning.[17][30] The most notable part of Barclay's tenure is that the Tar Heels helped charter the Atlantic Coast Conference in all sports in 1953.[32] Tatum was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1984,[33] primarily for his tenure as head football coach at Maryland. Tatum died unexpectedly in the summer of 1958 from a rickettsial disease.[34]

text: Jim Hickey era (1959–1966)[edit]

text: Jim Hickey was promoted from assistant coach to head coach after Tatum's death.[35] In Hickey's first season, the Tar Heels finished with a 5–5 record.[36] The season began with a close loss to No. 18 Clemson and another loss to Notre Dame[37] before Carolina defeated NC State and No. 19 South Carolina.[38] After a loss to Maryland and Wake Forest,[39] the Tar Heels lost to No. 20 Tennessee by a score of 29-7.[39] Carolina then lost to Miami before shutting out both Virginia and Duke.[38][40] In 1960, Carolina finished 3–7.[41] The Tar Heels defeated Notre Dame, No. 6 Duke and Virginia and lost to NC State, Miami, Wake Forest, South Carolina, No. 11 Tennessee, Clemson and Maryland.[42] Hickey's third season saw Carolina improve to 5–5.[43] That year, Carolina faced two ranked teams, defeating No. 10 Maryland and losing to No. 4 LSU.[44] In 1962, the Tar Heels finished 3–7.[45]

text: Hickey's best season was a 9–2 1963 season in which the Tar Heels won the 1963 Gator Bowl and finished the season ranked #19 in the Coaches' Poll.[17] They began the season with an 11-7 win over rival Virginia on September 21.[46] After losing a shutout to Michigan State by a score of 31-0,[47] Carolina won their next five; defeating Wake Forest in a shutout 21-0,[48] Maryland 14-7,[49] NC State by a score of 31-10,[50] South Carolina in a shutout by a score of 7-0[51] and Georgia by a score of 28-7.[52] After their five-game winning streak was snapped on November 9 with an 11-7 loss to Clemson,[53] the Tar Heels closed the season with three straight wins, defeating Miami by a score of 27-16,[54] archrival Duke by a score of 16-14[55] and Air Force in the 1963 Gator Bowl in a shutout, prevailing 35-0.[56] In 1964, Carolina slipped to 5–5, which was followed by a 4–6 campaign in 1965 and a campaign in 1966.[57][58] Hickey left UNC to accept the position of athletics director at the University of Connecticut after the 1966 season.[59] He spent eight seasons as the Tar Heels head football coach and compiled a 36–45 record during his time in Chapel Hill.[17][60]

text: Bill Dooley era (1967–1977)[edit]

text: Bill Dooley, brother of former Georgia head football coach Vince Dooley and uncle of former Louisiana Tech and Tennessee head football coach Derek Dooley, came to North Carolina from his post as an assistant coach at Georgia. Dooley enjoyed success at UNC, compiling a 69–53–2 record in 11 seasons.[61] Six of those seasons were bowl appearances, five losses and one win.[62]

text: In 1967, the Tar Heels struggled to a 2–8 record, with wins over Maryland and Duke.[63] In 1968, Carolina showed a little improvement, finishing 3–7 with wins over Vanderbilt, No 7 Florida and Duke.[64] In 1969, Carolina finished 5–5, their best season in five years.[65]

text: Dooley's 1970 team went 8–4, finishing with a Peach Bowl loss to Arizona State.[66][62] The next season, 1971, was a 9–3 season that was capped with a Gator Bowl loss to Georgia and a #18 ranking in the Coaches' Poll.[62][67] Dooley became the first Tar Heels coach to win 11 games in a single season in 1972, going 11–1 with a victory over Texas Tech in the Sun Bowl,[68] and rankings of #14 and #12 in the Coaches' and AP Polls.[62] In 1973, Dooley's Tar Heels finished 4–7 with wins over William & Mary, Kentucky and Wake Forest.[69] The 1974 Tar Heels finished 7–5 and lost to Mississippi State in the Sun Bowl.[70][71] In 1975, North Carolina finished 3–7–1.[72]

text: Dooley's 1976 team finished 9–3 with a loss to Kentucky in the Peach Bowl[73] and the 1977 team finished 8–3–1 with a loss to Nebraska in the Liberty Bowl.[74] Those teams finished with rankings of #14 and #17 in the Coaches' and AP Polls, respectively.[61][62] Dooley departed after the 1977 season to accept the head football coach position at Virginia Tech.[75] Dooley was the winningest head coach in Carolina football history until he was surpassed by Dick Crum in 1987.[76]

text: Dick Crum era (1978–1987)[edit]

text: Dick Crum was hired away from Miami (OH) to replace Dooley.[77] Crum brought with him a tough, rigid philosophy of an aggressive offense powered by a strong running game and a defensive scheme that emphasized ball control and fundamentals.[78]

text: In his first season, Crum led the 1978 Tar Heels to a 5–6 record, which included lossses to No. 18 Maryland, No. 9 Pittsburgh and No. 15 Clemson.[79] In 1979, the Tar Heels finished 8–3–1 with a win over Michigan in the Gator Bowl to finish the season.[80] Crum enjoyed his best season at Carolina in 1980, leading the Heels to a record of 11–1, a Bluebonnet Bowl win over Texas and an ACC Championship, Carolina's last to date.[81][82]

text: In 1981, the Heels compiled a 10–2 record and finished the season by beating Arkansas in the Gator Bowl.[83] That would be Carolina's last season of double digit wins for 15 years. The next two seasons saw Carolina finish 8–4.[84][85] After the 1982 season, Carolina upset Texas in the Sun Bowl.[86] In 1983, they would lose to Florida State in the Peach Bowl.[87]

text: In 1984, Carolina would finish 5–5–1.[88] They would post another five-win campaign the next year, along with six losses.[89] Carolina would go 7–4–1 with an Aloha Bowl loss to Arizona to end the season in 1986,[90] but Carolina would finish 5–6 in 1987,[91] increasing the unhappiness fans and administration had slowly built over the past few years of mediocrity and inconsistency.

