| North Carolina Tar Heels football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1888; 137 years ago | ||
| Athletic director | Bubba Cunningham | ||
| General manager | Michael Lombardi | ||
| Head coach | Bill Belichick 1st season, 4–5 (.444) | ||
| Stadium | Kenan Stadium (capacity: 50,500[1]) | ||
| Field | Chris Smith Field | ||
| Location | Chapel Hill, North Carolina | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FBS | ||
| Conference | ACC (since 1953) | ||
| Division | Coastal (2005–2019, 2021–2022) | ||
| All-time record | 738–577–54 (.559) | ||
| Bowl record | 15–22 (.405) | ||
| Conference titles | |||
| SoCon:1922,1946,1949 ACC:1963,1971,1972,1977,1980 | |||
| Conference division titles | |||
| ACC Coastal:2015,2022 | |||
| Consensus All-Americans | 15 | ||
| Rivalries | NC State (rivalry) Duke (rivalry) Virginia (rivalry) Wake Forest (rivalry) South Carolina (rivalry) | ||
| Current uniform | |||
 | |||
| Colors | Carolina blue and white[2] | ||
| Fight song | I'm a Tar Heel Born | ||
| Mascot | Rameses | ||
| Marching band | The Marching Tar Heels | ||
| Outfitter | Jordan Brand[3] | ||
| Website | goheels.com | ||
TheNorth Carolina Tar Heels football team (often known as the "Tar Heels", "North Carolina" or simply "Carolina") represents theUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) in the sport ofAmerican football. They are members of theAtlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and compete in theNCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
North Carolina has played in 37 bowl games in its history, winning threeSouthern Conference championships and five Atlantic Coast Conference titles. Thirty Tar Heel players have been honored as first-team All-Americans. Carolina had 32 All-Southern Conference selections when it played in that league until 1952 and since joining the ACC in 1953, has had 174 first-team All-ACC choices.[4] Since joining theAtlantic Coast Conference in1953, the team has won five conference championships, with the most recent title coming in1980.
One of the first uses of theforward pass occurred in an 1895 Carolina game against theGeorgia Bulldogs. This was one of the play's first uses prior to its legalization in 1906. The team uses "I'm a Tar Heel Born" as its officialfight song andRameses as its mascot.Carolina football's fiercest and most important rivalry is with theNC State Wolfpack. Their rivalry with theVirginia Cavaliers, referred to as the "South's Oldest Rivalry", is also significant.
While not a consistent football powerhouse, the Carolina football program has had intermittent success and has featured a number of players who have gone on to play in theNational Football League, includingLawrence Taylor,Charlie Justice,Chris Hanburger,Ken Willard,Don McCauley,William Fuller,Harris Barton,Jeff Saturday,Alge Crumpler,Willie Parker,Greg Ellis,Dré Bly,Julius Peppers,Hakeem Nicks,T.J. Yates,Mitch Trubisky,Sam Howell,Javonte Williams,Josh Downs andDrake Maye.[5]
The University of North Carolina fielded its first football team in 1888.[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. Between the first two games played in 1888 and next two games played in 1889 Princeton starHector Cowan traveled south and trained the team.[7][8] At the beginning of 1889, UNC played two games with a final record of 1–1.[9] The team captains for the 1889 season were Lacy Little and Steve Bragaw.[6]
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 wasArthur Belden. In 1898, the Tar Heels played nine games with a final record of 9–0. The team captain for the 1898 season wasFrank O. Rogers. The team claimed a Southern championship.[10] The season opened with an 18–0 defeat of theGuilford Quakers.[11]Charles Baskerville was umpire.[11] 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).[11] In the second week of play, the Tar Heels defeated the in-state rivalNorth 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 overV. P. I.[12]
After beatingDavidson 11–0, UNC traveled toMacon, Georgia to take onGeorgia. the Tar Heels blew out theGeorgia Bulldogs 53–0.[13]Tick Tichenor wrote "Such a crush defeat as Georgia sustained at the hands of North Carolina today is almost unparalleled in football".[14] 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).[13] After defeatingJohn Heisman'sAuburn Tigers 29–0, UNC beat rivalVirginia 6–2, its first win since the first year of theSouth's Oldest Rivalry. The safety was made just as time called, and Howell scored for UNC.[15] In 1899, UNC played eleven games with a final record of 7–3–1. The team captain for the 1899 season was Samuel Shull.[16] In 1900, Carolina played eight games with a final record of 4–1–3. The team captain for the 1900 season wasFrank M. Osborne.[17] From 1897 to 1900, Reynolds posted a 27–7–4 record[18] before departing the Tar Heels to coachGeorgia.
Herman Olcott was the head coach for the Tar Heels for two seasons, 1902 and 1903.[18] He compiled an 11–4–3 record.[18] In 1895 and from 1913 to 1915, the Tar Heels were coached byThomas Trenchard, who posted a 26–9–2 record in those four seasons.[18] His best season was a 10–1 1914 season. BrothersBob andBill Fetzer served as co-head coaches for the Tar Heels from 1921 to 1925, posting a 30–12–4 overall record.[18] Bob would go on to serve as Carolina's first athletics director from 1923 to 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.[19] His record in Chapel Hill was 38–31–9,[18] his best season being a 9–1 record in 1929,[20] during which Carolina defeatedWake Forest,Maryland,Georgia Tech,VPI,NC State,South Carolina,Davidson,Virginia andDuke.[19]
Carl Snavely, nicknamed "The Grey Fox" for his grey suits he would wear on game day,[21] served two stints as the Tar Heels head football coach.[21] He first came to Chapel Hill fromBucknell.[21] He departed after the 1935 season to accept the head football coach position atCornell[21] but returned in 1945.[21] Snavely then departed again after the 1952 season to accept the head football coach position atWashington University.[21] His final record at UNC was 59–35–5[18] and he was inducted into theCollege Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1965.[21] A proponent of thesingle wing offense,[22] Snavely's teams were known as some of the quickest in the south. His 1946 and 1948 teams reached theSugar Bowl but lost, finishing ranked No. 9 and No. 3, respectively.[23] Those teams posted 8–2–1 and 9–1 records, respectively.[23] Snavely's 1949 team finished 7–4, lost the Cotton Bowl and ranked No. 16 in the final polls.[23]
Raymond Wolf came to Carolina from his post asTCU defensive line coach.[24] In 1936, the Tar Heels finished with an 8–2 record.[25] Wolf's 1937 Tar Heels finished 7–1–1.[26] The next year saw UNC finish 6–2–1.[27] The Tar Heels would enjoy their best season under Wolf's tutelage in 1939, finishing 8–1–1.[28] In 1940, the Tar Heels finished 6–4.[29] The 1941 season saw Carolina finish 3–7,[30] which would result in Wolf's dismissal. Wolf's overall record in the six seasons he was head coach was 38–17–3,[18] with most of his success coming with players that Snavely recruited.
