North Carolina Tar Heels Football - wikipedia North Carolina Tar Heels Football North Carolina Tar Heels football 2017 North Carolina Tar Heels football team First season 1888 ( 1888 ) Athletic director Bubba Cunningham Head coach Larry Fedora 6th season, 43 -- 34 (. 558 ) Stadium Kenan Memorial Stadium ( Capacity : 63,000 ) Field surface Bermuda Grass Location Chapel Hill, North Carolina Conference ACC ( since 1953 ) Division Coastal Past conferences Independent ( 1888 -- 1921 ) Southern Conference ( 1922 -- 1952 ) All - time record 701 -- 521 -- 54 (. 571 ) Bowl record 14 -- 17 (. 452 ) Conference titles 9 ( 4 Southern, 5 ACC ) Division titles 1 ( 2015 ) Rivalries NC State Wolfpack Virginia Cavaliers South Carolina Gamecocks Duke Blue Devils Wake Forest Demon Deacons Consensus All - Americans 14 Colors Carolina Blue and White Fight song Here Comes Carolina I 'm a Tar Heel Born Mascot Rameses Marching band The Marching Tar Heels Outfitter Nike Website GoHeels.com The North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the sport of American football. The Tar Heels have played in the Football Bowl Subdivision ( FBS ) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference ( ACC ). Being the oldest public university and oldest collegiate team in the Carolinas, the school is nicknamed `` Carolina '' in athletics. The program 's title in football is `` Carolina Football ''. North Carolina has played in 31 bowl games in its history and won three Southern Conference championships and five Atlantic Coast Conference titles. Thirty Tar Heel players have been honored as first - team All - Americas on 38 occasions. Carolina had 32 All - Southern Conference selections when it played in that league until 1952 and since joining the ACC in 1953, has had 174 first - team All - ACC choices. Since joining the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1953, the team has won five conference championships, with the most recent title coming in 1980. One very important contribution to the game of football by Carolina is the modern use of the forward pass ; they were the first college team to use the play in 1895. Bob Quincy notes in his 1973 book They Made the Bell Tower Chime : `` John Heisman, a noted historian, wrote 30 years later that, indeed, the Tar Heels had given birth to the forward pass against the Bulldogs ( UGA ). It was conceived to break a scoreless deadlock and give UNC a 6 -- 0 win. The Tar Heels were in a punting situation and a Georgia rush seemed destined to block the ball. The punter, with an impromptu dash to his right, tossed the ball and it was caught by George Stephens, who ran 70 yards for a touchdown. '' While not a consistent football powerhouse, the Carolina football program has had intermittent success and has featured a number of great players, many of whom have gone on to prominence in the National Football League, including Lawrence Taylor, Charlie Justice, Chris Hanburger, Ken Willard, Don McCauley, William Fuller, Harris Barton, Jeff Saturday, Alge Crumpler, Willie Parker, Greg Ellis, Dré Bly, Julius Peppers and Hakeem Nicks. Contents 1 History 1.1 Early history ( 1888 -- 1958 ) 1.2 Jim Hickey era ( 1959 -- 1966 ) 1.3 Bill Dooley era ( 1967 -- 1977 ) 1.4 Dick Crum era ( 1978 -- 1987 ) 1.5 Mack Brown era ( 1988 -- 1997 ) 1.6 Carl Torbush era ( 1998 -- 2000 ) 1.7 John Bunting era ( 2001 -- 2006 ) 1.8 Butch Davis era ( 2007 -- 2010 ) 1.9 Everett Withers era ( 2011 ) 1.10 Larry Fedora era ( 2012 -- present ) 2 Conference affiliations 3 Head coaches 4 Bowl games 5 Rivalries 5.1 Duke Blue Devils 5.2 North Carolina State Wolfpack 5.3 Virginia Cavaliers 5.4 Wake Forest Demon Deacons 5.5 South Carolina Gamecocks 6 Controversies 6.1 NCAA investigation 2010 -- 2011 7 Championships 8 1000 - yard rushers 9 Notable players 9.1 All - Americans 9.2 Retired numbers 9.3 Honored jerseys 9.4 National award winners 9.5 Hall of Famers 9.6 Tar Heels in the NFL 9.6. 1 Tar Heels in the Drafts 9.6. 2 Tar Heels with Super Bowl victory 9.6. 3 Current NFL Players 9.6. 3.1 AFC 9.6. 3.2 NFC 10 Future non-conference opponents 11 References 12 External links History See also : List of North Carolina Tar Heels football seasons Early history ( 1888 -- 1958 ) Hector Cowan, UNC 's first head football coach The University of North Carolina fielded its first football team in 1888. Hector Cowan was Carolina 's first head football coach. The Tar Heels played four games with a final record of 1 -- 3. The team captains for the 1888 season were Bob Bingham and Steve Bragaw. The game against Wake Forest was the first in the state, and the first against Trinity the first `` scientific '' game in the state. Ergo, one or the other is the first intercollegiate game in North Carolina. Princeton star Hector Cowan traveled south and trained the team. In 1889, UNC played two games with a final record of 1 -- 1. The University would not field another football team until 1891. The team captains for the 1889 season were Lacy Little and Steve Bragaw. The 1899 Carolina football team William A. Reynolds coached the Tar Heels for four seasons. In 1897, Carolina played ten games with a final record of 7 -- 3. The team captain for the 1897 season was Arthur Belden. In 1898, the Tar Heels played nine games with a final record of 9 -- 0. The team captain for the 1898 season was Frank O. Rogers. The team claimed a Southern championship. The season opened with a 18 -- 0 defeat of the Guilford Quakers. Charles Baskerville was umpire. The starting lineup was Tate ( left end ), Shull ( left tackle ), Miller ( left guard ), Cunningham ( center ), Cromartie ( right guard ), Bennett ( Right tackle ), Klotz ( right end ), Rogers ( quarterback ), Howell ( left halfback ), Gregory ( right halfback ), Graves ( fullback ). In the second week of play, the Tar Heels defeated the in - state rival North Carolina A&M 34 -- 0. Against the Greensboro Athletic Association, UNC won 11 -- 0 which was followed by a victory over Oak Ridge by a score of 11 -- 0. Touchdowns were made by Bennett, Gregory, Copeland, Shull, and Howell in a 28 -- 6 win over V.P. I. After beating Davidson 11 -- 0, UNC traveled to Macon, Georgia to take on Georgia. the Tar Heels blew out the Georgia Bulldogs 53 -- 0. Tick Tichenor wrote `` Such a crush defeat as Georgia sustained at the hands of North Carolina today is almost unparalleled in football ''. The starting lineup was Klotz ( left end ), Shull ( left tackle ), Cromartie ( left guard ), Cunningham ( center ), Phifer ( right guard ), Bennett ( Right tackle ), Gregoy ( right end ), Rodgers ( quarterback ), Austin ( left halfback ), McRae ( right halfback ), Graves ( fullback ). After defeating John Heisman 's Auburn Tigers 29 -- 0, UNC beat rival Virginia 6 -- 2, its first win since the first year of the South 's Oldest Rivalry. The safety was made just as time called, and Howell scored for UNC. In 1899, UNC played eleven games with a final record of 7 -- 3 -- 1. The team captain for the 1899 season was Samuel Shull. In 1900, Carolina played eight games with a final record of 4 -- 1 -- 3. The team captain for the 1900 season was Frank M. Osborne. From 1897 - 1900, Reynolds posted a 27 -- 7 -- 4 record before departing the Tar Heels to coach Georgia. Herman Olcott was the head coach for the Tar Heels for two seasons, 1902 and 1903. He compiled an 11 -- 4 -- 3 record. In 1895 and from 1913 - 1915, the Tar Heels were coached by Thomas Trenchard, who posted a 26 -- 9 -- 2 record in those four seasons. His best season was a 10 -- 1 1914 season. Brothers Bob and Bill Fetzer served as co-head coaches for the Tar Heels from 1921 - 1925, posting a 30 -- 12 -- 4 overall record. Bob would go on to serve as Carolina 's first athletics director from 1923 - 1952. Chuck Collins served as head coach for the Tar Heels for eight seasons, the longest of any coach to that time in Tar Heel history. His record in Chapel Hill was 38 -- 31 -- 9, his best season being a 9 -- 1 record in 1929, during which Carolina defeated Wake Forest, Maryland, Georgia Tech, VPI, NC State, South Carolina, Davidson, Virginia and Duke. Carl Snavely, nicknamed `` The Grey Fox '' for his grey suits he would wear on game day, served two stints as the Tar Heels head football coach. He first came to Chapel Hill from Bucknell. He departed after the 1935 season to accept the head football coach position at Cornell but returned in 1945. Snavely then departed again after the 1952 season to accept the head football coach position at Washington University. His final record at UNC was 59 -- 35 -- 5 and he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1965. A proponent of the single wing offense, Snavely 's teams were known as some of the quickest in the south. His 1946 and 1948 teams reached the Sugar Bowl but lost, finishing ranked # 9 and # 3, respectively. Those teams posted 8 -- 2 -- 1 and 9 -- 1 records, respectively. Snavely 's 1949 team finished 7 -- 4, lost the Cotton Bowl and ranked # 16 in the final polls. Raymond Wolf came to Carolina from his post as TCU defensive line coach. In 1936, the Tar Heels finished with an 8 -- 2 record. Wolf 's 1937 Tar Heels finished 7 -- 1 -- 1. The next year saw UNC finish 6 -- 2 -- 1. The Tar Heels would enjoy their best season under Wolf 's tutelage in 1939, finishing 8 -- 1 -- 1. In 1940, the Tar Heels finished 6 -- 4. The 1941 season saw Carolina finish 3 -- 7, which would result in Wolf 's dismissal. Wolf 's overall record in the six