text: Crum resigned under pressure as Tar Heels head coach after nine seasons.[92] Crum led the Tar Heels to four bowl victories in six bowl appearances.[93] Crum departed as the winningest head coach in Carolina football history, with a 72–41–3 record.[17][93][94] Notable players coached by Crum at UNC include Harris Barton, Kelvin Bryant, Reuben Davis and Lawrence Taylor.[5]

text: Mack Brown era (1988–1997)[edit]

text: Mack Brown was hired away from Tulane as Crum's replacement.[95] He was the Tar Heel's head football coach for nine seasons.[96] Brown's first two teams finished with identical 1–10 records, the worst two seasons that the Tar Heels have suffered on the field in modern times.[97][98] However, the next two years saw a relatively quick return to respectability. In 1990, the Tar Heels finished 6–4–1.[99] By comparison, the Tar Heels had won only seven games in the previous three years. Included in the 1990 total was a tie of Georgia Tech that proved to be the Yellow Jackets' only non-win that season en route to a share of the national championship. In 1991, the Tar Heels finished 7–4, narrowly missing a bowl bid.[100]

text: Everything finally came together for the Tar Heels in 1992. They finished 8–3 in the regular season and second in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and with a victory over Mississippi State in the Peach Bowl,[101] they finished the season at 9–3.[102] The Peach Bowl was the program's first bowl appearance since 1986, first bowl win since 1982, and first appearance in a final Top 25 poll since 1982. The 1992 season was the start of UNC's most successful period since the Charlie Justice era in the late 1940s. Brown coached the Tar Heels to five consecutive bowl games, including UNC's only two New Year's Day bowl games in more than half a century (or three, if one counts the 1992–93 Peach Bowl, which was played the day after New Year's to avoid a conflict with the Sugar Bowl).[96] The Tar Heels were ranked in the AP Top 25 every week from October 1992 through the start of the 1995 season. They finished in the final rankings in four out of five years, including two straight appearances in the top 10. Carolina won 10 regular-season games in 1993, only the second time the Tar Heels accomplished the feat, with the only losses coming to No. 1 Florida State, No. 21 Virginia in the regular season and No. 18 Alabama in the Gator Bowl.[103][80]

text: In 1994, Brown led the Tar Heels to an 8–4 record with a loss to Texas in the Sun Bowl to cap the year.[104][105] UNC lost to No. 3 Florida State,[106] No. 25 Virginia,[107] and No. 24 Clemson. Brown's seventh season in 1995 saw the Tar Heels finish 7–5 with a victory over Arkansas in the Carquest Bowl to finish the season.[108][109]

text: In 1996 and 1997, the Tar Heels finished with ten and eleven wins, respectively.[110][111] Brown would leave North Carolina in 1997 for the head coaching position at Texas.[112] Largely due to Florida State joining the league in 1992, Brown was unable to win an ACC title—something the Tar Heels haven't done since 1980.

text: Brown's tenure was also known for the rise in popularity in the Tar Heel football program that, while respectable in its own right, was overshadowed by the Tar Heel's national powerhouse men's basketball program.[113] Games at Kenan Memorial Stadium were almost always sold out, highlighted by the 62,000 that showed to watch the Tar Heels' game against Florida State in 1997,[113] the largest crowd at a regular season college football game in the history of the state of North Carolina.[113] Brown also led an effort that resulted in upgrading UNC's football facilities and the expansion of Kenan Memorial Stadium.[113] Notable players who played for Brown at North Carolina include Jeff Saturday, Greg Ellis and Dré Bly.[5]

text: Carl Torbush era (1998–2000)[edit]

text: Carl Torbush was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach of the UNC Tar Heels football program following Brown's departure.[114] Torbush's hiring was praised by many UNC fans and alum, who felt Torbush's performance as defensive coordinator was superb and that an in-program hire was the best way to maintain the momentum generated by Mack Brown.[115][116]

text: Despite the loss of most of the team's defensive stars of the last three years, the Tar Heels were expected to pick up right where they left off in 1998. However, they never really recovered from an unexpected loss to Miami (Ohio) to open the 1998 season,[117] during which Carolina went 6-5 and barely managed to qualify for a bowl appearance. Torbush led the Tar Heels to the Las Vegas Bowl, where they defeated San Diego State by a score of 20–13.[62][118] The next year was an unmitigated disaster. The team was riddled with injuries, the most devastating one occurring when quarterback Ronald Curry tore his Achilles tendon.[119] The Tar Heels were so thin at quarterback that they were forced to convert safety Antwon Black to quarterback, but he was lost after two games to mononucleosis.[120] After starting the season 1–1, the Tar Heels didn't win another game until beating North Carolina State in November. They finished 3–8,[121] UNC's first losing season since Mack Brown's two consecutive 1–10 seasons in 1988 and 1989. School officials actually planned to fire him after the season, but an outpouring of support from players and fans led to a change of heart.[122] He was, however, forced to fire several members of his staff, including offensive coordinator Steve Marshall, who had been criticized for being too conservative in his play calling.[123]

text: The Tar Heels rebounded to finish 6–5 in 2000,[124] but it wasn't enough to save Torbush's job; he was fired at the end of the season.[125] Torbush left Carolina with a record of 17–18.[126] Notable players who played for Torbush at UNC are Julius Peppers, Alge Crumpler and Jeff Reed.[5]

text: John Bunting era (2001–2006)[edit]

text: John Bunting was hired by his alma mater as the Tar Heels head coach after the firing of Torbush despite no FBS coaching experience of any kind, assistant coaching or head coaching.[127]

text: In his first season, Bunting led the Tar Heels to an 8-5 record, which included a win over No. 6 Florida State 41-9;[128] the Seminoles were ranked sixth in the AP Poll at the time. and a victory over Auburn in the 2001 Peach Bowl.[129][130] However, his teams since were highly inconsistent. In 2002, Bunting's Tar Heels finished 3–9.[131] That was followed by a 2–10 campaign in 2003.[132] In 2004, the Tar Heels finished 6–6.[133] UNC defeated Miami 31-28 on a last-second field goal by Connor Barth during the 2004 season; the Hurricanes were ranked fourth at the time in the AP poll.[134] The Tar Heels capped the 2004 season with a loss in the Continental Tire Bowl to Boston College by a score of 37-24.[135]

text: In 2005, North Carolina finished 5–6.[136] The team was routed during the 2005 season 69-14 by Louisville, one of the worst losses in modern Tar Heel history.[137] During his final season (2006), his team had a record of 3-9, while averaging over 23 fewer points per game than their opponents.

