Breaking Down UNC Football's 2021 Regular Season Schedule

The Tar Heels’ 2021 regular season schedule features some classic opponents, as well as some that Carolina fans haven’t ever seen in Kenan Stadium. Chapelboro.com’s Michael Koh takes you on a historical deep dive of the 12 teams UNC will face this season.

Virginia Tech

North Carolina’s Michael Carter (#8) is tackled from behind by Virginia Tech defender Devon Hunter (#7) in the second quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 19 2019, in Blacksburg Va. (Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP)

When and where? Friday, September 3 at 6 p.m. in Blacksburg, VA.

The last time these teams played? Last season, when Carolina’s offense exploded in a 56-45 win in Chapel Hill.

Biggest blowout? A 59-7 Virginia Tech win in 2017. The Hokies scored 52 unanswered points. It was the biggest defeat of head coach Larry Fedora’s time in Chapel Hill, and marked a low point in his tenure.

Closest game? There have been two two-point games in the history of the series. The first came all the way back in 1928, when the Hokies eked out a 16-14 win. It was the second in a three-game losing streak for UNC head coach Robert Roswell “Buster” Brown. The Tar Heels had lost 20-0 to Harvard the previous game. The second two-point encounter lasted six overtimes, saw UNC blow multiple chances to win, and brought the Lane Stadium crowd into hysterics. Virginia Tech escaped with a 43-41 win.

Longest win streak? Both teams have won five in a row in the series: the Hokies from 2004 to 2008, and the Tar Heels from 1929 to 1945.

Who leads the all-time series? Virginia Tech, 24-12. There have been six ties in the history of the series.

2021 Result: Virginia Tech beat the No. 10 Tar Heels, 17-10.

Georgia State

Georgia State quarterback Cornelious Brown plays against Louisiana Lafayette during an NCAA football game on Saturday, September 19, 2020, in Atlanta. (John Amis/AP)

When and where? Saturday, September 11 at 7:30 p.m. in Chapel Hill.

The last time these teams played? This will be the first meeting between the two programs.

Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta, GA. (Jason Getz/Georgia State Athletics)

So, who is Georgia State anyway? The Panthers are a very new football program. They began play in 2010 as an independent in the FCS, before joining the Sun Belt Conference in 2013.

Where do they play? Good question! Georgia State plays in what used to be Turner Field, former home of Major League Baseball’s Atlanta Braves. Of course, before hosting the Braves, Turner Field was Atlanta’s Olympic Stadium for the 1996 Summer Games. Since the Braves moved out in 2017, the stadium has been retrofitted for football and renamed Center Parc Stadium.

2021 result: UNC throttled the Panthers, 59-17.

Virginia

When and where? Saturday, September 18 at 7:30 p.m. in Chapel Hill.

The last time these teams played? Last season, when the Cavaliers upset No. 15 Carolina 44-41 in Charlottesville, VA.

Biggest blowout? Virginia obliterated the Tar Heels 66-0 way back in 1912. Cavaliers coach John S. “Speed” Elliott certainly lived up to his name.

Closest game? There have been three one-point games in the history of the series, the most recent being a 28-27 Carolina road victory in the 2014 season. The game was sealed in an odd sequence: after UNC quarterback Marquise Williams’ helmet came off during a play, he had to sit out at least one snap. Freshman Mitch Trubisky came in to relieve Williams, then threw the game-winning touchdown.

Longest win streak? The Tar Heels took nine consecutive wins from Virginia between 1974 and 1982.

Who leads the all-time series? UNC, 64-58, although Virginia has won four straight to tighten up the South’s Oldest Rivalry.

But Mack is back! Not so fast. In his career at Carolina, head coach Mack Brown is just 3-9 against Virginia.

2021 Result: UNC beat Virginia, 59-39.

Georgia Tech

UNC receiver Anthony Ratliff-Williams battles against a Georgia Tech defender in 2018. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

When and where? Saturday, September 25 at 7:30 p.m. in Atlanta.

Great! I’ll get tickets to Bobby Dodd Stadium. Hold your horses! The game will be played in Atlanta’s state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The last time these teams played? The 2019 season, when Carolina beat the Yellow Jackets 38-22 in Atlanta.

