Fans at the N.C. State vs. UNC-Chapel Hill football game Saturday saw the Wolfpack-Tar Heel rivalry manifest in the stands.

According to junior in business management Sean Luter, while the overall atmosphere was safe and controlled, there was more taunting in the stands than usual.

“There was probably a group of five or six guys taunting a Carolina guy,” he said. “They were just threatening to fight him.”

One of the students appeared to want to fight the Carolina fan, but his friends calmed him down, Luter said.

“He wasn’t actually fighting,” he said. “He acted like he was going to go up there, but his friend was holding him back.”

Amy Jazwa, a freshman in biology at UNC-Chapel Hill, said the students next to her came close to blows.

“The kids next to us were about to fight. I think it was because they were a little drunk,” she said.

Jazwa, who has attended home games at both Carolina’s Kenan Stadium and Carter-Finley this season, said she felt the intensity of the match-up manifest at the game.

“It was a lot rowdier than any [Carolina or State game] that we’d been to,” she said.

According to Luter, several students helped mediate between disgruntled fans, but security did not intervene.

“No security made an effort to stop it,” he said.

Jazwa agreed that security did not do much to stop the rambunctious fans.

“I’d say that this game, where we were sitting — high in the stands — and with not many police around, it was rowdier,” she said.

Luter said the intensity in the stands was more noticeable as the game progressed.

“People were getting rowdy,” he said. “But, I mean, it was a close game.”

Jazwa said she also saw prohibited activities, such as drinking and smoking, in the stands.

“I did see someone with a beer bottle in their hand, which is kind of strange because I don’t know how they got it in the stadium,” she said. “And they were smoking in the stands.”

Luter noticed students lighting up, as well, but did not witness anyone out of control.

“I did see one person was smoking a cigarette,” Luter said. “I didn’t see anyone fall down or puke or anything.”

Capt. Jon Barnwell of Campus Police said police and security anticipated the intensity of fans at Saturday’s event.

“Any time we have a rivalry game between UNC and N.C. State, things tend to escalate,” he said. “We do usually see a rise in misconduct.”

However, the fans from both schools impressed Barnwell with their conduct while tailgating before the noon game.

“I commend the behavior of our students in the parking lots … with the mixing of the fan bases,” he said.

According to Barnwell, the number of incidents where police had to intervene was down from State-UNC games in previous seasons.

“Inside the stadium, we did see there was some intensity among the fans,” he said. “There were a few more incidents than usual, but it was better than in years past.”

Jazwa said she felt safe even with the added intensity.

“I had a lot of fun at that game,” she said. “It was still overall a very safe environment.”