Jim Tatum served two stints as head football coach at his alma mater.[18] He enlisted in the Navy forWorld War II and left the team but returned in 1956.[18] His overall record at UNC is 19–17–3.[18]George T. Barclay, another UNC alum, was promoted from assistant coach to head coach following Snavely's second departure.[31] Barclay struggled as UNC's head football coach, posting an 11–18–1 record in his three seasons[32] before resigning.[18][31] The most notable part of Barclay's tenure is that the Tar Heels helped charter theAtlantic Coast Conference in all sports in 1953.[33] Tatum was inducted into theCollege Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1984,[34] primarily for his tenure as head football coach atMaryland. Tatum died unexpectedly in the summer of 1958 from a rickettsial disease.[35]
Jim Hickey was promoted from assistant coach to head coach after Tatum's death.[36] In Hickey's first season, the Tar Heels finished with a 5–5 record.[37] The season began with a close loss to No. 18Clemson and another loss toNotre Dame[38] before Carolina defeatedNC State and No. 19South Carolina.[39] After a loss toMaryland andWake Forest,[38] the Tar Heels lost to No. 20Tennessee by a score of 29–7.[38] Carolina then lost toMiami before shutting out bothVirginia andDuke.[39][40] In 1960, Carolina finished 3–7.[41] The Tar Heels defeatedNotre Dame, No. 6Duke andVirginia and lost toNC State,Miami,Wake Forest,South Carolina, No. 11Tennessee,Clemson andMaryland.[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. 4LSU.[44] In 1962, the Tar Heels finished 3–7.[45]
Hickey's best season was a 9–2 1963 season in which the Tar Heels won the1963 Gator Bowl and finished the season ranked No. 19 in the Coaches' Poll.[18] They began the season with an 11–7 win over rivalVirginia on September 21.[46] After losing a shutout toMichigan State by a score of 31–0,[47] Carolina won their next five; defeatingWake 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] andGeorgia by a score of 28–7.[52] After their five-game winning streak was snapped on November 9 with an 11–7 loss toClemson,[53] the Tar Heels closed the season with three straight wins, defeatingMiami by a score of 27–16,[54] archrivalDuke by a score of 16-14[55] andAir Force in the1963 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 theUniversity 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.[18][60]
Bill Dooley, brother of formerGeorgia head football coachVince Dooley and uncle of formerLouisiana Tech andTennessee head football coachDerek Dooley, came to North Carolina from his post as an assistant coach atGeorgia. 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]
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 overVanderbilt, No 7Florida and Duke.[64] In 1969, Carolina finished 5–5, their best season in five years.[65]
Dooley's 1970 team went 8–4, finishing with aPeach Bowl loss toArizona State.[66][62] The next season, 1971, was a 9–3 season that was capped with aGator Bowl loss toGeorgia and a No. 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 overTexas Tech in theSun Bowl,[68] and rankings of No. 14 and No. 12 in the Coaches' and AP Polls.[62] In 1973, Dooley's Tar Heels finished 4–7 with wins overWilliam & Mary,Kentucky and Wake Forest.[69] The 1974 Tar Heels finished 7–5 and lost toMississippi State in theSun Bowl.[70][71] In 1975, North Carolina finished 3–7–1.[72]
Dooley's 1976 team finished 9–3 with a loss toKentucky in thePeach Bowl[73] and the 1977 team finished 8–3–1 with a loss toNebraska in theLiberty Bowl.[74] Those teams finished with rankings of No. 14 and No. 17 in the Coaches' and AP Polls, respectively.[61][62] Dooley departed after the 1977 season to accept a unique opportunity as both the athletics director and head football coach atVirginia Tech.[75] Dooley was the winningest head coach in Carolina football history until he was surpassed byDick Crum in 1987.[76]
Dick Crum was hired away fromMiami (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]
In his first season, Crum led the 1978 Tar Heels to a 5–6 record, which included losses to No. 18 Maryland, No. 9 Pittsburgh and No. 15 Clemson.[79] In 1979, the Tar Heels finished 8–3–1 with a win overMichigan in theGator Bowl to finish the season.[56] Crum enjoyed his best season at Carolina in 1980, leading the Heels to a record of 11–1, aBluebonnet Bowl win overTexas and an ACC Championship, Carolina's last to date.[80][81]
In 1981, the Heels compiled a 10–2 record and finished the season by beatingArkansas in theGator Bowl.[82] That would be Carolina's last season of double digit wins for 13 years. The next two seasons saw Carolina finish 8–4.[83][84] After the 1982 season, Carolina upsetTexas in theSun Bowl.[85] The 1979-1982 Carolina teams were the first in the ACC to go to 4 consecutive bowl games, winning all 4. In 1983, they would lose toFlorida State in thePeach Bowl.[86]
In 1984, Carolina would finish 5–5–1.[87] They would post another five-win campaign the next year, along with six losses.[88] Carolina would go 7–4–1 with anAloha Bowl loss toArizona to end the season in 1986,[89] but Carolina would finish 5–6 in 1987,[90] increasing the unhappiness fans and administration had slowly built over the past few years of mediocrity and inconsistency.
