Tag: 2023 UNC Football Schedule

UNC football picked to finish third in ACC by 247Sports

Carolina football, coming off a 9-5 season in which they played in the ACC Title Game, was picked to finish third in the ACC by 247Sports.

The University of North Carolina football team is entering its upcoming season with high expectations – something that fans are becoming more accustomed to seeing after a decade of mediocrity.

Carolina started 9-1 last year, winning a 63-61 road thriller over App State then, after a win against Georgia State and a loss to Notre Dame, busted out six consecutive ACC victories. UNC earned itself a spot in the ACC Championship Game, its first appearance since 2015, against national power Clemson. Drake Maye played himself into Heisman contention, lighting up opposing defenses and finishing fourth in the country with 4,321 yards. Maye also showcased his speed, leading UNC with 937 rushing yards.

Despite losing top receivers Josh Downs and Antoine Green to the NFL Draft, the Heels are slated for another strong campaign, as 247Sports picked them to finish third in the ACC.

Carolina is projected to finish behind 2022 champion Clemson and a deep, revamped, talented Florida State roster led by 247Sports’ ACC Player of the Year projection Jordan Travis.

The Seminoles earned 298 total votes while Clmson was second at 296 total votes. North Carolina checked in with 242.

UNC’s strength will undoubtedly be at the quarterback position, with Maye receiving 9/10 votes for ACC Offensive Player of the Year. The Heels also return their top two tight ends, Bryson Nesbit and Kamari Morales, who combined for 865 yards and eight touchdowns. Elijah Green, Omarion Hampton and Caleb Hood give Carolina a reliable trio at the running back position, with the three piling up 1,289 rushing yards and 14 scores.

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Tar Heel Twitter predicts UNC’s 2023 football season record

Members of Tar Heel Twitter predict the University of North Carolina’s 2023 football schedule.

While college football fans everywhere are waiting for the season to start in late August, they are trying to keep themselves busy with schedule predictions.

“Week Zero” kicks off with a highly-anticipated Navy-Notre Dame matchup in Dublin on Saturday, Aug. 26, then we get into a full slate of Week 1 games the following Saturday.

UNC’s 2023 campaign, however, kicks off with a tough task in SEC rival South Carolina for the second time in three years. This season, both schools will matchup on Saturday, Sept. 2 at 7:30 p.m. ET under the bright lights of Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.

The Gamecocks, who won the 2021 opener by a comfortable 38-21 margin, have taken four out of the past five matchups in the series. UNC’s last win in the series came during the 2019 opener, when Mack Brown coached his first game back in baby blue and Sam Howell led the Heels on a 15-point, fourth-quarter comeback.

After a matchup with South Carolina, UNC hosts App State the following weekend in a rematch of last year’s record-setting, 63-61 thriller in Boone. The Tar Heels stay at home on Sept. 16 to host Minnesota, travel to the University of Pittsburgh to kick off ACC play on Sept. 23, then enter their bye week.

Carolina will face a slew of tough opponents out of its bye, including Clemson and N.C. State on the road to close the regular-season out. The hope is, always, that the Heels will be in position to contend for an ACC championship and maybe more.

Another important thing to note about UNC’s schedule: it only faces one FCS opponent – Campbell on Nov. 4.

Let’s see how Tar Heel Twitter reacted to On3 Sports tweeting out the schedule yesterday: