Tag: 2024 UNC football schedule

Start time announced for UNC-NC State football regular season finale

You can now start planning for the UNC-NC State football regular-season finale.

No matter who the North Carolina Tar Heels beat in any given football season, there’s one opponent in recent years who they can’t seem to get past: NC State, their in-state rivals from just 30 minutes down the road in Raleigh.

Last year, UNC (6-3, 3-3 ACC) started 6-0 before its epic collapse put it back in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. The Wolfpack (5-5, 2-4 ACC) were part of North Carolina’s late-season slide, stomping the boys in Carolina Blue by a 39-20 mark in Raleigh.

It’s now State’s turn to play in Chapel Hill this season – and you can bet it’ll be a loud, chippy game.

Earlier on Monday, we learned that the Tar Heels and Wolfpack will kick their regular-season finale off at 3:30 p.m. ET.

This is just late enough to have a nighttime atmosphere (it starts getting dark at 5:30 p.m.), but early enough as to where fans – and players – can celebrate afterwards.

If you remember NC State coach Dave Doeren’s infamous words about UNC after last year’s game, he said, “those pieces of **** haven’t beaten us in 1,460 days.” I have no issue with Doeren firing his players up and taking friendly jabs at North Carolina, but saying this about kids is crossing the line.

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The Tar Heels are playing their best football of 2024, winning their past three games behind a combination of Omarion Hampton and strong defense, to climb back into bowl contention. This comes after UNC’s coldest stretch, in which four consecutive losses had fans questioning how much longer Mack Brown would be coaching.

The Wolfpack, ranked in the preseason, are sitting at .500 overall after a quarterback switch and inconsistent play. They will travel to Georgia Tech on Saturday, Nov. 21 before heading up to Kenan.

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Start time announced for UNC’s second-to-last home game of 2024 football season

Wondering when UNC’s next football game is? North Carolina recently released the start time for its upcoming matchup with Wake Forest.

After two blowout victories, the North Carolina Tar Heels quickly turned from ACC laughingstock to the fringe of bowl game contention.

UNC (5-4, 2-3) marched into Charlottesville and obliterated Virginia, 41-14, two weeks ago in a game highlighted by 10 sacks from its suddenly-resurgent defense.

This past weekend, North Carolina hit the road again for a battle with Florida State, the reigning ACC Champion which is amongst 2024’s biggest disappointments. The Tar Heels dominated the Seminoles (1-8, 1-7 ACC), 35-11, thanks to another defensive shutdown and 5-touchdown day from Omarion Hampton.

UNC now heads into its bye week, then hosts Wake Forest for another in-state battle on Saturday, Nov. 15.

You can now starting planning your Saturday night around UNC-Wake, as kickoff time for that matchup was recently announced for 8 p.m.

North Carolina’s next game will be its second nighttime kickoff of the year – and first in Kenan Stadium. The Tar Heels previously played Minnesota, in their season-opener, during a game in which start time was postponed to 9 p.m.

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The Demon Deacons (4-4, 2-2 ACC) are seeing a trajectory similar to UNC’s, winning their first game before consecutive losses. Wake recovered from those defeats, as it now has back-to-back victories entering Friday’s home matchup with conference newcomer California.

If you love watching football in cold weather, Nov. 16 is the perfect game for you to attend.

Not only will North Carolina be trying for its third straight victory, but it looks to reach bowl eligibility for the sixth-consecutive season. This would be the Tar Heels’ longest streak in program history.

If you weren’t on the hype train before, now’s the perfect time to hop on. UNC fans are finally excited about watching their football team again.

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Start time revealed for UNC-Florida State Week 10 ACC Football matchup

What time will UNC and Florida State kick off Week 10 ACC football action on Saturday?

When the North Carolina Tar Heels discovered their 2024 football schedule, I imagine players thought they’d be playing one of the country’s best teams in Week 10.