seasons he was head coach was 38 -- 17 -- 3, with most of his success coming with players that Snavely recruited. Jim Tatum served two stints as head football coach at his alma mater. He enlisted in the Navy for World War II and left the team but returned in 1956. His overall record at UNC is 19 -- 17 -- 3. George T. Barclay, another UNC alum, was promoted from assistant coach to head coach following Snavely 's second departure. Barclay struggled as UNC 's head football coach, posting an 11 -- 18 -- 1 record in his three seasons before resigning. The most notable part of Barclay 's tenure is that the Tar Heels helped charter the Atlantic Coast Conference in all sports in 1953. Tatum was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 1984, primarily for his tenure as head football coach at Maryland. Tatum died unexpectedly in the summer of 1958 from a rickettsial disease. Jim Hickey era ( 1959 -- 1966 ) Jim Hickey was promoted from assistant coach to head coach after Tatum 's death. In Hickey 's first season, the Tar Heels finished with a 5 -- 5 record. The season began with a close loss to No. 18 Clemson and another loss to Notre Dame before Carolina defeated NC State and No. 19 South Carolina. After a loss to Maryland and Wake Forest, the Tar Heels lost to No. 20 Tennessee by a score of 29 - 7. Carolina then lost to Miami before shutting out both Virginia and Duke. In 1960, Carolina finished 3 -- 7. The Tar Heels defeated Notre Dame, No. 6 Duke and Virginia and lost to NC State, Miami, Wake Forest, South Carolina, No. 11 Tennessee, Clemson and Maryland. Hickey 's third season saw Carolina improve to 5 -- 5. That year, Carolina faced two ranked teams, defeating No. 10 Maryland and losing to No. 4 LSU. In 1962, the Tar Heels finished 3 -- 7. Hickey 's best season was a 9 -- 2 1963 season in which the Tar Heels won the 1963 Gator Bowl and finished the season ranked # 19 in the Coaches ' Poll. They began the season with an 11 - 7 win over rival Virginia on September 21. After losing a shutout to Michigan State by a score of 31 - 0, Carolina won their next five ; defeating Wake Forest in a shutout 21 - 0, Maryland 14 - 7, NC State by a score of 31 - 10, South Carolina in a shutout by a score of 7 - 0 and Georgia by a score of 28 - 7. After their five - game winning streak was snapped on November 9 with an 11 - 7 loss to Clemson, the Tar Heels closed the season with three straight wins, defeating Miami by a score of 27 - 16, archrival Duke by a score of 16 - 14 and Air Force in the 1963 Gator Bowl in a shutout, prevailing 35 - 0. In 1964, Carolina slipped to 5 -- 5, which was followed by a 4 -- 6 campaign in 1965 and a campaign in 1966. Hickey left UNC to accept the position of athletics director at the University of Connecticut after the 1966 season. He spent eight seasons as the Tar Heels head football coach and compiled a 36 -- 45 record during his time in Chapel Hill. Bill Dooley era ( 1967 -- 1977 ) Bill Dooley, brother of former Georgia head football coach Vince Dooley and uncle of former Louisiana Tech and Tennessee head football coach Derek Dooley, came to North Carolina from his post as an assistant coach at Georgia. Dooley enjoyed success at UNC, compiling a 69 -- 53 -- 2 record in 11 seasons. Six of those seasons were bowl appearances, five losses and one win. In 1967, the Tar Heels struggled to a 2 -- 8 record, with wins over Maryland and Duke. In 1968, Carolina showed a little improvement, finishing 3 -- 7 with wins over Vanderbilt, No 7 Florida and Duke. In 1969, Carolina finished 5 -- 5, their best season in five years. Dooley 's 1970 team went 8 -- 4, finishing with a Peach Bowl loss to Arizona State. The next season, 1971, was a 9 -- 3 season that was capped with a Gator Bowl loss to Georgia and a # 18 ranking in the Coaches ' Poll. Dooley became the first Tar Heels coach to win 11 games in a single season in 1972, going 11 -- 1 with a victory over Texas Tech in the Sun Bowl, and rankings of # 14 and # 12 in the Coaches ' and AP Polls. In 1973, Dooley 's Tar Heels finished 4 -- 7 with wins over William & Mary, Kentucky and Wake Forest. The 1974 Tar Heels finished 7 -- 5 and lost to Mississippi State in the Sun Bowl. In 1975, North Carolina finished 3 -- 7 -- 1. Dooley 's 1976 team finished 9 -- 3 with a loss to Kentucky in the Peach Bowl and the 1977 team finished 8 -- 3 -- 1 with a loss to Nebraska in the Liberty Bowl. Those teams finished with rankings of # 14 and # 17 in the Coaches ' and AP Polls, respectively. Dooley departed after the 1977 season to accept the head football coach position at Virginia Tech. Dooley was the winningest head coach in Carolina football history until he was surpassed by Dick Crum in 1987. Dick Crum era ( 1978 -- 1987 ) Dick Crum was hired away from Miami ( OH ) to replace Dooley. Crum brought with him a tough, rigid philosophy of an aggressive offense powered by a strong running game and a defensive scheme that emphasized ball control and fundamentals. In his first season, Crum led the 1978 Tar Heels to a 5 -- 6 record, which included lossses to No. 18 Maryland, No. 9 Pittsburgh and No. 15 Clemson. In 1979, the Tar Heels finished 8 -- 3 -- 1 with a win over Michigan in the Gator Bowl to finish the season. Crum enjoyed his best season at Carolina in 1980, leading the Heels to a record of 11 -- 1, a Bluebonnet Bowl win over Texas and an ACC Championship, Carolina 's last to date. In 1981, the Heels compiled a 10 -- 2 record and finished the season by beating Arkansas in the Gator Bowl. That would be Carolina 's last season of double digit wins for 15 years. The next two seasons saw Carolina finish 8 -- 4. After the 1982 season, Carolina upset Texas in the Sun Bowl. In 1983, they would lose to Florida State in the Peach Bowl. In 1984, Carolina would finish 5 -- 5 -- 1. They would post another five - win campaign the next year, along with six losses. Carolina would go 7 -- 4 -- 1 with an Aloha Bowl loss to Arizona to end the season in 1986, but Carolina would finish 5 -- 6 in 1987, increasing the unhappiness fans and administration had slowly built over the past few years of mediocrity and inconsistency. Crum resigned under pressure as Tar Heels head coach after nine seasons. Crum led the Tar Heels to four bowl victories in six bowl appearances. Crum departed as the winningest head coach in Carolina football history, with a 72 -- 41 -- 3 record. Notable players coached by Crum at UNC include Harris Barton, Kelvin Bryant, Reuben Davis and Lawrence Taylor. Mack Brown era ( 1988 -- 1997 ) Coach Brown Mack Brown was hired away from Tulane as Crum 's replacement. He was the Tar Heel 's head football coach for nine seasons. Brown 's first two teams finished with identical 1 -- 10 records, the worst two seasons that the Tar Heels have suffered on the field in modern times. However, the next two years saw a relatively quick return to respectability. In 1990, the Tar Heels finished 6 -- 4 -- 1. By comparison, the Tar Heels had won only seven games in the previous three years. Included in the 1990 total was a tie of Georgia Tech that proved to be the Yellow Jackets ' only non-win that season en route to a share of the national championship. In 1991, the Tar Heels finished 7 -- 4, narrowly missing a bowl bid. Everything finally came together for the Tar Heels in 1992. They finished 8 -- 3 in the regular season and second in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and with a victory over Mississippi State in the Peach Bowl, they finished the season at 9 -- 3. The Peach Bowl was the program 's first bowl appearance since 1986, first bowl win since 1982, and first appearance in a final Top 25 poll since 1982. The 1992 season was the start of UNC 's most successful period since the Charlie Justice era in the late 1940s. Brown coached the Tar Heels to five consecutive bowl games, including UNC 's only two New Year 's Day bowl games in more than half a century ( or three, if one counts the 1992 -- 93 Peach Bowl, which was played the day after New Year 's to avoid a conflict with the Sugar Bowl ). The Tar Heels were ranked in the AP Top 25 every week from October 1992 through the start of the 1995 season. They finished in the final rankings in four out of five years, including two straight appearances in the top 10. Carolina won 10 regular - season games in 1993, only the second time the Tar Heels accomplished the feat, with the only losses coming to No. 1 Florida State, No. 21 Virginia in the regular season and No. 18 Alabama in the Gator Bowl. In 1994, Brown led the Tar Heels to an 8 -- 4 record with a loss to Texas in the Sun Bowl to cap the year. UNC lost to No. 3 Florida State, No. 25 Virginia, and No. 24 Clemson. Brown 's seventh season in 1995 saw the Tar Heels finish 7 -- 5 with a victory over Arkansas in the Carquest Bowl to finish the season. In 1996 and 1997, the Tar Heels finished with ten and eleven wins, respectively. Brown would leave North Carolina in 1997 for the head coaching position at Texas. Largely due to Florida State joining the league in 1992, Brown was unable to win an ACC title -- something the Tar Heels have n't done since 1980. Brown 's tenure was also known for the rise in popularity in the Tar Heel football program that, while respectable in its own right, was overshadowed by the Tar Heel 's national powerhouse men 's basketball program. Games at Kenan Memorial Stadium were almost always sold out, highlighted by the 62,000 that showed to watch