text: Bunting was fired by UNC athletics director Dick Baddour on October 22, 2006.[138] He was allowed to finish out the 2006 season.[139] Bunting's last home victory on November 18, 2006, against NC State,[140] broke a seven-game losing streak, and he was able to close out his career one week later with a 45-44 win over Duke.[141] Bunting, who led UNC to their only two victories over a top 10 ranked opponent in school history, compiled an overall record of 27-45 over six seasons.[142]

text: Butch Davis era (2007–2010)[edit]

text: Former Cleveland Browns and Miami head football coach Butch Davis was hired as the Tar Heels 32nd head football coach in late 2006.[143][144] Davis was a big-name coach whose hiring was praised nationwide.[145] Davis originally signed a seven-year deal worth approximately $1.86 million per season, with a base salary of $286,000.[146] Additionally, he received $25,000 a year in expenses and a supplement from the Educational Foundation (Ram's Club) that ranged from $1 million in 2007 to $1.3 million in 2013.[147][146] Davis took over a program that had seen three winning seasons in the past eight years and had won more than six games in a season two other times.

text: During his first season as head coach, the 2007 Tar Heels finished 4–8, with six of those losses coming by a touchdown or less and two coming against teams ranked in the top 15 at the time.[148] Despite a losing record in 2007, North Carolina fans averaged over 57,000 fans in Kenan Stadium during the season, the highest average attendance since the Mack Brown era.[149] The 2007 match-up against South Carolina saw a crowd of 61,000, the second-largest in school history.[149] During the season, suspicion mounted that Davis would leave UNC after his first year if the head coaching job at his alma mater, Arkansas, opened up.[150] The rumors grew louder when Houston Nutt was forced to resign at Arkansas,[151] but Davis denied he was leaving. On November 21, 2007, Davis agreed to a one-year contract extension, along with a raise of about $291,000 annually.[152] Davis said in a statement that one year at UNC convinced him that this was where he wanted to be, and that he intended to have "a long and successful career in Chapel Hill."[153] Athletics director Dick Baddour said he could not release all the details of the contract until it was approved by the school's board of trustees, but did say the base salary would rise $29,000, the expenses would go up $5,000, and Davis’ supplemental income would go up $100,000.[154]

text: 2008 North Carolina Tar Heels football team were expected to be much improved from the previous year, with most outlets picking them to finish second in the Coastal Division. On October 4, the Heels defeated the then 24th-ranked Connecticut Huskies 38–12 for their first victory over a ranked non-conference opponent in 11 years.[155] As a result, the Tar Heels were ranked 22nd in the weekly Associated Press rankings, their first appearance in a major poll in seven years. The following Saturday, the Tar Heels defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, their first regular-season win as a ranked team in 11 years.[156] A crowd of 60,500, third-largest in school history, watched the Tar Heels play the Fighting Irish. A 16–13 overtime loss at Virginia on October 18 briefly knocked the Heels out of the rankings,[157] but after a 45-24 victory over Boston College on October 25,[158] the team became bowl-eligible for the first time since 2004. The win also resulted in the team being ranked in the Bowl Championship Series rankings for the first time since the BCS began in 1998. A week later, they defeated Georgia Tech to clinch their first winning season since 2001,[159] and only their fourth since Brown left the school after the 1997 season. The Tar Heels lost three of their last four games, including a loss in the Meineke Car Care Bowl to West Virginia.[160]

text: Davis led the 2009 Tar Heels to another 8–4 regular season record and a second straight bowl appearance,[161] the first time since the 1997–1998 seasons that UNC had made consecutive bowl appearances. A loss to North Carolina State in the final game of the season sent them back to the Meineke Car Care Bowl.[162] UNC faced the Pittsburgh Panthers on December 26, 2009 and lost for the second straight year, giving UNC another 8–5 final record.[163] Additionally, Davis led Carolina football to its 6th consecutive year of graduating more than 75% of its football players.[164] The America Football Coaches Association recognized fewer than 30 public universities for superior graduation rates that year, with UNC the only such institution in the state of North Carolina and the Atlantic Coast Conference.[165]

text: In July 2010, the NCAA began investigating violations involving improper benefits provided by agents to current players at UNC.[166] In September 2010, the NCAA opened a second prong of its investigation, this time involving possible improper tutor involvement with UNC student-athletes.[167] In response to the investigation, local and national sports columnists called for Davis' termination,[168][169] but some North Carolina fans still supported the coach.[170] A survey of UNC fans reflected strong support for Coach Davis despite the ongoing investigation.[171]

text: Thirteen UNC football players were suspended for the team's season opener in Atlanta against LSU,[172] and the Tar Heels lost the game 30–24.[173] The Tar Heels later lost to ACC rivals Miami,[174] Georgia Tech,[175] Virginia Tech,[176] and NC State,[177] but won their first game since 1981 in Virginia's Scott Stadium and gained their first win ever in FSU's Doak Campbell Stadium.[178][179] In October 2010, wide receiver Greg Little, defensive tackle Marvin Austin, and defensive end Robert Quinn were ruled permanently ineligible after it was discovered they improperly accepted gifts from sports agents.[180] Five other players were found guilty of accepting improper benefits and/or inappropriate academic assistance.[181]

text: On July 27, 2011, Davis was fired by UNC chancellor Holden Thorp amid an NCAA investigation of academic misconduct and allegations players receiving improper benefits from agents.[182][183] Davis left Carolina after compiling a 28–23 record.[184] Thorp said the move was necessary to restore confidence in UNC's integrity.[185] On September 19, 2011, in response to an NCAA notice of allegations, Davis was never mentioned in the NCAA inquiry and had no involvement in the investigation.[186] North Carolina subsequently vacated all of its wins from the 2008 and 2009 seasons after retroactively declaring Austin, Quinn and Little ineligible.[187] As a result, these are "officially" North Carolina's only winless seasons in the modern era.

