At 1-8 on the season, UNC football returns to Kenan Stadium hoping to get back on track against Western Carolina. The Tar Heels are currently 30-point favorites over the Catamounts in Chapel Hill. Western Carolina enters this matchup with a 3-7 record, not much better than UNC, with its only wins coming over Newberry, Gardner-Webb and the Virginia Military Institute.
Can Larry Fedora and the Tar Heels use this game as a tune-up before a critical matchup against NC State to end the season? Or will UNC trip up against the Catamounts, despite being overwhelming home favorites?
How to Watch/Listen
Kickoff: 3:00 p.m. ET
Before the game, 97.9 The Hill WCHL will be live from Southern Season at University Place with our pregame show. Inside Carolina kicks off the show at 12:00 p.m. and Countdown to Kickoff, presented by UNC Health Care, airs at 1:00 p.m.
If you’re waiting for a shuttle to the game, or just interested in stopping by to see the live broadcast, Southern Season will be selling pulled pork sliders, hamburgers and more from the Big Green Egg. The first 50 customers will get a burger or hot dog for free!
97.9 The Hill WCHL will be broadcasting every UNC football game this season. Find the broadcast on 97.9 FM, 1360 AM or streaming online at chapelboro.com. The game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra and will be available on the WatchESPN app as well.
Game Preview
Something’s got to give this Saturday, when the UNC football team hosts Western Carolina at Kenan Stadium, as two squads that are struggling mightily will do battle to see which one can snap their long losing streak.
The Tar Heels enter the game at 1-8 overall having lost six games in a row, while the Catamounts have dropped seven straight outings after opening the year 3-0.
Working in UNC’s favor, however, is the obvious fact that Western Carolina is part of the lower-level Football Championship Subdivision of schools.
This means that the Catamounts have lost games to powerhouse programs such as Wofford, Samford, Mercer and East Tennessee State.
UNC, on the other hand, has dropped close games to teams like Syracuse, Duke and Virginia Tech—schools that have each spent time in the AP Top 25 at some point during the season.
Read the rest of the UNC vs. Western Carolina preview here.
Parking
A full guide to game-day parking around Kenan Stadium (along with shuttles and bus routes) can be found here, but when it comes to parking in downtown Chapel Hill, you’ve got a few extra choices. Of course, you can always chance it on finding a street spot to parallel park into, but visiting Park on The Hill could help you find a spot that’s a sure bet. The site clearly maps out different parking lots and locations for the smoothest downtown parking experience possible. Keep in mind that parking procedures around Chapel Hill have changed in some areas, so be on the lookout for new meters, and keep the Tar Heel Express in mind as a quick and efficient public transportation option.
Where to Watch
For Tar Heels far out of town, there are Carolina Clubs set up worldwide that provide a familiar atmosphere for UNC fans to meet up and catch the game together. Of course, if you’re closer to home, there are a great deal of options around town.
Kenan Stadium may have new 22-inch wide seats, complete with armrests, but if you’re not attending a Tar Heel football game in-person – or if you’d rather not deal with parking close to Kenan on game day – Franklin Street is the place to be.
Downtown Chapel Hill has plenty of places for fans looking for food, drinks and football action, whether you’re looking for a local legend, a storied sandwich or just as large a television as possible.
- After bringing home yet another national medal — this time from the Great American Beer Festival — Carolina Brewery continued to earn its place on any Tar Heel’s short list of great places to watch Carolina sports. With craft beer on tap, a full menu of local favorites, and TVs galore, getting a table at the Brewery is well-worth the effort.
- Might as Well is a sports bar in Chapel Hill with a sister location in Wilmington, and offers something of a rarity in Chapel Hill: dedicated parking. There’s free parking available in the lot behind the bar on Rosemary Street, where you can store your wheels free of charge after 5 p.m. during the week and all through the weekend. The bar also plays games from NFL’s Sunday Ticket broadcast, so it isn’t just college ball you’ll find playing on the big screens!
Linda’s is home to everything from loaded tater tots to salmon cakes, but it’s the legendary pulled pot roast sandwich — called “The Murph” — that’s fueled countless Franklin Street expeditions.- Four Corners, named for the famous Tar Heel offensive strategy, is naturally a fit for basketball – but the bar is no slouch when it comes to football season, either! With well-placed TVs all across the establishment and a well-stocked bar with plenty of draft beer, Four Corners is a perfect place to post up. If you come hungry, blackened chicken Cajun alfredo is decidedly the way to go.
- If you’re looking for something a little more low-key, the Dead Mule Club – affectionately termed as “the best half-assed bar in Chapel Hill” – is the place to be. The Dead Mule is a local institution, hosting patrons since 1994 and serving over 70 varieties of whisky and 50 different beers. The little white house boasts a porch along with an indoor lounge, and offers a great location to not only watch the game, but also have a conversation and grab a bite from a small kitchen with some fantastic daily specials heavily focused on local food.
Goodfellows isn’t just home to Picklebacks and “perfect pints,” but also plenty of seats with strategically positioned TVs above. The underground bar also allows patrons to bring in food, so you can take your to-go order or pre-game meal downstairs and get situated. Free popcorn, friendly bartenders and a raucous atmosphere all add up to a great place to be on game day.- A relative newcomer to Franklin, Sup Dogs has expanded out from Greenville with its signature — and reasonably priced — offerings of ridiculously topped hot dogs and all the fried sides that accompany them. Conveniently placed in the middle of the main drag of Franklin Street, Sup Dogs can act either as a place to watch the entire game or a way station between bar-hopping destinations. As far as drinks go, the “Orange Sup Crush” comes particularly highly recommended — mostly because of the full orange that’s freshly squeezed into it!
- Of course, no list of potential places to watch Tar Heels sports would be complete without Top of the Hill. Views looking down on Franklin’s liveliest intersection and great food and drinks pair up for a high-class experience that takes the best Chapel Hill has to offer and puts it on a rooftop. Reservations aren’t accepted on game days, however, so you’ll have to show up appropriately early to secure a spot.