the Tar Heels ' game against Florida State in 1997, the largest crowd at a regular season college football game in the history of the state of North Carolina. Brown also led an effort that resulted in upgrading UNC 's football facilities and the expansion of Kenan Memorial Stadium. Notable players who played for Brown at North Carolina include Jeff Saturday, Greg Ellis and Dré Bly. Carl Torbush era ( 1998 -- 2000 ) Carl Torbush was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach of the UNC Tar Heels football program following Brown 's departure. Torbush 's hiring was praised by many UNC fans and alum, who felt Torbush 's performance as defensive coordinator was superb and that an in - program hire was the best way to maintain the momentum generated by Mack Brown. Despite the loss of most of the team 's defensive stars of the last three years, the Tar Heels were expected to pick up right where they left off in 1998. However, they never really recovered from an unexpected loss to Miami ( Ohio ) to open the 1998 season, during which Carolina went 6 - 5 and barely managed to qualify for a bowl appearance. Torbush led the Tar Heels to the Las Vegas Bowl, where they defeated San Diego State by a score of 20 -- 13. The next year was an unmitigated disaster. The team was riddled with injuries, the most devastating one occurring when quarterback Ronald Curry tore his Achilles tendon. The Tar Heels were so thin at quarterback that they were forced to convert safety Antwon Black to quarterback, but he was lost after two games to mononucleosis. After starting the season 1 -- 1, the Tar Heels did n't win another game until beating North Carolina State in November. They finished 3 -- 8, UNC 's first losing season since Mack Brown 's two consecutive 1 -- 10 seasons in 1988 and 1989. School officials actually planned to fire him after the season, but an outpouring of support from players and fans led to a change of heart. He was, however, forced to fire several members of his staff, including offensive coordinator Steve Marshall, who had been criticized for being too conservative in his play calling. The Tar Heels rebounded to finish 6 -- 5 in 2000, but it was n't enough to save Torbush 's job ; he was fired at the end of the season. Torbush left Carolina with a record of 17 -- 18. Notable players who played for Torbush at UNC are Julius Peppers, Alge Crumpler and Jeff Reed. John Bunting era ( 2001 -- 2006 ) John Bunting was hired by his alma mater as the Tar Heels head coach after the firing of Torbush despite no FBS coaching experience of any kind, assistant coaching or head coaching. In his first season, Bunting led the Tar Heels to an 8 - 5 record, which included a win over No. 6 Florida State 41 - 9 ; the Seminoles were ranked sixth in the AP Poll at the time. and a victory over Auburn in the 2001 Peach Bowl. However, his teams since were highly inconsistent. In 2002, Bunting 's Tar Heels finished 3 -- 9. That was followed by a 2 -- 10 campaign in 2003. In 2004, the Tar Heels finished 6 -- 6. UNC defeated Miami 31 - 28 on a last - second field goal by Connor Barth during the 2004 season ; the Hurricanes were ranked fourth at the time in the AP poll. The Tar Heels capped the 2004 season with a loss in the Continental Tire Bowl to Boston College by a score of 37 - 24. In 2005, North Carolina finished 5 -- 6. The team was routed during the 2005 season 69 - 14 by Louisville, one of the worst losses in modern Tar Heel history. During his final season ( 2006 ), his team had a record of 3 - 9, while averaging over 23 fewer points per game than their opponents. Bunting was fired by UNC athletics director Dick Baddour on October 22, 2006. He was allowed to finish out the 2006 season. Bunting 's last home victory on November 18, 2006, against NC State, broke a seven - game losing streak, and he was able to close out his career one week later with a 45 - 44 win over Duke. Bunting, who led UNC to their only two victories over a top 10 ranked opponent in school history, compiled an overall record of 27 - 45 over six seasons. Butch Davis era ( 2007 -- 2010 ) Coach Davis Former Cleveland Browns and Miami head football coach Butch Davis was hired as the Tar Heels 32nd head football coach in late 2006. Davis was a big - name coach whose hiring was praised nationwide. Davis originally signed a seven - year deal worth approximately $1.86 million per season, with a base salary of $286,000. Additionally, he received $25,000 a year in expenses and a supplement from the Educational Foundation ( Ram 's Club ) that ranged from $1 million in 2007 to $1.3 million in 2013. Davis took over a program that had seen three winning seasons in the past eight years and had won more than six games in a season two other times. During his first season as head coach, the 2007 Tar Heels finished 4 -- 8, with six of those losses coming by a touchdown or less and two coming against teams ranked in the top 15 at the time. Despite a losing record in 2007, North Carolina fans averaged over 57,000 fans in Kenan Stadium during the season, the highest average attendance since the Mack Brown era. The 2007 match - up against South Carolina saw a crowd of 61,000, the second - largest in school history. During the season, suspicion mounted that Davis would leave UNC after his first year if the head coaching job at his alma mater, Arkansas, opened up. The rumors grew louder when Houston Nutt was forced to resign at Arkansas, but Davis denied he was leaving. On November 21, 2007, Davis agreed to a one - year contract extension, along with a raise of about $291,000 annually. Davis said in a statement that one year at UNC convinced him that this was where he wanted to be, and that he intended to have `` a long and successful career in Chapel Hill. '' Athletics director Dick Baddour said he could not release all the details of the contract until it was approved by the school 's board of trustees, but did say the base salary would rise $29,000, the expenses would go up $5,000, and Davis ' supplemental income would go up $100,000. 2008 North Carolina Tar Heels football team were expected to be much improved from the previous year, with most outlets picking them to finish second in the Coastal Division. On October 4, the Heels defeated the then 24th - ranked Connecticut Huskies 38 -- 12 for their first victory over a ranked non-conference opponent in 11 years. As a result, the Tar Heels were ranked 22nd in the weekly Associated Press rankings, their first appearance in a major poll in seven years. The following Saturday, the Tar Heels defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, their first regular - season win as a ranked team in 11 years. A crowd of 60,500, third - largest in school history, watched the Tar Heels play the Fighting Irish. A 16 -- 13 overtime loss at Virginia on October 18 briefly knocked the Heels out of the rankings, but after a 45 - 24 victory over Boston College on October 25, the team became bowl - eligible for the first time since 2004. The win also resulted in the team being ranked in the Bowl Championship Series rankings for the first time since the BCS began in 1998. A week later, they defeated Georgia Tech to clinch their first winning season since 2001, and only their fourth since Brown left the school after the 1997 season. The Tar Heels lost three of their last four games, including a loss in the Meineke Car Care Bowl to West Virginia. Davis coming through campus before UNC 's game against Florida State in 2009 Davis led the 2009 Tar Heels to another 8 -- 4 regular season record and a second straight bowl appearance, the first time since the 1997 -- 1998 seasons that UNC had made consecutive bowl appearances. A loss to North Carolina State in the final game of the season sent them back to the Meineke Car Care Bowl. UNC faced the Pittsburgh Panthers on December 26, 2009 and lost for the second straight year, giving UNC another 8 -- 5 final record. Additionally, Davis led Carolina football to its 6th consecutive year of graduating more than 75 % of its football players. The America Football Coaches Association recognized fewer than 30 public universities for superior graduation rates that year, with UNC the only such institution in the state of North Carolina and the Atlantic Coast Conference. In July 2010, the NCAA began investigating violations involving improper benefits provided by agents to current players at UNC. In September 2010, the NCAA opened a second prong of its investigation, this time involving possible improper tutor involvement with UNC student - athletes. In response to the investigation, local and national sports columnists called for Davis ' termination, but some North Carolina fans still supported the coach. A survey of UNC fans reflected strong support for Coach Davis despite the ongoing investigation. Thirteen UNC football players were suspended for the team 's season opener in Atlanta against LSU, and the Tar Heels lost the game 30 -- 24. The Tar Heels later lost to ACC rivals Miami, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, and NC State, but won their first game since 1981 in Virginia 's Scott Stadium and gained their first win ever in FSU 's Doak Campbell Stadium. In October 2010, wide receiver Greg Little, defensive tackle Marvin Austin, and defensive end Robert Quinn were ruled permanently ineligible after it was discovered they improperly accepted gifts from sports agents. Five other players