Biggest blowout? UNC destroyed Georgia Tech 41-0 during the 1982 season. That Tar Heels team featured legends Ethan Horton and William Fuller, who have since had their numbers honored by the program.

Closest game? There have been two one-point margins in series history: a 29-28 win for the Jackets in 1974, and a 21-20 Carolina victory in 1986.

Longest win streak? Georgia Tech won six consecutive games between the programs from 1998 to 2003.

Who leads the all-time series? Georgia Tech, 30-21. There have been three ties in series history.

Wasn’t there a particularly important tie? That’s right! In 1990, the No. 11 Yellow Jackets visited Kenan Stadium sporting a 5-0 record. The game was an exciting one, as the unranked Tar Heels led 13-10 late, before a Georgia Tech field goal knotted up the score. It would end in a 13-13 tie. Tech fell to No. 16 in the next week’s polls, but two weeks later they would beat No. 1 Virginia on the road. The Jackets would finish the regular season 10-0-1, and defeat No. 19 Nebraska in the Citrus Bowl. Following the game, Georgia Tech was voted No. 1 in the year-end Coaches Poll by a single point. Colorado was voted No. 1 in the AP Poll, so the two schools both claim the 1990 national title. UNC was the only team Georgia Tech did not defeat that season. Said Mack Brown, “People say, ‘You tied Georgia Tech!’ I say, ‘No, they tied us.'”

2021 result: Georgia Tech blew out the Tar Heels, 45-22.

Duke

Nov 7, 2020; Durham, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver Emery Simmons (#0) makes a touchdown catch covered by Duke Blue Devils cornerback Jeremiah Lewis (#39) during the first quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium. (Jim Dedmon/USA TODAY Sports)

When and where? Saturday, October 2 at noon in Chapel Hill.

The last time these teams played? Last season. Carolina had no trouble with the Blue Devils in a 56-24 rout.

Biggest blowout? In 1959, Carolina won 50-0 against Duke and head coach Bill Murray. No, not that one.

Closest game? Nine games between UNC and Duke have been decided by a single point. The most recent was a 28-27 Duke victory in 2016 over Mitch Trubisky and the No. 17 Tar Heels. It was the last time Carolina would play as a ranked team under head coach Larry Fedora.

How about Mack? Head coach Mack Brown certainly enjoys seeing Duke, although his record against them got off to a bumpy start. The Blue Devils took the first two games between the schools with Brown as coach, including a 41-0 laugher in Chapel Hill in which Duke head coach Steve Spurrier famously took a team picture in front of the scoreboard. But since then, Brown has not lost against Duke during his two stints at UNC.

Longest win streak? Carolina won 13 straight battles for the Victory Bell between 1990 and 2002.

Who leads the all-time series? The Tar Heels hold a comfortable advantage, 61-41. There have been four ties in series history.

2021 result: UNC routed the Blue Devils, 38-7.

Florida State

Quarterback Sam Howell (#7) of the North Carolina Tar Heels is forced out the pocket by Defensive Tackle Robert Cooper (#91) of the Florida State Seminoles during the game at Doak Campbell Stadium on Bobby Bowden Field on October 17, 2020 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Don Juan Moore/Character Lines)

When and where? Saturday, October 9 in Chapel Hill, at 3:30 p.m.

The last time these teams played? Last season in Tallahassee, FL. The Seminoles stunned the No. 5 Tar Heels 31-28 after a desperate Carolina comeback fell short.

Biggest blowout? The Seminoles showed no mercy for head coach Carl Torbush and the Tar Heels in 2000, crushing Carolina 63-14 in Tallahassee.

Closest game? This is a little weird. The two closest games were both Carolina wins, both by a score of 37-35, and both in Tallahassee. In the first game, played in 2010, a Florida State missed field goal with two seconds left doomed the Seminoles. The second game, played in 2016, saw UNC kicker Nick Weiler drill a dramatic 54-yard field goal for the win as time expired. Those would be the only two times FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher would face the Tar Heels. UNC is the only ACC school he didn’t beat during his time in Tallahassee.