Crum resigned under pressure as Tar Heels head coach after ten seasons.[91] Crum led the Tar Heels to four bowl victories in six bowl appearances.[92] Crum departed as the winningest head coach in Carolina football history, with a 72–41–3 record.[18][92][93] Notable players coached by Crum at UNC include future Hall of FamerLawrence Taylor,Harris Barton,Kelvin Bryant, Amos Lawrence, Donnell Thompson, Darrell Nicholson, Buddy Curry, Steve Streater, andReuben Davis.
Mack Brown was hired away fromTulane as Crum's replacement.[94] He was the Tar Heel head coach for ten seasons.[95] 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.[96][97] However, the next two years saw a relatively quick return to respectability. In 1990, the Tar Heels finished 6–4–1.[98] By comparison, the Tar Heels had won only seven games in the previous three years. Included in the 1990 total was a tie ofGeorgia Tech that proved to be the Yellow Jackets' only non-winthat season en route to a share of the national championship. In 1991, the Tar Heels finished 7–4, narrowly missing a bowl bid.[99]
Everything came together for the Tar Heels in 1992. They finished 8–3 in the regular season, good enough for second in theAtlantic Coast Conference, and capped the season with a victory overMississippi State in thePeach Bowl,[100] they finished the season at 9–3.[101] 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. That season was the start of UNC's most successful period since theCharlie Justice era in the late 1940s. Brown coached the Tar Heels to five consecutive bowl games, including UNC's only twoNew 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 theSugar Bowl).[95] 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 third time the Tar Heels accomplished the feat, with the only losses coming to No. 1Florida State, No. 21Virginia in the regular season and No. 18Alabama in theGator Bowl.[102][56]
In 1994, Brown led the Tar Heels to an 8–4 record with a loss toTexas in theSun Bowl to cap the year.[103][104] UNC lost to No. 3 Florida State,[105] No. 25 Virginia,[106] and No. 24 Clemson. Brown's seventh season in 1995 saw the Tar Heels finish 7–5 with a victory overArkansas in theCarquest Bowl to finish the season.[107][108] In 1996 and 1997, the Tar Heels finished with 10 and 11 wins, respectively.[109][110] Brown would leave North Carolina in 1997 for the head coaching position atTexas.[111] Largely due toFlorida State joining the league in 1992 and their dominance over the college landscape in the 1990s, Brown was unable to win an ACC title in his first tenure despite leading the team during one of its most prolonged stretches of football success.
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 powerhousemen's basketball program.[112] Games atKenan Memorial Stadium were almost always sold out, highlighted by the 62,000 that showed to watch the Tar Heels' "Judgement Day" game againstFlorida State in 1997,[112] the largest crowd at a regular season college football game in the history of the state of North Carolina.[112] Brown also led an effort that resulted in the upgrading of UNC's football facilities and the expansion of Kenan Memorial Stadium.[112] Notable players who played for Brown in his first stint at North Carolina includeJeff Saturday,Greg Ellis andDré Bly.[5]
Carl Torbush was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach of the UNC Tar Heels football program following Brown's departure.[113] Torbush's hiring was praised by many UNC fans and alums, 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.[114][115]
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 toMiami (Ohio) to open the 1998 season,[116] during which Carolina went 6-5 and barely managed to qualify for a bowl appearance. Torbush led the Tar Heels to theLas Vegas Bowl, where they defeatedSan Diego State by a score of 20–13.[62][117] The next year was an unmitigated disaster. The team was riddled with injuries, the most devastating one occurring when quarterbackRonald Curry tore hisAchilles tendon.[118] The Tar Heels were so thin at quarterback that they were forced to convert safetyAntwon Black to quarterback, but he was lost after two games tomononucleosis.[119] After starting the season 1–1, the Tar Heels didn't win another game until beatingNorth Carolina State in November. They finished 3–8,[120] 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.[121] 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.[119]
The Tar Heels rebounded to finish 6–5 in 2000,[122] but it wasn't enough to save Torbush's job; he was fired at the end of the season.[123] Torbush left Carolina with a record of 17–18.[124] Notable players who played for Torbush at UNC areJulius Peppers,Alge Crumpler andJeff Reed.[5]
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.[125]
In his first season, Bunting led the Tar Heels to an 8–5 record, which included a win overFlorida State 41–9.[126] It was the Tar Heels' first win over a team ranked in the top 10 of a major media poll; the Seminoles were ranked sixth in the AP Poll at the time. They closed the season with a victory overAuburn in the2001 Peach Bowl.[127][128] However, his teams since were highly inconsistent. In 2002, Bunting's Tar Heels finished 3–9.[129] That was followed by a 2–10 campaign in 2003.[130] In 2004, the Tar Heels finished 6–6.[131] UNC defeatedMiami 31–28 on a last-second field goal byConnor Barth during the 2004 season; the Hurricanes were ranked fourth at the time in the AP poll.[132] The Tar Heels capped the 2004 season with a loss in theContinental Tire Bowl toBoston College by a score of 37–24.[133]
In 2005, North Carolina finished 5–6.[134] The team was routed during the 2005 season 69–14 byLouisville, one of the worst losses in modern Tar Heel history.[135] During his final season (2006), his team had a record of 3–9, while averaging over 23 fewer points per game than their opponents.
Bunting was fired by UNC athletics directorDick Baddour on October 22, 2006.[136] He was allowed to finish out the 2006 season.[137] Bunting's last home victory on November 18, 2006, againstNC State,[138] broke a seven-game losing streak, and he was able to close out his career one week later with a 45–44 win overDuke.[139] Bunting compiled an overall record of 27–45 over six seasons.[140]
FormerCleveland Browns andMiami head football coachButch Davis was hired as the Tar Heels 32nd head football coach in late 2006.[141][142] Davis was a big-name coach whose hiring was praised nationwide.[143] Davis originally signed a seven-year deal worth approximately $1.86 million per season, with a base salary of $286,000.[144] 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.[145][144] 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.