were found guilty of accepting improper benefits and / or inappropriate academic assistance. On July 27, 2011, Davis was fired by UNC chancellor Holden Thorp amid an NCAA investigation of academic misconduct and allegations players receiving improper benefits from agents. Davis left Carolina after compiling a 28 -- 23 record. Thorp said the move was necessary to restore confidence in UNC 's integrity. On September 19, 2011, in response to an NCAA notice of allegations, Davis was never mentioned in the NCAA inquiry and had no involvement in the investigation. North Carolina subsequently vacated all of its wins from the 2008 and 2009 seasons after retroactively declaring Austin, Quinn and Little ineligible. As a result, these are `` officially '' North Carolina 's only winless seasons in the modern era. In 2013, Davis told CBS Sports ' Bruce Feldman that he believed his firing was an `` overreaction '' by Thorp, in the belief that `` if he released me, maybe the investigation of the football program would go in a different direction. '' Around the same time, Baddour told Feldman that firing Davis `` was not my recommendation. '' Baddour added that Thorp was well aware that he wanted Davis to remain as coach. Everett Withers era ( 2011 ) Coach Withers Everett Withers was promoted from defensive coordinator to 33rd head coach of the Tar Heels football program for the 2011 season following Butch Davis ' dismissal. Withers was the first African American head coach in Tar Heels football history. With Withers leading the Tar Heels, UNC beat their first opponent, FCS school James Madison by a score of 42 -- 10. Bryn Renner set the single game school record for completion percentage at 95.7 %. The Heels then beat Rutgers 24 -- 22, holding the Scarlet Knights to one total yard rushing and 244 yards overall. The week after, the South 's Oldest Rivalry was resumed, as Carolina beat Virginia by a score of 28 -- 17. UNC rushed for 222 total yards for an average of 5.4 yards per carry. The Heels then traveled to Atlanta to play # 25 Georgia Tech, dropping this one 35 -- 28. Georgia Tech had 312 yards rushing and 496 yards total on the day. Next the Heels played East Carolina beating them 35 -- 20. The Heels then proceeded to beat the Louisville by a score of 14 -- 7. Giovani Bernard became the first Tar Heel rusher in 27 years to rush for over 100 yards in four straight games. Bernard extended his streak of 100 yard rushing games to five in UNC 's 30 -- 24 loss to Miami. The Heels recovered an onside kick with under a minute to go, but time ran out before they could score. The Heels then traveled to Clemson, South Carolina to face the Clemson Tigers, losing 59 -- 38. It was the second most points given up by the Tar Heels in their 405 ACC games, trailing only the 63 given up in a game against Florida State in 2000. The next game was the homecoming game for the Heels, and they beat Wake Forest 49 -- 24. UNC racked up 506 total yards and caught four interceptions in the game. Next up for the Heels was the rivalry game with NC State in Raleigh, which the Heels lost 13 -- 0. It was the Heels fifth straight loss to the Wolfpack, the first shutout in the series since 1960. Giovani Bernard did break the 1,000 yard rushing mark for the season, but as a team the Heels were held to three total yards rushing. On a Thursday night in Blacksburg, Virginia the Heels lost to Virginia Tech 24 -- 21. Dwight Jones passed the 1,000 yard receiving mark for the season, making the 2011 Tar Heels the first team to have a 1,000 yard receiver and rusher in the same season. UNC closed out the regular season with a home win over arch - rival Duke, winning 37 -- 21. Dwight Jones 's 79 receptions and Bryn Renner 's 23 TD passes set single season records for the Tar Heels. Withers led the Tar Heels to a 7 -- 6 record in his only season, capped with a loss to Missouri in the Independence Bowl. After Withers was thanked for his good service, he was informed that his contract would not be extended beyond the 2011 season. Larry Fedora era ( 2012 -- present ) Coach Fedora Larry Fedora was hired from Southern Miss in late 2011 as the Tar Heels ' 34th head football coach, replacing Withers. In his first year as head coach, in a season that the UNC football team was ineligible for the ACC title ( due to sanctions from Davis ' tenure ), a bowl game and a ranking in the USA Today Coaches ' Poll, Fedora led the team to an 8 -- 4 record. North Carolina had at least eight victories in four of the five years from 2008 to 2012. The eight wins in 2008 and 2009 were vacated due to NCAA penalty. The last time North Carolina had more than eight victories was in 1997. After starting the 2013 season 1 -- 5, Fedora 's Tar Heels rebounded to finish 5 -- 1 in their final six regular season games and capped the season with a thrashing of Cincinnati in the Belk Bowl to finish the season with a 7 -- 6 record. After the 2013 season, offensive coordinator Blake Anderson left the Tar Heels to accept the head coaching position at Arkansas State. The Tar Heels went into the 2014 season with a new offensive coordinator, Seth Littrell. That year, the Tar Heels were never able to achieve much consistency on defense, giving up over 497 yards per game ( 111th in the nation, and fourth - worst among Power 5 teams ) en route to a 6 -- 6 regular season and a 40 -- 21 loss to Rutgers in the 2014 Quick Lane Bowl. In an effort to address this, Fedora fired defensive coordinator Vic Koenning after the season and hired former Iowa State and Auburn head coach Gene Chizik as defensive coordinator. In 2015, Fedora led the Tar Heels to a 11 -- 1 regular season and the team 's first ACC Coastal Division championship. The team also finished with a perfect 8 -- 0 record in conference play and were ranked as high as # 8 in the AP and Coaches ' Polls, their highest ranking since 1997. In the 2015 ACC Championship Game, the Tar Heels lost to Clemson by a score of 45 - 37, despite a controversial onside kick penalty. The Tar Heels then lost in the Russell Athletic Bowl to Baylor 49 - 38. The Tar Heels finished the season 11 -- 3 ( 8 -- 0 ACC ) and ranked 15th in the country, marking the team 's first postseason Top 25 ranking since 1997. After the 2015 season, offensive coordinator Seth Littrell left Carolina to take the head coaching position at North Texas. In 2016, Fedora led the Tar Heels to an 8 -- 5 ( 5 -- 3 ) record. Carolina began the season with a loss to Georgia in the Chick - fil - A Kickoff Game in Atlanta by a score of 33 - 24. Carolina then reeled off four straight wins, which included an upset win over No. 12 Florida State in Tallahassee by a score of 37 - 35 after a game - winning field goal as time expired, snapping the Seminoles ' 22 - game home winning streak. UNC then suffered an embarrassing home loss to Virginia Tech by a score of 34 -- 3. After losing to NC State in the regular season finale, the Tar Heels, who were led by star quarterback Mitch Trubisky, lost in the Sun Bowl to Stanford by a score of 25 - 23. Conference affiliations North Carolina has affiliated with two conferences as well as being an independent. Independent ( 1888 -- 1921 ) Southern Conference ( 1922 -- 1952 ) ACC ( 1953 -- present ) Head Coaches Main article : List of North Carolina Tar Heels head football coaches Tenure Head Coach Years Record Pct. 1889 Hector Cowan 2 -- 2. 500 1891 William P. Graves 0 -- 2. 000 1894 V.K. Irvine 6 -- 3. 667 1895 T.C. Trenchard 7 -- 1 -- 1. 833 1896 Gordon Johnston 3 -- 4 -- 1. 438 1897 -- 1900 W.A. Reynolds 27 -- 7 -- 4. 763 1901 Charles O. Jenkins 7 -- 2. 778 1902 -- 1903 H.S. Olcott 11 -- 4 -- 3. 694 1904 R.R. Brown 5 -- 2 -- 2. 667 1905 William Warner 4 -- 3 -- 1. 563 1906 W.S. Keinholz 1 -- 4 -- 2. 286 1907 Otis Lamson 4 -- 4 -- 1. 500 1908 Edward Green 3 -- 3 -- 3. 500 1909 -- 1910 A.E. Brides 8 -- 8. 500 1911 Branch Bocock 6 -- 1 -- 1. 813 1912 W.C. Martin 3 -- 4 -- 1. 438 1913 -- 1915 T.C. Trenchard 19 -- 8 -- 1. 696 1916 -- 1919 Thomas Campbell 9 -- 7 -- 1. 559 1920 M.E. Fuller 2 -- 6. 250 1921 -- 1925 Bill Fetzer 5 30 -- 12 -- 4. 696 1926 -- 1933 Chuck Collins 8 38 -- 31 -- 9. 545 1934 -- 1935 Carl Snavely 15 -- 2 -- 1. 833 1936 -- 1941 Raymond Wolf 6 38 -- 17 -- 3. 681 1942 Jim Tatum 5 -- 2 -- 2. 667 1943 Tom Young 6 -- 3. 667 1944 Gene McEver 1 -- 7 -- 1. 167 1945 -- 1952 Carl Snavely 8 44 -- 33 -- 4. 568 1953 -- 1955 George Barclay 11 -- 18 -- 1. 383 1956 -- 1958 Jim Tatum 12 -- 15 -- 1. 429 1959 -- 1966 Jim Hickey 8 36 -- 45. 444 1967 -- 1977 Bill Dooley 11 69 -- 53 -- 2. 565 1978 -- 1987 Dick Crum 10 72 -- 41 -- 3. 634 1988 -- 1997 Mack Brown 10 69 -- 46 -- 1. 599 1998 -- 2000 Carl Torbush 17 -- 18. 486 2001 -- 2006 John Bunting 6 27 -- 45. 375 2007 -- 2010 Butch Davis 12 -- 23. 343 2011 Everett Withers 7 -- 6. 538 2012 -- Larry Fedora 6 41 -- 30. 577 1889 -- 2013 114 seasons 34 coaches 655 -- 503 -- 54. 