text: In 2013, Davis told CBS Sports' Bruce Feldman that he believed his firing was an "overreaction" by Thorp, in the belief that "if he released me, maybe the investigation of the football program would go in a different direction."[188] Around the same time, Baddour told Feldman that firing Davis "was not my recommendation." Baddour added that Thorp was well aware that he wanted Davis to remain as coach.[189]

text: Everett Withers era (2011)[edit]

text: Everett Withers was promoted from defensive coordinator to 33rd head coach of the Tar Heels football program for the 2011 season following Butch Davis' dismissal.[190][191] Withers was the first African American head coach in Tar Heels football history.[191]

text: With Withers leading the Tar Heels, UNC beat their first opponent, FCS school James Madison by a score of 42–10.[192] Bryn Renner set the single game school record for completion percentage at 95.7%. The Heels then beat Rutgers 24–22, holding the Scarlet Knights to one total yard rushing and 244 yards overall.[193] The week after, the South's Oldest Rivalry was resumed, as Carolina beat Virginia by a score of 28–17.[194] UNC rushed for 222 total yards for an average of 5.4 yards per carry. The Heels then traveled to Atlanta to play #25 Georgia Tech, dropping this one 35–28.[195] Georgia Tech had 312 yards rushing and 496 yards total on the day. Next the Heels played East Carolina beating them 35–20.[196] The Heels then proceeded to beat the Louisville by a score of 14–7.[197] Giovani Bernard became the first Tar Heel rusher in 27 years to rush for over 100 yards in four straight games. Bernard extended his streak of 100 yard rushing games to five in UNC's 30–24 loss to Miami.[198] The Heels recovered an onside kick with under a minute to go, but time ran out before they could score. The Heels then traveled to Clemson, South Carolina to face the Clemson Tigers, losing 59–38.[199] It was the second most points given up by the Tar Heels in their 405 ACC games, trailing only the 63 given up in a game against Florida State in 2000. The next game was the homecoming game for the Heels, and they beat Wake Forest 49–24.[200] UNC racked up 506 total yards and caught four interceptions in the game. Next up for the Heels was the rivalry game with NC State in Raleigh, which the Heels lost 13–0.[201] It was the Heels fifth straight loss to the Wolfpack, the first shutout in the series since 1960.[202] Giovani Bernard did break the 1,000 yard rushing mark for the season, but as a team the Heels were held to three total yards rushing. On a Thursday night in Blacksburg, Virginia the Heels lost to Virginia Tech 24–21.[203] Dwight Jones passed the 1,000 yard receiving mark for the season, making the 2011 Tar Heels the first team to have a 1,000 yard receiver and rusher in the same season. UNC closed out the regular season with a home win over arch-rival Duke, winning 37–21.[204] Dwight Jones's 79 receptions and Bryn Renner's 23 TD passes set single season records for the Tar Heels.[205]

text: Withers led the Tar Heels to a 7–6 record in his only season,[206] capped with a loss to Missouri in the Independence Bowl.[207] After Withers was thanked for his good service, he was informed that his contract would not be extended beyond the 2011 season.[208]

text: Larry Fedora era (2012–present)[edit]

text: Larry Fedora was hired from Southern Miss in late 2011 as the Tar Heels' 34th head football coach, replacing Withers.[209] In his first year as head coach, in a season that the UNC football team was ineligible for the ACC title (due to sanctions from Davis' tenure), a bowl game and a ranking in the USA Today Coaches' Poll,[210] Fedora led the team to an 8–4 record.[211] North Carolina had at least eight victories in four of the five years from 2008 to 2012.[62] The eight wins in 2008 and 2009 were vacated due to NCAA penalty.[212] The last time North Carolina had more than eight victories was in 1997.[62]

text: After starting the 2013 season 1–5,[213] Fedora's Tar Heels rebounded to finish 5–1 in their final six regular season games[214] and capped the season with a thrashing of Cincinnati in the Belk Bowl to finish the season with a 7–6 record.[215] After the 2013 season, offensive coordinator Blake Anderson left the Tar Heels to accept the head coaching position at Arkansas State.[216]

text: The Tar Heels went into the 2014 season with a new offensive coordinator, Seth Littrell.[217] That year, the Tar Heels were never able to achieve much consistency on defense, giving up over 497 yards per game (111th in the nation, and fourth-worst among Power 5 teams) en route to a 6–6 regular season and a 40–21 loss to Rutgers in the 2014 Quick Lane Bowl.[218][219] In an effort to address this, Fedora fired defensive coordinator Vic Koenning[220] after the season and hired former Iowa State and Auburn head coach Gene Chizik as defensive coordinator.[221]

text: In 2015, Fedora led the Tar Heels to a 11–1 regular season and the team's first ACC Coastal Division championship.[222] The team also finished with a perfect 8–0 record in conference play and were ranked as high as #8 in the AP and Coaches' Polls, their highest ranking since 1997. In the 2015 ACC Championship Game, the Tar Heels lost to Clemson by a score of 45-37,[223] despite a controversial onside kick penalty. The Tar Heels then lost in the Russell Athletic Bowl to Baylor 49-38.[224] The Tar Heels finished the season 11–3 (8–0 ACC) and ranked 15th in the country,[222] marking the team's first postseason Top 25 ranking since 1997. After the 2015 season, offensive coordinator Seth Littrell left Carolina to take the head coaching position at North Texas.[225]