Instead, UNC (4-4, 1-3 ACC) will take on arguably the country’s greatest disappointment in Florida State (1-7, 1-6 ACC) on Saturday, Nov. 2.

North Carolina is coming off an emotional, dominant, 41-14 win over Virginia in which everyone played well. The Seminoles continued reeling, dropping a 36-14 contest to Miami (FL) for their fourth-consecutive loss.

The Tar Heels weren’t expected to contend for an ACC Championship this year, losing two of its top offensive producers, while FSU was expected to lead the conference.

All the unthinkables surrounding each program’s season makes for what should be an interesting game Saturday, with kickoff time recently being announced for 3:30 p.m.

After losing four straight games of their own, the Tar Heels are now suddenly just two wins away from reaching bowl eligibility. North Carolina’s offense played liked we all expected last weekend, but it was the defense imprinting its mark on the Scott Stadium field.

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What can the Seminoles do right? Seemingly nothing. There’s one pass I’ll give FSU: it’s played a tough schedule so far, with five of its seven losses coming against five ranked teams – or ones that were ranked.

The Seminoles, though, are historically one of the nation’s best programs. Good teams always find a way to win – and in 2024, FSU is just not good.

If there’s one thing working for the Seminoles heading into their matchup with UNC, it’s that the Doak Campbell Stadium crowd – under the lights – is always rowdy.

Can our Tar Heels move a step closer to bowl eligibility, or will they suffer yet another bad loss?

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UNC head football coach Mack Brown on hot seat according to College Sports Wire

How hot is Mack Brown’s seat?

“Is it basketball season yet?” I guarantee you’ve heard that question after watching the North Carolina Tar Heels play football recently.

UNC is 3-4 (0-3) and barely avoiding the ACC cellar, as conference newcomer Cal is 0-4 in ACC play. North Carolina gave us initial hope, starting with consecutive wins against Minnesota, Charlotte and NC Central. The Tar Heels then lost four straight, with the ugliest game of their current streak a 70-50 thumping by James Madison.

This start hot, finish cold trend is concerning, particularly for a program with the on-field talent it has.

That’s why UNC head coach Mack Brown, who’s now in the sixth year of his second stint leading the program, is on “high alert” according to College Sports Wire.

“The second tenure in Chapel Hill started off on the right track, but the train has started coming off the rails as of late,” CWS’s Patrick Conn wrote. “The Tar Heels are losers of four straight, including a 70-50 high-scoring affair against James Madison, that started the streak after beginning the year 3-0. It isn’t just the fact that UNC has dropped four in a row, but the manner in which some of these games have ended. The Tar Heels blew games against rival Duke and Georgia Tech in two of the last three. It might be time for Mack to retire – and this time for good.”

Last year, North Carolina started 6-0 and was ranked 10th, before collapsing to finish 8-5 overall. In 2022, UNC started 9-1 before losing its final four games, including the ACC Championship against Clemson.

I love what Mack has done for the Tar Heels’ football program, but it’s time for him to enjoy the retired life.

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Tar Heels drop into bottom half of FBS teams in USA Today’s re-rank

There’s 134 FBS teams. Where the UNC football team lands, in the latest USA Today re-rank, might surprise you.

We don’t need to tell you how much the North Carolina Tar Heels are underperforming on the gridiron.

Even with a team that includes stars like running back Omarion Hampton, Kaimon Rucker, Alijah Huzzie and Bryson Nesbit, UNC sits a meager 3-4 and winless in the ACC, tied for last with fellow in-state rival NC State.

North Carolina nearly upset Georgia Tech in Kenan Stadium last weekend, but as you might be able to guess, the defense was a massive letdown again. The Tar Heels allowed 70 to James Madison, a 20-point comeback against Duke and lost to a ranked Pitt team, which may have been their only good loss.

There are 134 FBS teams – and UNC is in the bottom half.

In USA Today’s latest re-rank, North Carolina fell 12 spots to 79th out of 134 teams, sandwiched between Northwestern and Maryland.