562 During the years 1888 and 1891 -- 93, North Carolina had no official head coach. Over those four seasons, the team went 8 -- 9. In 1890, the North Carolina Tar Heels did not field a team. On September 19, 2011, North Carolina self - imposed sanctions against their football program, including forfeiting their wins from the 2008 and 2009 seasons. On March 12, 2012 The NCAA Committee on Infractions stiffened the previously self - imposed sanctions including, inter alia, vacating participation in the ' 08 and ' 09 Bowl Games. Bowl games Main article : List of North Carolina Tar Heels bowl games North Carolina has played in 32 bowl games in its history with a record of 14 -- 19. Date Bowl Name Result Opponent PF PA January 1, 1947 Sugar Bowl Georgia 10 20 January 1, 1949 Sugar Bowl Oklahoma 6 14 January 2, 1950 Cotton Bowl Classic Rice 13 27 December 28, 1963 Gator Bowl Air Force 35 0 December 30, 1970 Peach Bowl Arizona State 26 48 December 31, 1971 Gator Bowl Georgia 7 December 30, 1972 Sun Bowl Texas Tech 32 28 December 28, 1974 Sun Bowl Mississippi State 24 26 December 31, 1976 Peach Bowl Kentucky 0 21 December 19, 1977 Liberty Bowl Nebraska 17 21 December 28, 1979 Gator Bowl Michigan 17 15 December 31, 1980 Bluebonnet Bowl Texas 16 7 December 28, 1981 Gator Bowl Arkansas 31 27 December 25, 1982 Sun Bowl Texas 26 10 December 30, 1983 Peach Bowl Florida State 28 December 27, 1986 Aloha Bowl Arizona 21 30 January 2, 1993 Peach Bowl Mississippi State 21 17 December 31, 1993 Gator Bowl Alabama 10 24 December 30, 1994 Sun Bowl Texas 30 35 December 30, 1995 CarQuest Bowl Arkansas 20 10 January 1, 1997 Gator Bowl West Virginia 20 13 January 1, 1998 Gator Bowl Virginia Tech 42 December 19, 1998 Las Vegas Bowl San Diego State 20 13 December 31, 2001 Peach Bowl Auburn 16 10 December 30, 2004 Continental Tire Bowl Boston College 24 37 December 27, 2008 Meineke Car Care Bowl West Virginia 30 31 December 26, 2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl Pittsburgh 17 19 December 30, 2010 Music City Bowl Tennessee 30 27 ( 2OT ) December 26, 2011 Independence Bowl Missouri 24 41 December 28, 2013 Belk Bowl Cincinnati 39 17 December 26, 2014 Quick Lane Bowl Rutgers 21 40 December 29, 2015 Russell Athletic Bowl Baylor 38 49 December 30, 2016 Sun Bowl Stanford 23 25 Rivalries Duke blue devils Main article : Victory Bell ( Carolina -- Duke ) Duke is North Carolina 's biggest rival. The football rivalry between Duke and North Carolina began in 1888, when Duke was known by the name of Trinity. Trinity won the first game in the now - longstanding series. While the two teams are more known for their basketball rivalry, they have been known to have some great games every now and then. The Victory Bell was introduced for the 1948 match - up, which North Carolina won 20 - 0. It 's tradition for the school that has possession of the bell to paint the bell in the shade of blue of their school. The longest consecutive win streak in the series is a 13 - game win streak by the Tar Heels from 1990 - 2002. The all - time series record is 55 -- 35 -- 4 ( excluding the two Carolina vacated victories ) in favor of the Tar Heels. North Carolina State Wolfpack Main article : North Carolina -- NC State football rivalry The 2007 game between the Tar Heels and the Wolfpack. The first football game between the NC State Wolfpack and the Tar Heels occurred in 1894, and the Tar Heels won 44 - 0. The two teams played every now and then until the formation of the ACC. Since the two teams have been a part of the ACC, they have played every year since 1953. In the past few decades, the rivalry has been more highly contested than the Tar Heels rivalry with Duke. The 1998 and 1999 games were held at Bank of America Stadium, the Tar Heels won both games. The longest consecutive win streak in the series is 9 games, from 1943 - 1955 by the Tar Heels. The all - time series is 66 -- 35 -- 6 in favor of the Tar Heels. Since the formation of the ACC, the Tar Heels hold a slight edge over the Wolfpack, 35 - 30, signifying the competitive nature of the rivalry. Virginia Cavaliers Main article : South 's Oldest Rivalry The Tar Heels ' rivalry with the Virginia Cavaliers began in 1892, and the rivalry has come to be known as the `` South 's Oldest Rivalry. '' The teams played twice during the 1892 season, with the Cavaliers winning the first game and the Tar Heels winning the second. The two teams have played a total of 116 times, more than the two teams have played any other program. It is the fourth most played rivalry game among college football 's major conference schools. The all - time series record is 62 -- 54 -- 4, in favor of the Tar Heels. Wake Forest demon deacons Main article : North Carolina -- Wake Forest rivalry Two institutions in the state of North Carolina have met in 105 meetings. The first meeting was held in 1888 in Raleigh, NC with Wake Forest winning 6 - 4. Unlike the Duke game, the Wake - Carolina game is not played yearly and nor do the two schools play for a trophy. The Tar Heels lead the all - time series 68 -- 35 -- 2. South Carolina Gamecocks Main article : Battle of the Carolinas The Battle of the Carolinas is a rivalry that began in 1903. North Carolina holds a 34 -- 19 -- 4 overall leads the series. While no longer a conference rivalry, since South Carolina left the ACC in 1971, the teams still meet occasionally. In the 2010s decade the series have been played on a Thursday. It was announced in September 2015 that UNC and USC will play every four years in 2019 and 2023. Controversies NCAA investigation 2010 -- 2011 Main article : University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill football scandal In July 2010, it was reported that the program was being investigated by the NCAA due to possible connections with sport agents. The football program was also under investigation for academic fraud and a failure to properly monitor players, which the NCAA found to be true. Seven players from the UNC football program, including starters and once top recruits Greg Little and Marvin Austin, were reported to have accepted more than $27,000 in impermissible benefits in 2009 and 2010. Following an NCAA investigation into misconduct, in July 2011, head coach Butch Davis was fired and replaced by interim coach Everett Withers. Also, in September 2011, the program decided to vacate all its wins from the 2008 and 2009 seasons, reduce its scholarship athletes by 3, begin serving two years of probation, and pay a $50,000 fine. The NCAA later increased the penalties to a reduction of athletic scholarships by 15, three years of probation, and a post-season ban of one year. Championships See also : List of Atlantic Coast Conference football champions Year Conference Overall record Conference record 1895 SIAA 7 - 1 - 1 5 - 0 1922 SoCon 9 -- 1 5 -- 1 1946 SoCon 8 -- 2 -- 1 4 -- 0 -- 1 1949 SoCon 7 -- 4 5 -- 0 1963 ACC 9 -- 2 5 -- 1 1971 ACC 9 -- 3 6 -- 0 1972 ACC 11 -- 1 6 -- 0 1977 ACC 8 -- 3 -- 1 5 -- 0 -- 1 1980 ACC 11 -- 1 7 -- 0 9 conference championships 1000 - yard rushers See also : North Carolina Tar Heels football statistical leaders North Carolina has been called `` Tailback U '' for their number of 1000 - yard rushers. Throughout the course of the Tar Heels ' football history, a player has rushed for over 1,000 yards in a season twenty - seven times. The first player to rush for over a 1,000 yards was Don McCauley, who rushed for 1,092 yards in the 1969 season. The most recent player to have rushed for 1,000 yards is Elijah Hood, who rushed for 1,463 yards in 2015. Year Player Yards 1969 Don McCauley 1,092 1970 Don McCauley 1,720 1973 Sammy Johnson 1,006 Jim Betterson 1,082 Mike Voight 1,033 Mike Voight 1,250 1976 Mike Voight 1,407 1977 Amos Lawrence 1,211 1978 Amos Lawrence 1,043 1979 Amos Lawrence 1,019 1980 Amos Lawrence 1,118 1980 Kelvin Bryant 1,039 1981 Kelvin Bryant 1,015 1982 Kelvin Bryant 1,064 Ethan Horton 1,107 Tyrone Anthony 1,063 1984 Ethan Horton 1,247 1986 Derrick Fenner 1,250 1988 Kennard Martin 1,146 1991 Natrone Means 1,030 1992 Natrone Means 1,195 1993 Curtis Johnson 1,034 1993 Leon Johnson 1,012 1997 Jonathan Linton 1,004 2011 Giovani Bernard 1,253 2012 Giovani Bernard 1,228 2015 Elijah Hood 1,463 Notable players All - Americans Main article : List of North Carolina Tar Heels football All - Americans Retired numbers Five numbers have been retired by the University. NC Tar Heels retired numbers No. Player Pos. Career 22 Charlie Justice HB 1946 - 49 46 Bill Sutherland QB 1946 50 Art Weiner WR 1946 - 49 59 Andy Bershak TE 1935 - 37 99 George Barclay LB 1932 - 34 Notes : Died in a car accident, posthumous honor. Also served as coach ( 1953 -- 55 ) Honored jerseys Around the front of second tier of stands in Kenan Stadium, there are strips of metal with names of former Tar Heel footballers with their numbers. UNC does not retire jerseys and their numbers are honored instead. NC Tar honored jerseys No. Player 99 George Barclay 59 Andy Bershak 46 Bill Sutherland 22 Charlie Justice 50 Art Weiner 10 Danny Talbott 23 Don McCauley 62 Ron Rusnak 68 Ken Huff 44 Mike Voight 71 Dee Hardison 98 Lawrence Taylor 95 William Fuller 12 Ethan Horton 71 Marcus Jones 87 Greg Ellis 41 Brian Simmons 31 Dré Bly 49 Julius Peppers 44 Kelvin Bryant 67 Harris Barton 60 Brian Blados 25 Irv Holdash 85 Bob Lacey 20 Amos Lawrence 87 Paul Severin 64 Jonathan Cooper National award winners Chuck Bednarik Award : Julius Peppers ( 2001 ) Lombardi Award : Julius Peppers ( 2001 ) Jim Parker Award : Landon Turner ( 2015 ) Hall of Famers NC Tar Heels College hall of famers Player Pos. Career Charlie Justice HB 1946 - 49 Don McCauley RB 1968 - 70 Art Weiner TE 1946 - 49 Jim Tatum 1933 - 35 Carl Snavely 1934 - 35 NC Tar Heels Pro football hall of famers Player Pos. NFL Career Inducted Lawrence Taylor LB 1981 - 93 1999 Chris Hanburger LB 1965 - 78 2011 Tar Heels in the NFL This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( June 2017 ) Tar Heels in the Drafts Main article : List of North Carolina Tar Heels in