During his first season as head coach, the2007 Tar Heels finished 4–8, with six losses coming by a touchdown or less.[146] Despite a losing record in 2007, North Carolina fans averaged over 57,000 fans inKenan Stadium during the season, the highest average attendance since the firstMack Brown era.[147] The 2007 match-up againstSouth Carolina saw a crowd of 61,000, the second-largest in school history.[147] 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.[148] The rumors grew louder whenHouston Nutt was forced to resign at Arkansas,[149] 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.[150] 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."[151] Athletics directorDick 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.[152]
The2008 Tar Heels were expected to be much improved from the previous year, with most outlets picking them to finish second in the Coastal Division. In their second game of the season they routedRutgers on the road 44–12. This was their first victory outside the state of North Carolina since 2002. On October 4, the Heels defeated then 24th-rankedUConn 38–12 for their first victory over a ranked non-conference opponent in 11 years.[153] As a result, the Tar Heels were ranked 22nd in the weeklyAssociated Press rankings, their first appearance in a major poll in seven years. The following Saturday, the Tar Heels defeated theNotre Dame Fighting Irish, their first regular-season win as a ranked team in 11 years.[154] A 16–13 overtime loss atVirginia on October 18 briefly knocked the Heels out of the rankings,[155] but after a 45–24 victory overBoston College on October 25,[156] the team became bowl-eligible for the first time since 2004. The win also resulted in the team being ranked in theBowl Championship Series rankings for the first time since the BCS began in 1998. A week later, they defeatedGeorgia Tech to clinch their first winning season since 2001,[157] 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 the2008 Meineke Car Care Bowl toWest Virginia.[158]
Davis ledthe 2009 Tar Heels to another 8–4 regular season record and a second straight bowl appearance,[159] the first time since the 1997–1998 seasons that UNC had made consecutive bowls. UNC faced thePittsburgh Panthers in the2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl and lost the Meineke-sponsored bowl game for the second straight year, finishing the season 8–5.[160] Additionally, Davis led Carolina football to its 6th consecutive year of graduating more than 75% of its football players.[161] 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 ofNorth Carolina and theAtlantic Coast Conference.[162]
Despite fallout from the unfolding scandal, Davis' Tar Heels finished the regular season with a 7–5 record, earning a trip to theMusic City Bowl againstTennessee. The2010 Tar Heels won their first game since 1981 at rival Virginia'sScott Stadium and gained their first ever win in FSU'sDoak Campbell Stadium.[163][164] The Tar Heels won the Music City Bowl in controversial fashion, 30–27, in what would be Davis' final game as Tar Heel head coach.[165]
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]
Thirteen UNC football players were suspended for the team's season opener inAtlanta againstLSU,[171] and the Tar Heels lost the game 30–24.[172] Ultimately, wide receiverGreg Little, defensive tackleMarvin Austin, and defensive endRobert Quinn were ruled permanently ineligible after it was discovered they improperly accepted gifts from sports agents.[173] Five other players were found guilty of accepting improper benefits and/or inappropriate academic assistance.[174] The football scandal would later unfold into auniversity-wide probe into student-athlete academics, also investigated by the NCAA.
In July 2011, Davis was fired by UNC chancellorHolden Thorp amid the NCAA investigation .[175][176] Davis left Carolina after compiling a 28–23 record.[177] Thorp said the move was necessary to restore confidence in UNC's integrity.[178] On September 19, 2011, in response to an NCAA notice of allegations, Davis was never mentioned in the NCAA inquiry and had no reported involvement in the investigation.[179] North Carolina subsequently vacated all of its wins from the 2008 and 2009 seasons after retroactively declaring Austin, Quinn and Little ineligible.[180] As a result, these are "officially" North Carolina's only winless seasons in the modern era.
Following Davis' dismissal a month before the 2011 season was to start, defensive coordinatorEverett Withers was named interim coach.[181][182] Withers was the firstAfrican American head coach in Tar Heel football history.[182]
With Withers leading the Tar Heels, UNC beat their first opponent,FCS schoolJames Madison by a score of 42–10.[183] In the game, quarterbackBryn Renner set the single game school record for completion percentage at 95.7%. Also during the season, running backGiovani Bernard became the first Tar Heel rusher in 27 years to rush for over 100 yards in five straight games. The Tar Heels lost their rivalry matchup withNC State inRaleigh, 13–0.[184] It was the Tar Heels' fifth straight loss to the Wolfpack, and the first shutout in the series since 1960.[185] Bernard, however, eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark on the season against the Wolfpack. ReceiverDwight Jones later 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. The Tar Heels closed out the regular season with a home win over rivalsDuke, winning 37–21.[186] Dwight Jones's 79 receptions and Bryn Renner's 23 TD passes set then-single season records for the Tar Heels.