Longest win streak? Florida State won nine consecutive matchups between 1992 and 2000, six of which came at the expense of head coach Mack Brown. Brown still has not beaten the Seminoles in his career.

Who leads the all-time series? Florida State, by a margin of 16-3. The teams tied once, in 1986.

2021 Result: Florida State won, 35-25.

Miami

North Carolina receiver Dyami Brown races ahead of Miami cornerback DJ Ivey during the first half of their game, Saturday, December 12, 2020, at Hard Rock Stadium. (Carolina Athletics)

When and where? Saturday, October 16 in Chapel Hill at 3:30 p.m.

The last time these teams played? Last season in Miami, when the Tar Heels rode a record-setting offensive performance to a 62-26 blowout victory, effectively clinching a berth in the program’s first Orange Bowl.

Biggest blowout? The week of Carolina’s 2015 game with Miami, the Tar Heels made their debut as a ranked team in the College Football Playoff poll. The No. 23 Tar Heels announced their presence with authority in a 59-21 romp over the Hurricanes in Chapel Hill. A Ryan Switzer punt return touchdown served as the highlight of the night.

Closest game? Two games between the Hurricanes and Tar Heels have been decided by a three-point margin. The first was the first meeting between the two as ACC schools, when the Tar Heels upset No. 3 Miami 31-28 in Chapel Hill on a field goal by Connor Barth as time expired. The second was UNC’s home opener in 2019, when a breathless final minute saw freshman quarterback Sam Howell toss a go-ahead touchdown and Miami miss a potential game-tying field goal. Carolina won, 28-25, and head coach Mack Brown called the atmosphere in Kenan Stadium “the best I’ve ever seen here.”

Longest win streak? Oddly enough, neither team has won more than three games in a row in this series. Miami’s streak came between 1959 and 1961, while Carolina’s lasted from 1946 to 1957. UNC did take three straight from Miami between 2007 and 2009, but two of those wins have since been vacated.

Who leads the all-time series? The series is tied at 11 wins apiece.

2021 Result: UNC won, 45-42.

Notre Dame

North Carolina’s Michael Carter (8) looks for running room against Notre Dame’s Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (6) in the second quarter on Friday, November 27, 2020 at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C. (Carolina Athletics)

When and where? Saturday, October 30 in South Bend, IN, at 7:30 p.m.

The last time these teams played? Last season in Chapel Hill. The No. 19 Tar Heels took an early advantage over the Irish, but No. 2 Notre Dame wore Carolina down in a 31-17 loss, at that time the largest margin of defeat in head coach Mack Brown’s second stint in Chapel Hill.

Biggest blowout? The Fighting Irish throttled Carolina 42-6 in 1949. Notre Dame was in the midst of an undefeated season in which they’d claim their third national title in four years.

Closest game? The closest game in this series is also Carolina’s only win, a 12-7 Tar Heels triumph in 1960. Carolina also defeated the Irish 29-24 in 2008, but that win has since been vacated.

Longest win streak? Notre Dame won 10 straight games over the Tar Heels between 1949 and 1959.

Who leads the all-time series? You’ve probably guessed by now. Notre Dame leads the series, 19-1.

Is this a conference game? No. Notre Dame football’s stay in the ACC was limited to only last season. They are once again independent on the gridiron.

2021 Result: Notre Dame won, 44-34.

Wake Forest

Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman (10) scrambles away from North Carolina linebacker Chazz Surratt (21) in the third quarter at Kenan Stadium on Saturday, November 14, 2020 in Chapel Hill, N.C. (Carolina Athletics)

When and where? Saturday, November 6 at noon in Chapel Hill.

The last time these teams played? The Tar Heels and Demon Deacons played a thriller in Chapel Hill last season. Wake Forest took a 21-point lead before Carolina scored 35 unanswered points. A late Deacons touchdown couldn’t salvage a 59-53 Carolina victory. Quarterback Sam Howell accounted for seven touchdowns (six passing, one rushing), a single-game school record.

Biggest blowout? Carolina shut out Wake Forest 65-0 in the 1928 season opener.