text: In 2016, Fedora led the Tar Heels to an 8–5 (5–3) record.[226] Carolina began the season with a loss to Georgia in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta by a score of 33-24.[227] Carolina then reeled off four straight wins, which included an upset win over No. 12 Florida State in Tallahassee by a score of 37-35 after a game-winning field goal as time expired, snapping the Seminoles' 22-game home winning streak.[227] UNC then suffered an embarrassing home loss to Virginia Tech by a score of 34–3.[228] After losing to NC State in the regular season finale,[228] the Tar Heels, who were led by star quarterback Mitch Trubisky,[229] lost in the Sun Bowl to Stanford by a score of 25-23.[228]

text: Conference affiliations[edit]

text: North Carolina has affiliated with two conferences as well as being an independent.[230][231]

text:
Independent (1888–1921)
Southern Conference (1922–1952)
ACC (1953–present)

text: Head coaches[edit]

text:
Tenure
Head Coach
Years
Record
Pct.

1889
Hector Cowan
1
2–2
.500

1891
William P. Graves
1
0–2
.000

1894
V. K. Irvine
1
6–3
.667

1895
T. C. Trenchard
1
7–1–1
.833

1896
Gordon Johnston
1
3–4–1
.438

1897–1900
W. A. Reynolds
4
27–7–4
.763

1901
Charles O. Jenkins
1
7–2
.778

1902–1903
H. S. Olcott
2
11–4–3
.694

1904
R. R. Brown
1
5–2–2
.667

1905
William Warner
1
4–3–1
.563

1906
W. S. Keinholz
1
1–4–2
.286

1907
Otis Lamson
1
4–4–1
.500

1908
Edward Green
1
3–3–3
.500

1909–1910
A. E. Brides
2
8–8
.500

1911
Branch Bocock
1
6–1–1
.813

1912
W. C. Martin
1
3–4–1
.438

1913–1915
T. C. Trenchard
4
19–8–1
.696

1916–1919
Thomas Campbell
2
9–7–1
.559

1920
M. E. Fuller
1
2–6
.250

1921–1925
Bill Fetzer
5
30–12–4
.696

1926–1933
Chuck Collins
8
38–31–9
.545

1934–1935
Carl Snavely
2
15–2–1
.833

1936–1941
Raymond Wolf
6
38–17–3
.681

1942
Jim Tatum
1
5–2–2
.667

1943
Tom Young
1
6–3
.667

1944
Gene McEver
1
1–7–1
.167

1945–1952
Carl Snavely
8
44–33–4
.568

1953–1955
George Barclay
3
11–18–1
.383

1956–1958
Jim Tatum
3
12–15–1
.429 [232]

1959–1966
Jim Hickey
8
36–45
.444

1967–1977
Bill Dooley
11
69–53–2
.565

1978–1987
Dick Crum
10
72–41–3
.634

1988–1997
Mack Brown
10
69–46–1
.599

1998–2000
Carl Torbush
3
17–18
.486

2001–2006
John Bunting
6
27–45
.375

2007–2010
Butch Davis
4
12–23
.343

2011
Everett Withers
1
7–6
.538

2012–
Larry Fedora
6
41–30
.577

1889–2013
114 seasons
34 coaches
655–503–54[233]
.562

text:
During the years 1888 and 1891–93, North Carolina had no official head coach. Over those four seasons, the team went 8–9.
In 1890, the North Carolina Tar Heels did not field a team.

On September 19, 2011, North Carolina self-imposed sanctions against their football program, including forfeiting their wins from the 2008 and 2009 seasons.

On March 12, 2012 The NCAA Committee on Infractions stiffened the previously self-imposed sanctions including, inter alia, vacating participation in the '08 and '09 Bowl Games.

text: Bowl games[edit]

text: North Carolina has played in 32 bowl games in its history with a record of 14–19.[234]

text:
Date
Bowl Name[235]
Result
Opponent
PF
PA

January 1, 1947
Sugar Bowl
L
Georgia
10
20

January 1, 1949
Sugar Bowl
L
Oklahoma
6
14

January 2, 1950
Cotton Bowl Classic
L
Rice
13
27

December 28, 1963
Gator Bowl
W
Air Force
35
0

December 30, 1970
Peach Bowl
L
Arizona State
26
48

December 31, 1971
Gator Bowl
L
Georgia
3
7

December 30, 1972
Sun Bowl
W
Texas Tech
32
28

December 28, 1974
Sun Bowl
L
Mississippi State
24
26

December 31, 1976
Peach Bowl
L
Kentucky
0
21

December 19, 1977
Liberty Bowl
L
Nebraska
17
21

December 28, 1979
Gator Bowl
W
Michigan
17
15

December 31, 1980
Bluebonnet Bowl
W
Texas
16
7

December 28, 1981
Gator Bowl
W
Arkansas
31
27

December 25, 1982
Sun Bowl
W
Texas
26
10

December 30, 1983
Peach Bowl
L
Florida State
3
28

December 27, 1986
Aloha Bowl
L
Arizona
21
30

January 2, 1993
Peach Bowl
W
Mississippi State
21
17

December 31, 1993
Gator Bowl
L
Alabama
10
24

December 30, 1994
Sun Bowl
L
Texas
30
35

December 30, 1995
CarQuest Bowl
W
Arkansas
20
10

January 1, 1997
Gator Bowl
W
West Virginia
20
13

January 1, 1998
Gator Bowl
W
Virginia Tech
42
3

December 19, 1998
Las Vegas Bowl
W
San Diego State
20
13

December 31, 2001
Peach Bowl
W
Auburn
16
10

December 30, 2004
Continental Tire Bowl
L
Boston College
24
37

December 27, 2008
Meineke Car Care Bowl
L
West Virginia
30
31

December 26, 2009
Meineke Car Care Bowl
L
Pittsburgh
17
19

December 30, 2010
Music City Bowl
W
Tennessee
30
27 (2OT)