The Tar Heels weren’t expected to have a great season, as they lost Drake Maye, Devontez Walker and Cedric Gray to the NFL, but they weren’t expected to drop the ball like they are currently. UNC had an easier schedule on paper this year, highlighted by playing three non-Power 5 schools at home, but the ACC is surprisingly a better overall conference.

North Carolina needs three more wins to reach a bowl game, which doesn’t seem very doable at this point. The Tar Heels are off this coming week, then head to Virginia on Saturday, Oct. 26. UNC has a surprisingly winnable game at Florida State, is off again, returns to Kenan on Nov. 16 to play Wake Forest, heads to Boston College on Nov. 23, then ends the year at home against NC State.

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UNC’s spot in USA Today’s college football re-rank might surprise you

Does the UNC football team deserve its latest spot in USA Today’s re-rankings? Should the Tar Heels be lower?

At this point, I truly can’t think of any more ways to describe how disappointing the UNC football program is.

The North Carolina Tar Heels have an excellent recruiter in head coach Mack Brown, but he can’t coach a complete game to save his career. There is tons of talent sprinkled on both sides of the football, but that talent sadly seems to disappear when UNC needs it most.

North Carolina dropped to 3-3 on Saturday, losing to Pitt (34-24) for its third-consecutive loss. Saturday was the least concerning of the Tar Heels’ losses so far, but it continued showing why the program needs a hard reset button.

UNC continued its descent down USA Today’s latest re-rank of all 134 FBS teams, dropping nine spots to 67th. This puts North Carolina exactly halfway down the list, a spot it certainly deserves.

If you thought this season was going to get easier for the Tar Heels, think again. UNC welcomes Georgia Tech, who it hasn’t beaten since 2019, to Chapel Hill on Saturday, Oct. 12. To make matters worse, North Carolina’s last home win against the Yellow Jackets came in 2016.

After a much-needed bye week next week, the Tar Heels hit the road and play a much-improved Virginia squad. UNC then likely gets beat by Florida State in Tallahassee, despite the Seminoles’ similar struggles, then ends its season with Wake Forest, Boston College and NC State.

Truly the only thing keeping North Carolina’s season alive is the possibility of a bowl game – and we all know how postseason games go. The Tar Heels need six wins for eligibility, but at this point, even one more victory feels impossible,

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Start time announced for UNC-Georgia Tech Week 7 football matchup

When will the UNC and Georgia Tech football programs match up in Week 7?

After looking like their defense turned a corner in the first three weeks of the 2024 college football season, the North Carolina Tar Heels have quickly come back down to earth.

The embarrassment started in Week 4 against James Madison, when UNC allowed over 600 yards in a 70-50 defeat. That embarrassment continued this past weekend against archrival Duke, when North Carolina allowed 21 unanswered, second-half points in a 21-20 loss.

The Tar Heels welcome a resurgent Pitt squad to Kenan Stadium this coming weekend. With the Panthers’ 522 yards per game, which ranks second in the ACC, UNC’s chances are pretty grim.

On Saturday, October 12, North Carolina welcomes Georgia Tech to Kenan Stadium. Earlier today, we learned that Tar Heels-Yellow Jackets clash will kick off at 12 p.m.

No matter how UNC is playing in any given season, it always struggles with Georiga Tech, losing five of the past six matchups. North Carolina’s last victory in the series came in 2019, when it won 38-22 in Atlanta, but it hasn’t beaten the Yellow Jackets at home since 2016.

Ironically, when the Tar Heels’ defense play well for large parts of Weeks 1-3, their offense struggled. Now, it’s the exact opposite, with UNC finding no issue in ways to put points on the board.

Can North Carolina finally beat Georgia Tech next weekend, turn its season around and work closer to bowl eligibility (six wins)?

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Kickoff time for UNC-Pitt homecoming football game announced

The North Carolina Tar Heels will welcome the Pittsburgh Panthers to Kenan Stadium on October 5. When will the two programs kickoff?