Withers led the Tar Heels to a 7–6 record in his only season,[187] capped with a loss toMissouri in theIndependence Bowl.[188]
On December 9, 2011,Southern Miss head coachLarry Fedora was hired to be the next Carolina football head coach.[189] Fedora arrived in Chapel Hill with a track record of producing explosivespread offenses.[190][191] In Fedora's first year as head coach, 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.[192] Fedora led the2012 team to an 8–4 record, which would have resulted in a division title were the Tar Heels eligible for the postseason.[193] That record included snapping their losing streak to rivals NC State, winning in dramatic fashion after Giovani Bernard returned a punt for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.[194]
After starting the2013 season 1–5, Fedora's Tar Heels rebounded to finish 5–1 in their final six regular season games to become bowl eligible at 6–6. The Tar Heels beatCincinnati in theBelk Bowl to finish the season at 7–6.[195] In2014, the Tar Heels underperformed on defense, giving up over 497 yards per game (111th in the nation, and fourth-worst among Power 5 teams) en route to a 6–7 season following a loss toRutgers in the2014 Quick Lane Bowl.[196] In an effort to address this, Fedora fired defensive coordinatorVic Koenning[197] after the season and hired formerIowa State andAuburn head coachGene Chizik as Koenning's replacement.[198]
In 2015, Fedora led the Tar Heels to an 11–1 regular season and the team's first ACC Coastal Division championship.[199] The team also finished with a perfect 8–0 record in conference play and were ranked as high as No. 8 in the AP and Coaches' Polls, their highest ranking since 1997. In the2015 ACC Championship Game, the Tar Heels lost toClemson by a score of 45–37, falling short in their comeback attempt[200] The Tar Heels then lost in the2015 Russell Athletic Bowl toBaylor 49–38.[201] The Tar Heels finished the season 11–3 (8–0 ACC) and ranked 15th in the country,[199] marking the team's first postseason Top 25 ranking since 1997. After the 2015 season, offensive coordinatorSeth Littrell left Carolina to take the head coaching position atNorth Texas.[202]
In 2016, Fedora led the Tar Heels to an 8–5 (5–3) record.[203] Carolina began the season with a loss toGeorgia in theChick-fil-A Kickoff Game inAtlanta by a score of 33–24.[204] Carolina then reeled off four straight wins, which included an upset win over No. 12Florida State inTallahassee by a score of 37–35 after a game-winning field goal as time expired, snapping the Seminoles' 22-game home winning streak. After losing toNC State in the regular season finale, the Tar Heels, who were led by star quarterbackMitch Trubisky, lost in the2016 Sun Bowl toStanford by a score of 25–23. Following the 2016 season, defensive coordinatorGene Chizik resigned to spend more time with his family.[205]
Fedora's 2017 and 2018 teams struggled mightily. The Tar Heels were unable to find consistent offense, cycling through several starting quarterbacks including LSU transferBrandon Harris,Chazz Surratt, Nathan Elliott, Cade Fortin, and Jace Ruder. After going 5–18 in those two seasons, Fedora was fired as head coach following the final game of the 2018 season,[206] an overtime loss to rival N.C. State.[207]
Two days after firing coach Fedora, on November 27, 2018, the school announced Mack Brown would be returning as head coach.[208][209][210] Brown had been out of coaching after stepping down as Texas head coach following the 2013 season and had been a college football studio analyst forESPN when he was rehired by the Tar Heels.[211][212] When he was rehired, Brown signed a five-year contract with UNC worth $3.5 million annually excluding incentives.[213] Brown's return has been highlighted by a significant uptick in the level of recruiting for the Tar Heels, exemplified by the flipping of current Tar Heel star quarterbackSam Howell fromFlorida State on signing day for the class of 2019.[214] Howell set multiple school records in three seasons as the starting quarterback.[215] But despite Howell's performance and consecutive top-15 recruiting classes (2021 and 2022), the COVID-shortened 8–4 season in 2020 is so far the best record of Brown's second stint.[216]
In Brown's first year coaching since the 2013 season at Texas, the Tar Heels finished 6-6 and became bowl eligible for the first time since the 2016 season, clinching bowl eligibility in the final week of the regular season against rival N.C. State. On October 26, 2019, in a win over Duke, he became the school's all-time wins leader, surpassing his first Tar Heel predecessor, Dick Crum.[217] Brown led the team to their first bowl victory in 6 years, a 55–13 blowout overTemple in theMilitary Bowl.[218] Under the air-raid system of offensive coordinatorPhil Longo, freshman quarterback Sam Howell set the school record for passing touchdowns with 38.[219] Howell's 38 passing scores were also a record for ACC true freshmen, and came two shy of tyingJameis Winston for most touchdown passes by a freshman in conference history.[220] Wide receiversDazz Newsome andDyami Brown posted 1,000 yard receiving seasons, and running backMichael Carter rushed for 1,003 yards. His backfield counterpartJavonte Williams had a breakout season, rushing for 933 yards and five touchdowns in 2019. Former quarterbackChazz Surratt made a position change to linebacker after Howell's arrival, and earned first team all-conference honors in his first collegiate season as a linebacker. On December 15, 2019, Broan and UNC agreed to terms on a one-year contract extension.[221]
The2020 team finished 8–4 in a season shortened by theCOVID-19 pandemic, capped by a 41–27 loss toTexas A&M in theOrange Bowl.[222] This was Carolina's first appearance in a major bowl game since the1950 Cotton Bowl Classic, and the first ever Orange Bowl berth for the school.[223][224] Running backs Carter and Williams both rushed for over 1,000 yards in the 2020 season, and wide receiver Dyami Brown posted his second straight 1,000 yard receiving season. Howell set more records in his second season under center, including single game passing touchdowns with six in a come-from-behind victory overWake Forest.[225] He added a rushing touchdown in the same game, setting the record for total touchdowns in a game with seven. AgainstMiami in the final week of the regular season, Williams and Carter combined for anFBS-record 544 rushing yards in the 62–26 blowout of the Hurricanes.[226][227][228] Williams' 19 rushing touchdowns on the season tiedDon McCauley's single-season record at Carolina.
The2021 team began the season ranked in the top ten in national preseason polls and was picked to win the ACC Coastal Division, but underperformed and ended the season with a 6–7 record. The Tar Heels finished fifth in the division, capping the season with a disappointing 38–21 loss toSouth Carolina in theDuke's Mayo Bowl. The 2021 Tar Heel team was one of only two teams in FBS history to have started the season ranked inside the top ten and finish with a losing record. A bright spot in the 2021 season was the emergence of highly touted wide receiverJosh Downs who set single season program records for receptions and receiving yards, finishing the year with 101 catches for 1,335 yards and 8 touchdowns. Running back Ty Chandler, a graduate transfer fromTennessee rushed for 1,092 yards and 13 touchdowns, making Brown's first three seasons back in Chapel Hill produce at least one 1,000 yard receiver and rusher. Following the conclusion of the season, defensive coordinatorJay Bateman and special teams coordinatorJovan Dewitt were let go, as changes needed to be made to continue the upward trajectory of Carolina football, and the defense and special teams had regressed heavily, despite returning several starters and key rotation pieces. Offensive line coachStacy Searels, whose unit was another that struggled in 2021, also left the Tar Heels in the offseason to return toGeorgia, where he had previously served as OL coach from 2007 to 2010 under head coachMark Richt. He was replaced byJack Bicknell Jr., who had previously worked with Tar Heel OC Phil Longo when both were atOle Miss under head coachMatt Luke.