the NFL Draft Tar Heels with Super Bowl victory Super Bowl Player Position Team 50 Sylvester Williams NT Denver Broncos XLVI Hakeem Nicks WR New York Giants XLVI Marvin Austin DT New York Giants XLIII Willie Parker RB Pittsburgh Steelers XLIII Jeff Reed Pittsburgh Steelers XLIII Greg Warren LS Pittsburgh Steelers XLII Russell Davis DT New York Giants XLII Madison Hedgecock FB New York Giants XLI Dexter Reid Indianapolis Colts XLI Jeff Saturday Indianapolis Colts XL Willie Parker RB Pittsburgh Steelers XL Jeff Reed Pittsburgh Steelers XL Greg Warren LS Pittsburgh Steelers XXXIX Dexter Reid New England Patriots XXVI Riddick Parker DL New England Patriots XXXIV Dré Bly CB St. Louis Rams XXXIV Mike Morton LB St. Louis Rams XXXIV Nate Hobgood - Chittick DT St. Louis Rams XXXI Bucky Brooks DB Green Bay Packers XXXI Bernardo Harris LB Green Bay Packers XXXI William Henderson FB Green Bay Packers XXX Oscar Sturgis DE Dallas Cowboys XXIX Harris Barton OL San Francisco 49ers XXIX Brian Bollinger OL San Francisco 49ers XXIX Antonio Goss LB San Francisco 49ers XXV Lawrence Taylor LB New York Giants XXIV Harris Barton OL San Francisco 49ers XXIV Antonio Goss LB San Francisco 49ers XXIII Harris Barton OL San Francisco 49ers XXII Kelvin Bryant RB Washington Redskins XXII Dave Truitt TE Washington Redskins XXII Tim Morrison DB Washington Redskins XXII Danny Burmeister DB Washington Redskins XXI Lawrence Taylor LB New York Giants XXI Brian Johnston New York Giants XVII Jeff Hayes Washington Redskins XVI Amos Lawrence RB San Francisco 49ers Current NFL Players AFC Zach Brown, LB, Washington Redskins Lucas Crowley, C, Washington Redskins Brandon Tate, WR, Buffalo Bills Giovani Bernard, RB, Cincinnati Bengals Russell Bodine, C, Cincinnati Bengals Sylvester Williams, DT, Tennessee Titans Da'Norris Searcy, SS, Tennessee Titans James Hurst, OT, Baltimore Ravens Tony McRae, CB, Cincinnati Bengals Bruce Carter, LB, New York Jets Elijah Hood, RB, Oakland Raiders Bug Howard, WR, Cleveland Browns T.J. Yates, QB, Houston Texans NFC Mitchell Trubisky, QB, Chicago Bears Julius Peppers, DE, Carolina Panthers Tre Boston, S, Los Angeles Chargers Connor Barth, K, Chicago Bears Robert Quinn, DE, Los Angeles Rams Des Lawrence, CB, Detroit Lions Eric Ebron, TE, Detroit Lions T.J. Logan, RB, Arizona Cardinals Kareem Martin, LB, Arizona Cardinals Jonathan Cooper, OG, Dallas Cowboys Mack Hollins, WR, Philadelphia Eagles Nazair Jones, DT, Seattle Seahawks Ryan Switzer, WR, Dallas Cowboys Future non-conference opponents Announced schedules as of May 22, 2017 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 vs California at California vs South Carolina ( at Charlotte, NC ) at UCF vs Georgia State at Appalachian State vs Appalachian State vs Charlotte at Charlotte at TCU at Old Dominion at East Carolina at Wake Forest - ACC Atlantic Division vs Old Dominion vs Wake Forest - ACC Atlantic Division at Georgia State TBA TBA vs TCU at Notre Dame vs Notre Dame vs UCF vs Appalachian State TBA at Notre Dame vs Notre Dame vs South Carolina ( at Charlotte, NC ) TBA TBA TBA vs Western Carolina vs Western Carolina vs Mercer TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA References Jump up ^ `` Primary Identity '' ( PDF ). Carolina Athletics Brand Identity Guidelines. North Carolina Tar Heels. April 21, 2015. Retrieved July 20, 2017. Jump up ^ `` University of North Carolina - university system, North Carolina, United States ''. Jump up ^ `` Football - News - University of North Carolina Tar Heels Official Athletic Site ''. www.goheels.com. ^ Jump up to : `` All - Time Records for North Carolina ''. Football.stassen.com. Retrieved 2012 - 08 - 16. ^ Jump up to : `` Tar Heels in the NFL Draft - Tar Heel Times ''. www.tarheeltimes.com. ^ Jump up to : `` Tar Heel Forever - North Carolina History ''. nchistory.web.unc.edu. Jump up ^ `` Outing ; Sport, Adventure, Travel, Fiction ''. google.com. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina Tar Heels 1889 Football Schedule - Tar Heel Times ''. www.tarheeltimes.com. Jump up ^ Umphlett, Wiley Lee ( 20 June 1992 ). `` Creating the Big Game : John W. Heisman and the Invention of American Football ''. Greenwood Publishing Group -- via Google Books. ^ Jump up to : `` The University Team Defeats Guilford 18 to 0 ''. The Charlotte Observer. November 13, 1898. p. 8. Retrieved August 4, 2016 -- via Newspapers.com. Jump up ^ `` Carolina Wins A football Game ''. The Wilmington Messenger. November 5, 1898. p. 1. Retrieved June 3, 2016 -- via Newspapers.com. ^ Jump up to : `` Georgia 's Team Goes Down Before The Fast Work of North Carolina ''. The Atlanta Constitution. November 13, 1898. p. 22. Retrieved August 4, 2016 -- via Newspapers.com. Jump up ^ `` Football Man Tells of Game ''. The Atlanta Constitution. November 13, 1898. p. 22. Retrieved August 4, 2016 -- via Newspapers.com. Jump up ^ `` Our Tar Heels Triumphant ''. The Morning Post. November 25, 1898. p. 1. Retrieved June 3, 2016 -- via Newspapers.com. Jump up ^ `` The Hellenian ( 1900 ) : : North Carolina College and University Yearbooks ''. library.digitalnc.org. Jump up ^ `` Yackety yack ( 1901 ) : : North Carolina College and University Yearbooks ''. library.digitalnc.org. ^ Jump up to : `` North Carolina Tar Heels Coaches - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. ^ Jump up to : `` Chuck Collins Coaching Record - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` 1929 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. ^ Jump up to : Foundation, National Football. `` National Football Foundation > Programs > College Football Hall of Fame > SearchDetail ''. www.footballfoundation.org. Jump up ^ `` Star - News - Google News Archive Search ''. news.google.com. ^ Jump up to : `` North Carolina Tar Heels ' Greatest Football Games ''. Dorrance Publishing -- via Google Books. Jump up ^ `` Lawrence Journal - World - Google News Archive Search ''. news.google.com. Jump up ^ `` 1936 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` 1937 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` 1938 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` 1939 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` 1940 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` 1941 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. ^ Jump up to : `` All - America selection, North Carolina coach Barclay dead at 87 ''. www.apnewsarchive.com. Jump up ^ `` George Barclay Coaching Record - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` History of the Atlantic Coast Conference ( Chatham Journal ) ''. www.chathamjournal.com. Jump up ^ Foundation, National Football. `` National Football Foundation > Programs > College Football Hall of Fame > SearchDetail ''. www.footballfoundation.org. Jump up ^ `` Jim Tatum 's Disease Likened To Typhus ''. The Sun. March 31, 1960. Jump up ^ `` Highlights of 1959 Sports Day by Day ( December 27, 1959 ) ''. Jump up ^ `` 1959 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina Tar Heels 1959 Football Schedule - Tar Heel Times ''. www.tarheeltimes.com. ^ Jump up to : `` Golden Anniversary Of A Memorable Win ''. ^ Jump up to : `` North Carolina Tar Heels 1959 Football Schedule - Tar Heel Times ''. www.tarheeltimes.com. Jump up ^ amy. mcdonald ( 12 August 2013 ). `` The Game and the Bell ''. library.duke.edu. Jump up ^ `` 1960 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina Tar Heels 1960 Football Schedule - Tar Heel Times ''. www.tarheeltimes.com. Jump up ^ `` 1961 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina Tar Heels 1961 Football Schedule - Tar Heel Times ''. www.tarheeltimes.com. Jump up ^ `` 1962 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` Extra Points : ' 63 Team Turns 50 ''. Jump up ^ `` Chicago Tribune - Historical Newspapers ''. Jump up ^ `` Wilson Daily Times Newspaper Archives, Nov 2, 1963, p. 6 ''. 2 November 1963. Jump up ^ `` Wilson Daily Times Newspaper Archives, Oct 14, 1963, p. 9 ''. 14 October 1963. Jump up ^ Hyman, Mervin. `` FOOTBALL 'S WEEK ''. Jump up ^ `` mcubed.net : NCAAF Football : South Carolina : 1963 ''. mcubed.net. Jump up ^ Hyman, Mervin. `` FOOTBALL 'S WEEK ''. Jump up ^ `` A Century of Carolina Football ''. University of North Carolina. Jump up ^ `` Hurricanes Announce Two - Game Football Series With North Carolina ''. Jump up ^ `` Brewer : Special 50th Anniversary ''. Jump up ^ `` History : Gator Bowl ''. 11 December 2013. Jump up ^ `` 1965 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` 1966 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` The Daily Independent from Kannapolis, North Carolina on October 30, 1966 Page 10 ''. Jump up ^ `` James Hickey Coaching Record - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. ^ Jump up to : `` Bill Dooley Coaching Record - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. ^ Jump up to : `` North Carolina Tar Heels Football Statistics & History - Totalfootballstats.com ''. www.totalfootballstats.com. Jump up ^ `` 1967 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` 1968 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` 1969 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` How the Peach Bowl went from nearly out of business to playoff semifinal host ''. Jump up ^ `` 1971 Gator Bowl ''. 17 June 2014. