Tar Heels Ranked 20th in Preseason College Football Coaches Poll

The expectations just keep on growing for the UNC football team in 2016.

Following an opening-game loss to South Carolina last season, it took the Tar Heels reeling off wins in its next seven straight games to finally break into the top 25.

Not this year.

This UNC group finds itself ranked 20th in the first Coaches Poll of the season–which was released Thursday afternoon.

The Tar Heels will have their work cut out for them early on this season–with games against No. 16 Georgia and No. 4 Florida State in the first five weeks. (Photo by Smith Cameron Photography)

That ranking will be put to the test early on, however, as the Tar Heels’ opponents in the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game on Sept. 3–the Georgia Bulldogs–were ranked 16th.

Four weeks later, head coach Larry Fedora and his squad will then travel to Tallahassee to take on the No. 4 Florida State Seminoles.

The Seminoles were one of two ACC teams–including last season’s league champion No. 2 Clemson–ranked among the top 5.

Louisville (No. 23) was the fourth and final ACC team to make the cut.

Defending national champion Alabama (No. 1), Oklahoma (No. 3) and Ohio State (No. 5) rounded out the rest of the preseason favorites.

After last season’s 11-3 campaign where it won the ACC Coastal Division, UNC finished 2015 at No. 15 in the final polls.

The last time the Tar Heels were part of the preseason top 25 was in 2014–when they started the year at No. 23.

After winning its first two games that season, UNC traveled to Greenville and got blown out 70-41 by East Carolina.

From there, the team tumbled out of the rankings–and all the way down to a 6-7 record.

Despite the tough early-season schedule, this year’s group–led by junior quarterback Mitch Trubisky–should have enough talent to prevent that kind of fall from grace.

But as they prepare to open training camp Friday morning, these rankings prove to the Tar Heels that they have the rest of the college football world paying attention.

Now it’s time for them to show everyone why.

Full Preseason Coaches Top 25 

‹

UNC Football Receives Votes in Preseason Coaches Poll, But Not Ranked

The first iteration of college football’s USA Today Coaches Poll was released Monday afternoon, and though the ACC was well-represented, UNC was not among the Top 25. The Tar Heels did, however, receive a noticeable amount of votes with 34. That was good enough to effectively rank Carolina at No. 33 in the poll, just […]

UNC Football Single Game Tickets Go On Sale Monday

Beginning on Monday at 9 a.m., single-game UNC football tickets for the 2021 season will be available to the general public. Season tickets have already sold out according to the school, as the Tar Heels look to meet the high expectations awaiting them for the upcoming campaign. Limited quantities are available, with pricing starting at […]

Sam Howell Selected to Davey O'Brien Award Watch List

Preseason accolades continue to roll in for UNC junior quarterback Sam Howell, who was named earlier this week to the watch list for the Davey O’Brien Award. Howell was one of 30 players on this year’s watch list for an award which has been presented annually to the top quarterback in the country since 1981. […]

Ty Chandler Selected to Watch List for Doak Walker Award

Ahead of his first year with the Tar Heels, Tennessee running back transfer Ty Chandler was named Wednesday to the watch list for the Doak Walker Award. The award is presented the top running back in college football. Chandler arrives in Chapel Hill ranked fifth in Tennessee history with 3,245 all-purpose yards — 2,015 of […]

Former UNC Kicker Noah Ruggles Transferring to Ohio State

Through a post on Instagram earlier this week, former UNC kicker Noah Ruggles announced he has accepted a scholarship offer to take over the kicking position at Ohio State. Ruggles will join the Buckeyes as a graduate transfer with two years of eligibility remaining — filling a desperate need on special teams for one of […]

Kick-Off Times and TV Info Revealed for Five UNC Football Games

The UNC football program revealed Thursday that it has received the game times and TV information for five games in the upcoming 2021 season. First is the season opener in Blacksburg against Virginia Tech, which will kick off at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 3 and air on ESPN. The Tar Heels then move on […]

UNC Agrees to Home-and-Home Football Series With South Carolina

UNC announced Monday that it has agreed to a home-and-home football series against South Carolina, with the games set to take place during the 2028 and 2029 seasons. The first of the two games will happen in Columbia, SC on Sept. 2, 2028. South Carolina will then make the return trip to Kenan Stadium for […]

New York Jets Select Michael Carter In Fourth Round of NFL Draft

Day Three of this year’s NFL Draft began very similar to Day Two, with a Tar Heel running back taken off the board early–as the New York Jets selected Michael Carter with the second pick of the afternoon and 107th overall. Carter’s partner in the UNC backfield last season, Javonte Williams, was taken with the […]

Javonte Williams Selected No. 35 in NFL Draft by Denver

UNC junior running back Javonte Williams became the first Tar Heel off the board in this year’s NFL Draft on Friday night, as the Denver Broncos selected him in the second round with the No. 35 overall pick. Williams ran for 2,297 yards and 29 touchdowns during his three years at UNC, including setting a […]

Washington Football Team Selects Dyami Brown in Third Round of NFL Draft

In the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Washington Football Team used the 82nd overall pick on UNC junior wide receiver Dyami Brown. Brown spent each of the last two seasons as the top deep threat for UNC quarterback Sam Howell, and became the first UNC receiver to ever post back-to-back seasons of […]

›