December 26, 2011
Independence Bowl
L
Missouri
24
41

December 28, 2013
Belk Bowl
W
Cincinnati
39
17

December 26, 2014
Quick Lane Bowl
L
Rutgers
21
40

December 29, 2015
Russell Athletic Bowl
L
Baylor
38
49

December 30, 2016
Sun Bowl
L
Stanford
23
25

text: Rivalries[edit]

text: Duke Blue Devils[edit]

text: Duke is North Carolina's biggest rival. The football rivalry between Duke and North Carolina began in 1888, when Duke was known by the name of Trinity. Trinity won the first game in the now-longstanding series. While the two teams are more known for their basketball rivalry, they have been known to have some great games every now and then. The Victory Bell was introduced for the 1948 match-up, which North Carolina won 20-0. It's tradition for the school that has possession of the bell to paint the bell in the shade of blue of their school. The longest consecutive win streak in the series is a 13-game win streak by the Tar Heels from 1990-2002. The all-time series record is 55–35–4 (excluding the two Carolina vacated victories) in favor of the Tar Heels.

text: North Carolina State Wolfpack[edit]

text: The first football game between the NC State Wolfpack and the Tar Heels occurred in 1894, and the Tar Heels won 44-0. The two teams played every now and then until the formation of the ACC. Since the two teams have been a part of the ACC, they have played every year since 1953. In the past few decades, the rivalry has been more highly contested than the Tar Heels rivalry with Duke. The 1998 and 1999 games were held at Bank of America Stadium, the Tar Heels won both games. The longest consecutive win streak in the series is 9 games, from 1943-1955 by the Tar Heels. The all-time series is 66–35–6 in favor of the Tar Heels. Since the formation of the ACC, the Tar Heels hold a slight edge over the Wolfpack, 35-30, signifying the competitive nature of the rivalry.[236]

text: Virginia Cavaliers[edit]

text: The Tar Heels' rivalry with the Virginia Cavaliers began in 1892, and the rivalry has come to be known as the "South's Oldest Rivalry." The teams played twice during the 1892 season, with the Cavaliers winning the first game and the Tar Heels winning the second. The two teams have played a total of 116 times, more than the two teams have played any other program. It is the fourth most played rivalry game among college football's major conference schools. The all-time series record is 62–54–4, in favor of the Tar Heels.

text: Wake Forest Demon Deacons[edit]

text: Two institutions in the state of North Carolina have met in 105 meetings. The first meeting was held in 1888 in Raleigh, NC with Wake Forest winning 6-4.[237] Unlike the Duke game, the Wake-Carolina game is not played yearly and nor do the two schools play for a trophy. [238] The Tar Heels lead the all-time series 68–35–2.[237]

text: South Carolina Gamecocks[edit]

text: The Battle of the Carolinas is a rivalry that began in 1903. North Carolina holds a 34–19–4 overall leads the series.[239] While no longer a conference rivalry, since South Carolina left the ACC in 1971, the teams still meet occasionally. In the 2010s decade the series have been played on a Thursday. It was announced in September 2015 that UNC and USC will play every four years in 2019 and 2023.[240]

text: Controversies[edit]

text: NCAA investigation 2010–2011[edit]

text: In July 2010, it was reported that the program was being investigated by the NCAA due to possible connections with sport agents.[241] The football program was also under investigation for academic fraud and a failure to properly monitor players, which the NCAA found to be true.[242] Seven players from the UNC football program, including starters and once top recruits Greg Little and Marvin Austin, were reported to have accepted more than $27,000 in impermissible benefits in 2009 and 2010.[242] Following an NCAA investigation into misconduct, in July 2011, head coach Butch Davis was fired [243] and replaced by interim coach Everett Withers. Also, in September 2011, the program decided to vacate all its wins from the 2008 and 2009 seasons, reduce its scholarship athletes by 3, begin serving two years of probation, and pay a $50,000 fine.[244] The NCAA later increased the penalties to a reduction of athletic scholarships by 15, three years of probation, and a post-season ban of one year.[245]

text: Championships[edit]

text: [4][233][disputed – discuss]

text:
Year
Conference
Overall record
Conference record

1895
SIAA[disputed – discuss]
7-1-1
5-0

1922
SoCon
9–1
5–1

1946
SoCon
8–2–1
4–0–1

1949
SoCon
7–4
5–0

1963
ACC
9–2
5–1

1971
ACC
9–3
6–0

1972
ACC
11–1
6–0

1977
ACC
8–3–1
5–0–1

1980
ACC
11–1
7–0

text: 9 conference championships

text: 1000-yard rushers[edit]

text: North Carolina has been called "Tailback U" for their number of 1000-yard rushers. Throughout the course of the Tar Heels' football history, a player has rushed for over 1,000 yards in a season twenty-seven times. The first player to rush for over a 1,000 yards was Don McCauley, who rushed for 1,092 yards in the 1969 season.[246] The most recent player to have rushed for 1,000 yards is Elijah Hood, who rushed for 1,463 yards in 2015.