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina 32, Texas Tech 28 - Recaps - Hyundai Sun Bowl - December 29, 2017 - El Paso, Texas ''. www.sunbowl.org. Jump up ^ `` 1973 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` 1974 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` Mississippi State 26, North Carolina 24 - Recaps - Hyundai Sun Bowl - December 29, 2017 - El Paso, Texas ''. www.sunbowl.org. Jump up ^ `` 1975 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` Celebrate the 1976 Peach Bowl Championship - Kentucky Sports Radio ''. kentuckysportsradio.com. Jump up ^ `` Once Again Huskers Fly Friendly Skies ; Garcia and N.U. Receivers Are United - # 12 Nebraska 21, # 14 North Carolina 17 - Dec. 19, 1977 ''. dataomaha.com. Jump up ^ `` Star - News - Google News Archive Search ''. news.google.com. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina Football Coach Crum Resigns After 5 - 6 Season ''. 1 December 1987 -- via LA Times. Jump up ^ `` Star - News - Google News Archive Search ''. news.google.com. Jump up ^ `` The Daily Tar Heel from Chapel Hill, North Carolina on September 9, 1982 Page 26 ''. Jump up ^ `` 1978 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. ^ Jump up to : `` History : Gator Bowl ''. 11 December 2013. Jump up ^ `` 1980 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` Throwback Thursday : 1980 North Carolina Tar Heels ''. 2 December 2015. Jump up ^ `` 1981 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` 1982 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` 1983 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina 26, Texas 10 - Recaps - Hyundai Sun Bowl - December 29, 2017 - El Paso, Texas ''. www.sunbowl.org. Jump up ^ `` History - Chick - fil - A Peach Bowl ''. 12 August 2015. Jump up ^ `` 1984 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` 1985 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` 1986 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` 1987 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina 's Crum Turns In Resignation ''. 1 December 1987. ^ Jump up to : `` Dick Crum Coaching Record - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` Former North Carolina football coach Dick Crum will take... '' Jump up ^ `` Tulane 's Brown Is New North Carolina Coach ''. Los Angeles Times. December 17, 1987. ^ Jump up to : `` Mack Brown Coaching Record - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` 1988 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` 1989 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` 1990 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` 1991 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina Goes Halves and Wins ''. AP. 4 January 1993 -- via The New York Times. Jump up ^ `` 1992 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` 1993 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` 1994 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` Texas 35, North Carolina 31 - Recaps - Hyundai Sun Bowl - December 29, 2017 - El Paso, Texas ''. www.sunbowl.org. Jump up ^ `` First and 10 : No. 12 FSU vs. No. 23 UNC ''. Jump up ^ `` Virginia Cavaliers Football - 1994 Season Summary ''. www.hoosfootball.com. Jump up ^ `` 1995 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ Press, From Associated ( 31 December 1995 ). `` CARQUEST BOWL : North Carolina Makes the Most of Invitation '' -- via LA Times. Jump up ^ `` 1996 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` 1997 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` Mack Brown leads contingent to Dubai seeking Texas opportunities ''. ^ Jump up to : `` Mack Brown At Carolina : An Analysis ''. www.angelfire.com. Jump up ^ `` Archives - Philly.com ''. articles.philly.com. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina Names New Football Coach ''. Jump up ^ `` Carson - Newman names Carl Torbush as assistant head football coach - South Atlantic Conference ''. www.thesac.com. Jump up ^ `` Miami Of Ohio Stuns No. 12 UNC ''. Jump up ^ `` USA TODAY Latest news ''. usatoday30.usatoday.com. Jump up ^ `` Fate leads former Hampton All - American Ronald Curry to 49ers coaching job ''. Jump up ^ Writer, ROB DANIELS Staff. `` BLACK UNC 'S PLAYER IN A PINCH ANTWON BLACK GREW UP NEAR CLEMSON, S.C., AND TURNED DOWN NOTRE DAME TO PLAY FOR NORTH CAROLINA ''. Jump up ^ `` 1999 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ Press, Associated. `` UNC says it will not fire Torbush - chronicle.augusta.com ''. chronicle.augusta.com. Jump up ^ Writer, ROB DANIELS Staff. `` UNC 'S TORBUSH FIRES THREE ASSISTANTS STEVE MARSHALL, JIM HOFHER AND KEN MACK WERE THREE - FIFTHS OF UNC 'S OFFENSIVE COACHING STAFF ''. Jump up ^ `` 2000 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ CBS News http://www.cbsnews.com/news/tar-heels-fire-football-coach/. Missing or empty title = ( help ) Jump up ^ `` Carl Torbush Coaching Record - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina Hires Bunting as Its Coach ''. Los Angeles Times. December 12, 2000. Jump up ^ `` NCAA Football - Florida State vs. North Carolina ''. usatoday30.usatoday.com. Jump up ^ `` 2001 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` Chick - fil - A Peach Bowl : North Carolina vs. Auburn ''. static.espn.go.com. Jump up ^ `` 2002 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` 2003 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` 2004 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` Miami vs. North Carolina - Game Summary - October 30, 2004 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` Boston College vs. North Carolina - Game Recap - December 30, 2004 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` 2005 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina vs. Louisville - Game Summary - October 8, 2005 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` AD Baddour : Bunting lost ' numbers game ' at UNC ''. ESPN.com. 23 October 2006. Jump up ^ `` Tar Heels Explain Firing of Bunting - washingtonpost.com ''. www.washingtonpost.com. Jump up ^ `` NC State vs. North Carolina - Game Recap - November 18, 2006 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina vs. Duke - Game Recap - November 25, 2006 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` John Bunting Coaching Record - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` Butch Davis taking over at North Carolina - USATODAY.com ''. usatoday30.usatoday.com. Jump up ^ Press, Joedy McCreary, The Associated. `` Butch Davis hired to coach North Carolina football team ''. Jump up ^ `` Butch Davis taking over at North Carolina - USATODAY.com ''. usatoday30.usatoday.com. ^ Jump up to : `` Butch Davis Contract Details ''. Jump up ^ `` Butch Davis 's contract ''. Gamedayers U. Jump up ^ `` 2007 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. ^ Jump up to : `` College football attendance : Home crowds drop to lowest in 14 years ''. Jump up ^ `` Butch Davis not headed to Arkansas - Tar Heel Times - 12 / 7 / 2007 ''. www.tarheeltimes.com. Jump up ^ `` Houston Nutt resigns as Arkansas coach - USATODAY.com ''. usatoday30.usatoday.com. Jump up ^ `` Davis, UNC agree to one - year contract extension ''. ESPN.com. 21 November 2007. Jump up ^ `` Butch Davis Agrees To Contract Extension : : Tar Heel football coach agrees to extend current contract pending approval of Board of Trustees ''. Jump up ^ Correspondent, Andrew Jones Star - News. `` Davis, UNC agree to contract extension ''. Jump up ^ `` Connecticut vs. North Carolina - Game Recap - October 4, 2008 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` Notre Dame vs. North Carolina - Game Recap - October 11, 2008 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina vs. Virginia - Game Recap - October 18, 2008 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` Boston College vs. North Carolina - Game Recap - October 25, 2008 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` Georgia Tech vs. North Carolina - Game Recap - November 8, 2008 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` West Virginia vs. North Carolina - Game Recap - December 27, 2008 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` 2009 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina vs. NC State - Game Recap - November 28, 2009 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` Pittsburgh vs. North Carolina - Game Recap - December 26, 2009 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` NCAA Athlete Graduation Rates Top National Average - UNC General Alumni Association ''. alumni.unc.edu. Jump up ^ `` University of North Carolina Tar Heels Official Athletic Site ''. tarheelblue.cstv.com. Jump up ^ `` Sources : NCAA Probe Centers on Duo ''. Jump up ^ http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/08/27/649600/unc-probe-expands-to-academic.html Jump up ^ http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/09/30/712304/tudor-uncs-butch-davis-must-go.html Jump up ^ AOL. `` Sports News & latest headlines from AOL ''. AOL.com. Jump up ^ FOX. `` FOX 46 Charlotte News, Weather, Sports, Traffic - WJZY ''. WJZY. Jump up ^ `` UNC fans ' survey indicates support for Butch Davis ''. Raleigh News and Observer. October 21, 2010. Archived from the original on 2012 - 03 - 12. Jump up ^ `` With probe looming, 13 UNC players out vs. LSU ''. ESPN.com. 3 September 2010. Jump up ^ `` LSU vs. North Carolina - Game Recap - September 4, 2010 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina vs. Miami - Game Recap - October 23, 2010 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` Georgia Tech vs. North Carolina - Game Recap - September 