The2022 team entered the season with significant question marks on both sides of the ball.Gene Chizik, Tar Heel defensive coordinator from 2015 to 2016, returned to Chapel Hill to lead the defense after spending time away from football and was tasked with improving the Tar Heels' struggling defense. The biggest question mark, ultimately, was who would replace Howell at quarterback. Redshirt-freshmanDrake Maye would emerge as the man for the job, and was announced as starting quarterback prior to the season-opening game againstFAMU. In his first start, Maye set multiple records in a 56–24 win.[229] Freshman RB Omarion Hampton ran for over 100 yards against the Rattlers as well, becoming the first Tar Heel running back to eclipse the century that in his first career game sinceCharlie "Choo-Choo" Justice in 1946.[230] Despite rumblings of offseason improvement, the Tar Heel defense again struggled throughout the season. In the Tar Heels' game againstAppalachian State, Chizik's defense gave up 649 total offensive yards, including 361 passing yards and six touchdown passes for Mountaineer quarterbackChase Brice. However, the Tar Heel offense itself gained 567 total offensive yards, the special teams unit returned a Mountaineer onside kick attempt for a touchdown, and the Tar Heels were able to escape Boone with a 63–61 victory.[231] The Tar Heels would then beatGeorgia State on the road in Atlanta the following week to improve to 3–0 for just the third time since 2011.
Maye and star wide receiverJosh Downs would power the Tar Heel team to a 9–1 record through ten games, clinching their second, and final, ACC Coastal Division Championship following a victory againstWake Forest. After beating Wake, the 2022 Tar Heels would not win another game, finishing the season 9–5 after losing their final two regular season games, theACC Championship againstClemson and the2022 Holiday Bowl againstOregon.[232] Despite the lackluster finish, quarterback Maye would win the ACC's Player, Offensive Player, and Rookie of the Year Awards and be named to the All-ACC first team. He would earn national acclaim as well, earning theShaun Alexander Freshman of the Year award from the Maxwell Football Club.[233] Offensive coordinatorPhil Longo, who had been a member of the coaching staff since Brown returned to UNC in 2019, left forWisconsin after the season,[234] and was replaced byChip Lindsey.[235]
On February 2, 2023, Brown and UNC agreed to terms on a one-year contract extension.[236][237] Once again entering the season with high expectations, the Tar Heels got off to a hot start, defeatingSouth Carolina 31–17 in Charlotte in the season-opener. That win against South Carolina made Mack Brown the first college football head coach in history to win 100 games with two different schools.[238] The Tar Heel defense, which in 2022 had only gotten 17 sacks, seemed to be improved, and sacked Gamecock QBSpencer Rattler nine times in the victory.[239] Following victories against Appalachian State, Minnesota, and Syracuse, the Tar Heels moved to 4–0 for the first time since the final season of Brown's first tenure in 1997. Wide receiverTez Walker, who had battled the NCAA over his eligibility to play for the Tar Heels, returned against the Orange and became the top receiver, finishing the season with 699 yards on 41 receptions and seven touchdown grabs.[240]
After ultimately going 6–0 over the first half of the season, the Tar Heels struggled in the back half of the regular season, only winning two of the remaining six games en route to an 8–4 record. Sophomore running backOmarion Hampton, who had shown potential in 2022, broke out in a massive way in Lindsey's run-focused offensive scheme, rushing for 1,442 yards on the way to a second-team All-America season. LinebackerCedric Gray also stood out as a beacon of consistency for the once again struggle-filled Tar Heel defense. Maye concluded his stellar Tar Heel career with 24 passing touchdowns to 9 interceptions in 2023, opting out of the2023 Duke's Mayo Bowl to pursue an NFL career.[241]
On November 26, 2024, after initially declaring his intentions to return to UNC for the 2025 season,[242] Mack Brown was fired as head coach after another mediocre season.[243] Brown was permitted to coach the team's regular season finale against NC State before tight ends coachFreddie Kitchens took over as interim head coach for the2024 Fenway Bowl,[244] a game the Tar Heels lost toUConn by a score of 27–14.[245]
On December 11, 2024, the school announced the hiring of six-timeSuper Bowl champion head coachBill Belichick to be the next North Carolina football coach.[246] Despite never coaching college football in his nearly 50 year-long coaching career, the 72-year old Belichick is widely regarded as the greatest NFL coach of all-time.[247] Belichick also has a personal connection to the university as his father,Steve Belichick, was an assistant coach for the Tar Heels from 1953 to 1955.[248] When hired, Bill Belichick signed a five-year contract with the university that pays $10 million per year.[249][250]
Belichick's first game ended with a loss of 48-14, marking the most points he has ever given up during his career, and UNC's worst opening loss in the program's history.
Since starting the football program in 1888, North Carolina has been affiliated with three conferences, along with some stints an independent in the early seasons of Carolina football.[251][252]
UNC was independent for most of its earliest years of college football, spending many of the seasons from 1888 to 1921 as a member of no formal athletic conference. The exceptions to this include a brief stint with the informal North Carolina Inter-Collegiate Foot-ball Association from 1888 to 1890 withDuke (then known as Trinity) andWake Forest, and a few brief stints with the more formally recognizedSIAA.[253] The conference was formed in December 1892 when eight colleges from around the South, led byVirginia, attempted to form its first iteration; this association folded by July 1893 due to internal disputes.