text:
Year
Player[247]
Yards

1969
Don McCauley
1,092

1970
Don McCauley
1,720

1973
Sammy Johnson
1,006

1974
Jim Betterson
1,082

1974
Mike Voight
1,033

1975
Mike Voight
1,250

1976
Mike Voight
1,407

1977
Amos Lawrence
1,211

1978
Amos Lawrence
1,043

1979
Amos Lawrence
1,019

1980
Amos Lawrence
1,118

1980
Kelvin Bryant
1,039

1981
Kelvin Bryant
1,015

1982
Kelvin Bryant
1,064

1983
Ethan Horton
1,107

1983
Tyrone Anthony
1,063

1984
Ethan Horton
1,247

1986
Derrick Fenner
1,250

1988
Kennard Martin
1,146

1991
Natrone Means
1,030

1992
Natrone Means
1,195

1993
Curtis Johnson
1,034

1993
Leon Johnson
1,012

1997
Jonathan Linton
1,004

2011
Giovani Bernard
1,253

2012
Giovani Bernard
1,228

2015
Elijah Hood
1,463

text: Notable players[edit]

text: All-Americans[edit]

text: Retired numbers[edit]

text: Five numbers have been retired by the University.[248]

text:
NC Tar Heels retired numbers

No.
Player
Pos.
Career

22
Charlie Justice
HB
1946-49

46
Bill Sutherland
QB
1946 1

50
Art Weiner
WR
1946-49

59
Andy Bershak
TE
1935-37

99
George Barclay
LB
1932-34 2

text:
1 Died in a car accident, posthumous honor.
2 Also served as coach (1953–55)

text: Honored jerseys[edit]

text: Around the front of second tier of stands in Kenan Stadium, there are strips of metal with names of former Tar Heel footballers with their numbers. UNC does not retire jerseys and their numbers are honored instead.[248]

text:
NC Tar honored jerseys

No.
Player

99
George Barclay

59
Andy Bershak

46
Bill Sutherland

22
Charlie Justice

50
Art Weiner

10
Danny Talbott

23
Don McCauley

62
Ron Rusnak

68
Ken Huff

44
Mike Voight

71
Dee Hardison

98
Lawrence Taylor

95
William Fuller

12
Ethan Horton

71
Marcus Jones

87
Greg Ellis

41
Brian Simmons

31
Dré Bly

49
Julius Peppers

44
Kelvin Bryant

67
Harris Barton

60
Brian Blados

25
Irv Holdash

85
Bob Lacey

20
Amos Lawrence

87
Paul Severin

64
Jonathan Cooper

text: National award winners[edit]

text:
Chuck Bednarik Award: Julius Peppers (2001)
Lombardi Award: Julius Peppers (2001)
Jim Parker Award: Landon Turner (2015)

text: Hall of Famers[edit]

text:
NC Tar Heels College hall of famers

Player
Pos.
Career

Charlie Justice
HB
1946-49

Don McCauley
RB
1968-70

Art Weiner
TE
1946-49

Jim Tatum

1933-35

Carl Snavely

1934-35

text:
NC Tar Heels Pro football hall of famers

Player
Pos.
NFL Career
Inducted

Lawrence Taylor
LB
1981-93
1999

Chris Hanburger
LB
1965-78
2011

text: Tar Heels in the NFL[edit]

text: This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text: Tar Heels in the Drafts[edit]

text: Tar Heels with Super Bowl victory[edit]

text:
Super Bowl
Player
Position
Team

50
Sylvester Williams
NT
Denver Broncos

XLVI
Hakeem Nicks
WR
New York Giants

XLVI
Marvin Austin
DT
New York Giants

XLIII
Willie Parker
RB
Pittsburgh Steelers

XLIII
Jeff Reed
K
Pittsburgh Steelers

XLIII
Greg Warren
LS
Pittsburgh Steelers

XLII
Russell Davis
DT
New York Giants

XLII
Madison Hedgecock
FB
New York Giants

XLI
Dexter Reid
S
Indianapolis Colts

XLI
Jeff Saturday
C
Indianapolis Colts

XL
Willie Parker
RB
Pittsburgh Steelers

XL
Jeff Reed
K
Pittsburgh Steelers

XL
Greg Warren
LS
Pittsburgh Steelers

XXXIX
Dexter Reid
S
New England Patriots

XXVI
Riddick Parker
DL
New England Patriots

XXXIV
Dré Bly
CB
St. Louis Rams

XXXIV
Mike Morton
LB
St. Louis Rams

XXXIV
Nate Hobgood-Chittick
DT
St. Louis Rams

XXXI
Bucky Brooks
DB
Green Bay Packers

XXXI
Bernardo Harris
LB
Green Bay Packers

XXXI
William Henderson
FB
Green Bay Packers

XXX
Oscar Sturgis
DE
Dallas Cowboys

XXIX
Harris Barton
OL
San Francisco 49ers

XXIX
Brian Bollinger
OL
San Francisco 49ers

XXIX
Antonio Goss
LB
San Francisco 49ers

XXV
Lawrence Taylor
LB
New York Giants

XXIV
Harris Barton
OL
San Francisco 49ers

XXIV
Antonio Goss
LB
San Francisco 49ers

XXIII
Harris Barton
OL
San Francisco 49ers

XXII
Kelvin Bryant
RB
Washington Redskins

XXII
Dave Truitt
TE
Washington Redskins

XXII
Tim Morrison
DB
Washington Redskins

XXII
Danny Burmeister
DB
Washington Redskins

XXI
Lawrence Taylor
LB
New York Giants

XXI
Brian Johnston
C
New York Giants

XVII
Jeff Hayes
P
Washington Redskins

XVI
Amos Lawrence
RB
San Francisco 49ers

text: Current NFL Players[edit]

text: AFC[edit]

text:
Zach Brown, LB, Washington Redskins
Lucas Crowley, C, Washington Redskins
Brandon Tate, WR, Buffalo Bills
Giovani Bernard, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
Russell Bodine, C, Cincinnati Bengals
Sylvester Williams, DT, Tennessee Titans
Da'Norris Searcy, SS, Tennessee Titans
James Hurst, OT, Baltimore Ravens
Tony McRae, CB, Cincinnati Bengals
Bruce Carter, LB, New York Jets
Elijah Hood, RB, Oakland Raiders
Bug Howard, WR, Cleveland Browns
T. J. Yates, QB, Houston Texans

text: NFC[edit]

text:
Mitchell Trubisky, QB, Chicago Bears
Julius Peppers, DE, Carolina Panthers
Tre Boston, S, Los Angeles Chargers
Connor Barth, K, Chicago Bears
Robert Quinn, DE, Los Angeles Rams
Des Lawrence, CB, Detroit Lions
Eric Ebron, TE, Detroit Lions
T.J. Logan, RB, Arizona Cardinals
Kareem Martin, LB, Arizona Cardinals
Jonathan Cooper, OG, Dallas Cowboys
Mack Hollins, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
Nazair Jones, DT, Seattle Seahawks
Ryan Switzer, WR, Dallas Cowboys