Closest game? Nine games in this series have been decided by one point. Incredibly, all have been won by Wake Forest, the most recent being a 28-27 victory in Winston-Salem in 2012. The Demon Deacons scored a go-ahead touchdown with just over two minutes left to grab the lead for good.

Longest win streak? UNC won 17 straight games in this series from 1893 until 1923.

Who leads the all-time series? Carolina leads the all-time series, 70-36. The 70 wins are their most against any individual opponent.

Is THIS a conference game? Nope! Since the ACC’s cross-division scheduling rotation means the Tar Heels and Demon Deacons do not play regularly, the two schools have agreed to a home-and-home series which will be played outside the conference’s schedule. So, while Wake Forest and UNC are both ACC schools, the game will not count toward either’s conference record.

2021 Result: UNC won, 58-55.

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh running back A.J. Davis (21) runs the ball toward North Carolina defensive lineman Jason Strowbridge (55) during the first half of an NCAA football game, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

When and where? Thursday, November 11 at 7:30 p.m. in Pittsburgh.

The last time these teams played? 2020 marked the first year Carolina and Pitt didn’t meet on the gridiron since 2012, the Panthers’ last season before joining the ACC. Their most recent meeting in 2019 went to overtime, where Pitt prevailed 34-27. It was the last loss UNC would suffer in the 2019 season.

Biggest blowout? Most of the games between these schools, especially recently, have been close. Nine straight games between Pitt and Carolina have been decided by one possession. But the biggest blowout came back in 1998, when head coach Carl Torbush’s Tar Heels rolled to a 29-10 home win against the Panthers.

Closest game? Two games between these programs have been decided by one point. Carolina fans won’t soon forget the most recent occasion, a 37-36 comeback win for UNC in Kenan Stadium in 2016. Receiver Bug Howard caught the winning touchdown pass from Mitch Trubisky with two seconds remaining.

Longest win streak? Carolina won six straight against Pitt between 2013 and 2018. Pitt has never won two in a row against UNC, though that could change this year.

Who leads the all-time series? UNC holds the advantage, 10-4.

If only Coach Fedora were here! Maybe for this game only. Larry Fedora went undefeated against Pittsburgh in his time in Chapel Hill.

2021 Result: Pitt won in overtime, 30-23.

Wofford

Image via Wofford Athletics

When and where? Saturday, November 20 in Chapel Hill at noon.

The last time these teams played? The Tar Heels and Terriers have never met on a football field.

Why does it have to be Wofford? Your guess is as good as mine. But considering the UNC men’s basketball team has dropped two home games to Wofford in the past four seasons, I wouldn’t blame Tar Heel fans for getting antsy.

2021 Result: UNC won, 34-14.

NC State

North Carolina’s Chazz Surratt (21) sacks N.C. State quarterback Ben Finley (10) for a loss of 14 yards and forces a fumble in the third quarter at Kenan Stadium on Saturday, October 24, 2020 in Chapel Hill, N.C. (Carolina Athletics)

When and where? Friday, November 26 in Raleigh at 7 p.m.

The last time these teams played? The No. 14 Tar Heels welcomed the No. 23 Wolfpack into Kenan Stadium last October in a rare ranked meeting between the two teams. Only one would enter the next week ranked, though, as UNC rolled to a 48-21 victory.

Biggest blowout? The 1988 season saw the Wolfpack destroy Carolina in head coach Mack Brown’s first game in the series, 48-3. The next year wouldn’t be much better for Brown, as NC State won 40-6 in 1989.

Closest game? Seven games between UNC and NC State have been decided by one point, with the Wolfpack holding the advantage in those contests, 5-2. The most recent was a 28-27 NC State victory over No. 24 UNC in Raleigh in 2009. The Wolfpack blocked a potential go-ahead field goal by the Tar Heels with under five minutes left.

Longest win streak? Carolina won nine consecutive games between the two sides from 1943 to 1955.

Who leads the all-time series? Carolina holds a comfortable advantage over NC State, 68-36. There have been six ties all-time.

2021 Result: NC State won, 34-30.

Featured image via Carolina Athletics

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