Carolina tried to revive the SIAA, helping reform the association in December 1894. By January 1895, however, UNC left the SIAA, calling the venture "impracticable" due to distance considerations, in addition to the cost of associated travel expenses.[254]
UNC's Athletic Association voted to rejoin the SIAA in 1899, becoming a member before the 1900 football season.[255] After two more seasons in the Athletic Association, from late in 1899 to May 1902, North Carolina was suspended from the SIAA for playing two players, who were reportedly professionals, in a baseball game in 1902.[256]
North Carolina claims eight conference championships with the most recent in 1980.[257]: 188
| Year | Conference | Coach | Overall record | Conf. record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1922 | Southern Conference | Bob Fetzer &Bill Fetzer | 9–1 | 5–0 |
| 1946 | Carl Snavely | 8–2–1 | 4–0–1 | |
| 1949 | 7–4 | 5–0 | ||
| 1963† | Atlantic Coast Conference | Jim Hickey | 9–2 | 6–1 |
| 1971 | Bill Dooley | 9–3 | 6–0 | |
| 1972 | 11–1 | 6–0 | ||
| 1977 | 8–3–1 | 5–0–1 | ||
| 1980 | Dick Crum | 11–1 | 6–0 |
† Co-champions
North Carolina won two division championships under the ACC's divisional scheduling model. Following the 2022 season, the ACC moved to a single-division format,[258] making the Tar Heels the final Coastal Division Champions.
| Year | Division | Coach | Opponent | CG result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | ACC Coastal | Larry Fedora | Clemson | L 37–45 |
| 2022 | ACC Coastal | Mack Brown | Clemson | L 10–39 |
| Tenure | Coach | Years | Record | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1889 | Hector Cowan | 1 | 1–1 | .500 |
| 1893 | William J. "Yup" Cook | 1 | 3–4 | .429 |
| 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 | C. W. Martin | 1 | 3–4–1 | .438 |
| 1913–1915 | T. C. Trenchard | 3 | 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[259] |
| 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 |
| 2012–2018 | Larry Fedora | 7 | 45–43 | .511 |
| 2019–2024 | Mack Brown | 6 | 44–31 | .587 |
| 2025–present | Bill Belichick | 1 | 0–0 | – |
North Carolina has played in 39 bowl games in its history with a record of 15–24.[260][261]
| Date | Bowl | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 1947 | Sugar Bowl | Georgia | L 10–20 |
| January 1, 1949 | Sugar Bowl | Oklahoma | L 6–14 |
| January 2, 1950 | Cotton Bowl Classic | Rice | L 13–27 |
| December 28, 1963 | Gator Bowl | Air Force | W 35–0 |
| December 30, 1970 | Peach Bowl | Arizona State | L 26–48 |
| December 31, 1971 | Gator Bowl | Georgia | L 3–7 |
| December 30, 1972 | Sun Bowl | Texas Tech | W 32–28 |
| December 28, 1974 | Sun Bowl | Mississippi State | L 24–26 |
| December 31, 1976 | Peach Bowl | Kentucky | L 0–21 |
| December 19, 1977 | Liberty Bowl | Nebraska | L 17–21 |
| December 28, 1979 | Gator Bowl | Michigan | W 17–15 |
| December 31, 1980 | Bluebonnet Bowl | Texas | W 16–7 |
| December 28, 1981 | Gator Bowl | Arkansas | W 31–27 |
| December 25, 1982 | Sun Bowl | Texas | W 26–10 |
| December 30, 1983 | Peach Bowl | Florida State | L 3–28 |
| December 27, 1986 | Aloha Bowl | Arizona | L 21–30 |
| January 2, 1993 | Peach Bowl | Mississippi State | W 21–17 |
| December 31, 1993 | Gator Bowl | Alabama | L 10–24 |
| December 30, 1994 | Sun Bowl | Texas | L 30–35 |
| December 30, 1995 | CarQuest Bowl | Arkansas | W 20–10 |
| January 1, 1997 | Gator Bowl | West Virginia | W 20–13 |
| January 1, 1998 | Gator Bowl | Virginia Tech | W 42–3 |
| December 19, 1998 | Las Vegas Bowl | San Diego State | W 20–13 |
| December 31, 2001 | Peach Bowl | Auburn | W 16–10 |
| December 30, 2004 | Continental Tire Bowl | Boston College | L 24–37 |
| December 27, 2008 | Meineke Car Care Bowl | West Virginia | L 30–31 |
| December 26, 2009 | Meineke Car Care Bowl | Pittsburgh | L 17–19 |
| December 30, 2010 | Music City Bowl | Tennessee | W 30–272OT |
| December 26, 2011 | Independence Bowl | Missouri | L 24–41 |
| December 28, 2013 | Belk Bowl | Cincinnati | W 39–17 |
| December 26, 2014 | Quick Lane Bowl | Rutgers | L 21–40 |
| December 29, 2015 | Russell Athletic Bowl | Baylor | L 38–49 |
| December 30, 2016 | Sun Bowl | Stanford | L 23–25 |
| December 27, 2019 | Military Bowl | Temple | W 55–13 |
| January 2, 2021 | Orange Bowl | Texas A&M | L 27–41 |
| December 30, 2021 | Duke's Mayo Bowl | South Carolina | L 21–38 |
| December 28, 2022 | Holiday Bowl | Oregon | L 27–28 |
| December 27, 2023 | Duke's Mayo Bowl | West Virginia | L 10–30 |
| December 28, 2024 | Fenway Bowl | Connecticut | L 14–27 |
The football rivalry between Duke and North Carolina began in 1888, when Duke University was called Trinity College. Trinity won the first game in the longstanding rivalry series. While the basketball rivalry between the two teams overshadows the importance of the yearly matchup on the gridiron, the football iteration has presented its fair share of classic games. The Victory Bell was introduced for the 1948 match-up, which North Carolina won 20–0. It became tradition for the school that has possession of the bell to paint it in the shade of blue of their school. The longest consecutive win streak in the series is a 13-game streak by the Tar Heels from 1990 to 2002. Carolina officially leads the all-time series 64–41–4.
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 schools played a total of 42 games (31-5-6 in favor of the Tar Heels) until the formation of the ACC. Since the formation of the ACC in 1953, North Carolina and NC State have played every year and the annual contest has evolved into the biggest rivalry game in football for both schools.[262] The 1998 and 1999 games were held atBank of America Stadium, the Tar Heels won both games. The longest consecutive win streak in the series is 9 games, from 1943 to 1955 by the Tar Heels.