text: Future non-conference opponents[edit]

text: Announced schedules as of May 22, 2017[253][254]

text:
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026

vs California
at California
vs South Carolina
(at Charlotte, NC)
at UCF
vs Georgia State
at Appalachian State
vs Appalachian State
vs Charlotte
at Charlotte
at TCU

at Old Dominion
at East Carolina
at Wake Forest - ACC Atlantic Division
vs Old Dominion
vs Wake Forest - ACC Atlantic Division
at Georgia State
TBA
TBA
vs TCU
at Notre Dame

vs Notre Dame
vs UCF
vs Appalachian State
TBA
at Notre Dame
vs Notre Dame
vs South Carolina
(at Charlotte, NC)
TBA
TBA
TBA

vs Western Carolina
vs Western Carolina
vs Mercer
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA


document_title: Oceanic crust

question_text: where is new oceanic crust being created on earth

root

text: Oceanic crust

text: Composition[edit]

text: Although a complete section of oceanic crust has not yet been drilled, geologists have several pieces of evidence that help them understand the ocean floor. Estimations of composition are based on analyses of ophiolites (sections of oceanic crust that are thrust onto and preserved on the continents), comparisons of the seismic structure of the oceanic crust with laboratory determinations of seismic velocities in known rock types, and samples recovered from the ocean floor by submersibles, dredging (especially from ridge crests and fracture zones) and drilling.[8] Oceanic crust is significantly simpler than continental crust and generally can be divided in three layers. According to mineral physics experiments, at lower mantle pressures, oceanic crust becomes denser than the surrounding mantle.[9]

tag: p

text:
Layer 1 is on an average 0.4 km thick. It consists of unconsolidated or semiconsolidated sediments, usually thin or even not present near the mid-ocean ridges but thickens farther away from the ridge.[10] Near the continental margins sediment is terrigenous, meaning derived from the land, unlike deep sea sediments which are made of tiny shells of marine organisms, usually calcareous and siliceous, or it can be made of volcanic ash and terrigenous sediments transported by turbidity currents.[11]
Layer 2 could be divided into two parts: layer 2A – 0.5 km thick uppermost volcanic layer of glassy to finely crystalline basalt usually in the form of pillow basalt, and layer 2B – 1.5 km thick layer composed of diabase dikes.[12]
Layer 3 is formed by slow cooling of magma beneath the surface and consists of coarse grained gabbros and cumulate ultramafic rocks.[13] It constitutes over two-thirds of oceanic crust volume with almost 5 km thickness.[14]

tag: ul

text: Geochemistry[edit]

text: The most voluminous volcanic rocks of the ocean floor are the mid-oceanic ridge basalts, which are derived from low-potassium tholeiitic magmas. These rocks have low concentrations of large ion lithophile elements (LILE), light rare earth elements (LREE), volatile elements and other highly incompatible elements. There can be found basalts enriched with incompatible elements, but they are rare and associated with mid-ocean ridge hot spots such as surroundings of Galapagos Islands, the Azores and Iceland.[15]

text: Life cycle[edit]

text: Oceanic crust is continuously being created at mid-ocean ridges. As plates diverge at these ridges, magma rises into the upper mantle and crust. As it moves away from the ridge, the lithosphere becomes cooler and denser, and sediment gradually builds on top of it. The youngest oceanic lithosphere is at the oceanic ridges, and it gets progressively older away from the ridges.[16]

text: As the mantle rises it cools and melts, as the pressure decreases and it crosses the solidus. The amount of melt produced depends only on the temperature of the mantle as it rises. Hence most oceanic crust is the same thickness (7±1 km). Very slow spreading ridges (<1 cm·yr−1 half-rate) produce thinner crust (4–5 km thick) as the mantle has a chance to cool on upwelling and so it crosses the solidus and melts at lesser depth, thereby producing less melt and thinner crust. An example of this is the Gakkel Ridge under the Arctic Ocean. Thicker than average crust is found above plumes as the mantle is hotter and hence it crosses the solidus and melts at a greater depth, creating more melt and a thicker crust. An example of this is Iceland which has crust of thickness ~20 km.[17]

text: The age of the oceanic crust can be used to estimate the (thermal) thickness of the lithosphere, where young oceanic crust has not had enough time to cool the mantle beneath it, while older oceanic crust has thicker mantle lithosphere beneath it.[18] The oceanic lithosphere subducts at what are known as convergent boundaries. These boundaries can exist between oceanic lithosphere on one plate and oceanic lithosphere on another, or between oceanic lithosphere on one plate and continental lithosphere on another. In the second situation, the oceanic lithosphere always subducts because the continental lithosphere is less dense. The subduction process consumes older oceanic lithosphere, so oceanic crust is seldom more than 200 million years old.[19] The process of super-continent formation and destruction via repeated cycles of creation and destruction of oceanic crust is known as the Wilson cycle.

text: The oldest large scale oceanic crust is in the west Pacific and north-west Atlantic - both are about up to 180-200 million years old. However, parts of the eastern Mediterranean Sea are remnants of the much older Tethys ocean, at about 270 and up to 340 million years old.[20][21][22]

text: Magnetic anomalies[edit]

text: The oceanic crust displays a pattern of magnetic lines, parallel to the ocean ridges, frozen in the basalt. A symmetrical pattern of positive and negative magnetic lines emanates from the mid-ocean ridge.[23] New rock is formed by magma at the mid-ocean ridges, and the ocean floor spreads out from this point. When the magma cools to form rock, its magnetic polarity is aligned with the then-current positions of the magnetic poles of the Earth. New magma then forces the older cooled magma away from the ridge. This process results in parallel sections of oceanic crust of alternating magnetic polarity.