After a close road win against a quality opponent, followed by two closer-than-expected wins against lesser opponents, the North Carolina Tar Heels finally got exposed at home against James Madison in last weekend’s football matchup.

This coming weekend doesn’t get any easier for UNC, which travels to play archrival Duke at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday. The Blue Devils are undefeated and have lost five consecutive Victory Bell battles, so if they want to steal it back, 2024 is the year.

In two weekends, North Carolina returns to Kenan Stadium for Homecoming against Pitt, which is 4-0 and led by Alabama transfer Eli Holstein.

We finally know the kickoff time for the Tar Heels-Panthers matchup, as the two squads will face off at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 5.

UNC has dominated Pitt since the latter joined the ACC in 2011, winning eight of 10 matchups. Given North Carolina’s showing in the JMU game, though, the Panthers should dominate in two weekends.

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The Tar Heels play an unusually home-heavy schedule this season, with Pitt being their fourth home matchup in six games this season.

Playing at 12 p.m. has its advantages – and disadvantages. Advantages allow fans to start their day in Kenan, then have the whole late afternoon/evening to explore Franklin Street.

Disadvantages, though, include not having as much student support. This is a college football game on a Saturday and, given Chapel Hill is one of the nation’s top college towns, students may opt to sleep in.

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Game time announced for UNC-Duke Victory Bell battle

You can now start making plans to watch UNC-Duke’s Week 5 college football matchup.

After welcoming James Madison to Kenan Stadium this coming Saturday, the North Carolina Tar Heels will finally hit the road again on Saturday, Sept. 28 for a Victory Bell rematch with archrival Duke.

UNC has owned the Blue Devils of late, winning the past five matchups. Each of the last two games were decided by a total of five points, though, including last year’s 47-45 double-overtime thriller.

If anyone remembers last year, North Carolina needed a 43-yard Noah Burnette field goal to send things into overtime. The Tar Heels eventually won when they stopped Duke’s 2-point attempt in the second overtime.

You can now start making game day plays for this year’s edition of the Victory Bell matchup, with a kickoff time of 4 p.m. ET announced earlier today.

UNC and its archrival will start when it’s light out, then finish under the lights of Wallace Wade Stadium. As we get further into fall, more late afternoon/evening games will be played primarily under the lights.

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North Carolina will try for its sixth-consecutive victory against its arch-rivals – and third straight in Durham. The last time UNC was inside Wallace Wade, Drake Maye found Antoine Green for the game-winning touchdown with 16 seconds left.

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Game time announced for UNC-James Madison Week 4 college football clash

If you’re planning to attend or watch the UNC-James Madison football game, you can now plan around kickoff time.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are enjoying a 2-0 start to their college football season, with a close win at Minnesota and a closer-than-expected victory against Charlotte in their back pocket.

UNC kicker Noah Burnette played hero in the Week 1 victory, converting all four field goal attempts and his lone extra point try, while the North Carolina offense looked more like its usual self with nearly 500 yards against Charlotte.

The Tar Heels are now preparing to welcoming North Carolina Central, fresh off its first victory of the season, to town on Saturday, Sept. 14 for a 6 p.m. kickoff.

For its third home game in a row – the following weekend on Saturday, Sept. 21 – UNC will host Sun Belt power James Madison. Kickoff time for this battle was previously TBA, but that changed on Monday afternoon.

Just as the clock passed 12 p.m. noon on Monday, Sept. 9, we learned that North Carolina and JMU will start their Week 4 battle at the same time.

This will be the Tar Heels’ first 12 p.m. kickoff of the season. UNC and Charlotte faced off at 3:30 p.m. ET last weekend, then UNC and NC Central kickoff at 6 p.m. ET this coming weekend.

The Dukes, who won their first two games this season (against Charlotte and Gardner-Webb), will enter Chapel Hill fresh off a bye week. JMU last came to Kenan Stadium in 2016, when North Carolina laid down a 56-28 beating.

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