In the 114 meetings between NC State and the Tar Heels, the all-time series is 68–40–6 in favor of the Tar Heels. Since the creation of the ACC, the Tar Heels hold the edge over the Wolfpack, 37–35, signifying the competitive nature of the rivalry.[263] UNC has lost the last four meetings to the Wolfpack.
The Tar Heels' rivalry with the Virginia Cavaliers began in 1892, and is known as the "South's Oldest Rivalry." The teams played twice in 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 128 times, making the yearly matchup the fourth most played rivalry game among college football's major conferences. The all-time series record is 67–58–4, in favor of the Tar Heels.
Wake Forest and North Carolina have met 110 times, with North Carolina holding a 72–36–2 series lead. The first game between the two teams, in 1888, was the first college football game played in the state of North Carolina. The two teams met annually from 1919 to 2004 until the ACC created the divisional format in 2005.[264][265]
TheBattle of the Carolinas is a rivalry that began in 1903. North Carolina holds a 36–20–4 overall and leads the series, butSouth Carolina leads in more recent decades being 13–7 since 1967.[266] While no longer a conference rivalry, since South Carolina left theACC in 1971, the teams still meet occasionally. While South Carolina was an independent (1971–1991), the teams met ten times with each team winning five. Following South Carolina's membership in theSEC the two teams didn't meet for 16 seasons until finally meeting again in 2007 in Chapel Hill. Since that time the two teams have played five times with South Carolina winning three. The first postseason meeting between the two programs was in theDuke's Mayo Bowl on December 30, 2021, with South Carolina winning 38–21. The most recent meeting between the two teams was in theDuke's Mayo Classic on September 2, 2023, with North Carolina winning 31–17.
Throughout the course of the Tar Heels' football history, a player has rushed for over 1,000 yards in a season 32 times. The first player to rush for over a 1,000 yards wasDon McCauley, who ran for 1,092 yards in the 1969 season.[267] The most recent Tar Heel to eclipse the 1,000 yard mark in a season wasOmarion Hampton,[268] who ran for 1,504 yards in the2023 season, and 1,660 in2024.[269]
| Year | Player | 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 |
| 2019 | Michael Carter | 1,003 |
| 2020 | Michael Carter | 1,245 |
| 2020 | Javonte Williams | 1,140 |
| 2021 | Ty Chandler | 1,092 |
| 2023 | Omarion Hampton | 1,504 |
| 2024 | Omarion Hampton | 1,660 |
Five numbers have been retired by the university.[270]
| North Carolina Tar Heels retired numbers | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Player | Pos. | Tenure | ||
| 22 | Charlie Justice | HB | 1946–1949 | ||
| 46 | Bill Sutherland[a] | QB | 1946 | ||
| 50 | Art Weiner | E | 1946–1949 | ||
| 59 | Andy Bershak | TE | 1935–1937 | ||
| 99 | George Barclay[b] | LB | 1932–1934 | ||
Beneath the video board in the east end zone of Kenan Stadium, several Tar Heel greats have their jersey numbers honored.
| North Carolina Tar Heels honored jerseys | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Player | Pos. | Tenure | ||
| 10 | Danny Talbott | QB | 1965–1967 | ||
| 12 | Ethan Horton | RB | 1981–1984 | ||
| 20 | Amos Lawrence | RB | 1977–1980 | ||
| 23 | Don McCauley | RB | 1968–1970 | ||
| 25 | Irv Holdash | C/LB | 1948–1950 | ||
| 31 | Dré Bly | CB | 1996–1998 | ||
| 41 | Brian Simmons | LB | 1994–1997 | ||
| 44 | Kelvin Bryant | RB | 1979–1982 | ||
| Mike Voight | RB | 1973–1976 | |||
| 49 | Julius Peppers | DE | 1999–2001 | ||
| 60 | Brian Blados | OT | 1980–1983 | ||
| 62 | Ron Rusnak | G | 1971–1972 | ||
| 64 | Jonathan Cooper | G | 2008–2012 | ||
| 67 | Harris Barton | OT | 1983–1986 | ||
| 68 | Ken Huff | G | 1971–1974 | ||
| 71 | Dee Hardison | DT | 1974–1977 | ||
| Marcus Jones | DT | 1992–1995 | |||
| 85 | Bob Lacey | WR | 1960–1963 | ||
| 87 | Greg Ellis | DE | 1994–1997 | ||
| Paul Severin | E | 1939–1940 | |||
| 95 | William Fuller | DT | 1981–1983 | ||
| 98 | Lawrence Taylor | LB | 1977–1980 | ||
| Player | Position | Career |
|---|---|---|
| Charlie Justice | HB | 1946–49 |
| Don McCauley | RB | 1968–70 |
| Art Weiner | TE | 1946–49 |
| Dre Bly | CB | 1996–98 |
| Harris Barton | OT | 1983–86 |
| Jim Tatum | Coach | 1942, 1956–58 |
| Carl Snavely | Coach | 1934–35, 1945–52 |
| Mack Brown[1] | Coach | 1988–97, 2019–24 |
^ Brown was inducted as a Texas Longhorn
| Player | Position | NFL career | Inducted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence Taylor | LB | 1981-1993 | 1999 |
| Chris Hanburger | LB | 1965-1978 | 2011 |
| Julius Peppers | DE | 2002-2018 | 2024 |
Schedule announced October 30, 2023.[273]
Announced schedules as of August 13, 2025.[274]
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 | 2031 | 2036 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TCU | vsTCU1 | UCF | atSouth Carolina | South Carolina | Kennesaw State | Purdue | atNotre Dame |
| atCharlotte | ETSU | atPurdue | Kennesaw State | atNotre Dame | Notre Dame | ||
| Richmond | atUConn | UConn | James Madison | ||||
| atUCF | Notre Dame | North Alabama |
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
Downs, B.J., & Seifried, C.S. (2019). Kenan Memorial Stadium: Philanthropy from 1926 to 1962. North Carolina Historical Review, 96, 276-304.