18, 2010 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` Virginia Tech vs. North Carolina - Game Recap - November 13, 2010 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` NC State vs. North Carolina - Game Recap - November 20, 2010 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina vs. Virginia - Game Recap - October 16, 2010 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina vs. Florida State - Game Recap - November 6, 2010 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` UNC levies penalties on football players ''. Jump up ^ `` Five Dismissed, 3 Suspended ; Probe of Football Continues - UNC General Alumni Association ''. Jump up ^ `` Tar Heels fire Davis amid NCAA investigation ''. Jump up ^ `` UNC 's Butch Davis fired ''. WTVD 11. July 27, 2011. Jump up ^ `` Butch Davis Coaching Record - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` Carolina makes a football coaching change '' ( pdf ). wralsportsfan.com. Retrieved December 7, 2012. Jump up ^ CNN, By Sara Ganim. `` UNC ex-coach Davis : I 'm a scapegoat in grades scandal - CNN.com ''. CNN. Jump up ^ `` Timeline of events in the UNC scandal ''. The News & Observer. Retrieved June 27, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Despite being cleared in scandal at UNC, Davis still waiting for a gig ''. Jump up ^ Feldman, Bruce. Despite being cleared in scandal at UNC, Davis still waiting for a gig. CBSSports.com, 2013 - 12 - 19. Jump up ^ `` Orange and White - Independent Mail ''. Independent Mail. ^ Jump up to : `` North Carolina names Everett Withers interim head coach - NCAA Football - Sporting News ''. Jump up ^ `` James Madison vs. North Carolina - Game Recap - September 3, 2011 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` Rutgers vs. North Carolina - Game Recap - September 10, 2011 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` Virginia vs. North Carolina - Game Recap - September 17, 2011 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina vs. Georgia Tech - Game Recap - September 24, 2011 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina vs. East Carolina - Game Recap - October 1, 2011 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` Louisville vs. North Carolina - Game Recap - October 8, 2011 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` Miami vs. North Carolina - Game Recap - October 15, 2011 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina vs. Clemson - Game Recap - October 22, 2011 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` Wake Forest vs. North Carolina - Game Recap - October 29, 2011 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina vs. NC State - Game Recap - November 5, 2011 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ Beard, Aaron. `` Fired up NC State shuts out North Carolina ''. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina vs. Virginia Tech - Game Recap - November 17, 2011 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` Duke vs. North Carolina - Game Recap - November 26, 2011 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` 2011 UNC Football Schedule ''. Tar Heel Times. Jump up ^ `` Everett Withers Coaching Record - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` College Sports - Missouri beats North Carolina 41 - 24 in Independence Bowl - College football - Seattle Times Newspaper ''. Jump up ^ WRAL ( 14 December 2011 ). `` Withers ' disappointed ' after not getting UNC job : : WRALSportsFan.com ''. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina hires Fedora of Southern Miss ''. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina ruled ineligible for a bowl next season and must forfeit 15 scholarships ''. Jump up ^ `` 2012 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ http://www.goheels.com/fls/3350/Football/2012_UNC_Notes.pdf Jump up ^ `` 2013 North Carolina Tar Heels Football Schedule - UNC ''. www.fbschedules.com. Jump up ^ `` Recap : North Carolina 39, Cincinnati 17 ''. Chicago Tribune. December 28, 2013. Jump up ^ `` CBJ Seen : Tar Heels hold off Bearcats for Belk Bowl win ''. Jump up ^ `` Anderson leaves UNC for Arkansas St. job ''. Jump up ^ Press, Associated. `` UNC hires Littrell to direct no - huddle offense ''. Jump up ^ `` 2014 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` Rutgers vs. North Carolina - Game Recap - December 26, 2014 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` Reports : Vic Koenning out as North Carolina 's defensive coordinator ''. Jump up ^ Wire, SI. `` North Carolina hires ex-Auburn coach Gene Chizik as defensive coordinator ''. ^ Jump up to : `` 2015 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina vs. Clemson - Game Recap - December 5, 2015 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina vs. Baylor - Game Recap - December 29, 2015 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` North Texas hires UNC off. coordinator Littrell as coach ''. Jump up ^ `` 2016 North Carolina Tar Heels Schedule and Results - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. ^ Jump up to : `` Georgia vs. North Carolina - Game Summary - September 3, 2016 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. ^ Jump up to : `` Virginia Tech vs. North Carolina - Game Recap - October 8, 2016 - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` Mitchell Trubisky ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` 2016 Carolina Football Preview '' ( PDF ). GoHeels.com. 2016. p. 190. Retrieved December 13, 2016. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina Tar Heels Index - College Football at Sports-Reference.com ''. College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Jump up ^ `` Two 1956 wins vacated for use of ineligible player ''. Sportsillustrated.cnn.com. 1957 - 09 - 23. Retrieved 2012 - 08 - 21. ^ Jump up to : `` North Carolina Football History Database ''. Nationalchamps.net. Retrieved 2012 - 08 - 16. Jump up ^ `` NCAA Infractions Report ''. NCAA Report on Infractions. Retrieved 3 / 12 / 2012. Check date values in : access - date = ( help ) Jump up ^ `` UNC Bowl Game Appearances ''. Tar Heel Times. Retrieved 2012 - 08 - 16. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina Game by Game against Opponents ''. cfbdatawarehouse.com. ^ Jump up to : `` mcubed.net : NCAAF Football : Series records : North Carolina vs. Wake Forest ''. www.mcubed.net. Jump up ^ `` The oldest college football rivalry in North Carolina '' Jump up ^ `` Winsipedia - North Carolina Tar Heels vs. South Carolina Gamecocks football series history ''. Winsipedia. Jump up ^ `` Tar Heels, Gamecocks to Meet in Charlotte in 2019 & 2023 ''. 2 September 2015. Jump up ^ Giglio, J.P. ( 16 July 2010 ). `` NCAA begins probe of UNC ''. The News and Observer. Retrieved 16 July 2010. ^ Jump up to : Davis, Curtis ( 13 Dec 2011 ). `` North Carolina Investigation ''. The Sporting News. Retrieved 13 Dec 2011. Jump up ^ `` Butch Davis fired as North Carolina football coach - ESPN ''. Espn.go.com. 2011 - 07 - 27. Retrieved 2012 - 08 - 16. Jump up ^ `` UNC files response to NCAA notice of allegations ''. si.com. si.com. September 19, 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2011. Jump up ^ `` Holden Thorp updates the UNC community on investigations ''. http://reesenews.org. http://reesenews.org. March 12, 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2012. External link in publisher =, work = ( help ) Jump up ^ `` Eras Of Imperfection ''. Chapelboro.com. Retrieved 2012 - 09 - 17. Jump up ^ `` Tailback U : North Carolina Tar Heels 1,000 - yard rushers ''. Tar Heel Times. Retrieved 2012 - 08 - 16. ^ Jump up to : `` NC Tar Heels football history - official website '' ( PDF ). Jump up ^ `` College Football Hall of Fame ''. Collegefootball.org. Retrieved 2012 - 08 - 16. Jump up ^ `` Colleges ''. Origin-www.profootballhof.com. 2010 - 02 - 07. Retrieved 2012 - 08 - 16. Jump up ^ `` Tar Heel Super Bowl Champions ''. Tar Heel Times. Retrieved 2012 - 08 - 16. Jump up ^ `` NFL Players by College - N - National Football League - ESPN ''. ESPN.com. Jump up ^ `` North Carolina Tar Heels Football Schedules and Future Schedules ''. fbschedules.com. Retrieved May 22, 2017. Jump up ^ `` App State - UNC Announce Three - Game Football Series ''. AppStateSports.com. Retrieved 2017 - 02 - 21. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to North Carolina Tar Heels football. Official website North Carolina Tar Heels football Venues Emerson Field ( 1916 -- 26 ) Kenan Memorial Stadium ( 1927 -- present ) Bowls & rivalries Bowl games Duke : ( Victory Bell ) NC State South Carolina Virginia : South 's Oldest Rivalry Wake Forest Culture & lore First forward pass Rameses The Marching Tar Heels Statistical leaders People Head coaches All - Americans NFL draftees Seasons 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1984 1985 1986 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Located in : Chapel Hill, North Carolina Academics Scholarships Center for Global Initiatives Center for the Study of the American South Kenan -- Flagler Business School School of Information and Library Science School of Media and Journalism School of Law School of Medicine School of Pharmacy School of Public Health School of Social Work Southern Observatory for Astrophysical Research L.L. Thurstone Psychometric Laboratory Athletics Teams Australian Rules Football Baseball Men 's Basketball Women 's Basketball Field Hockey Football Handball Men 's Lacrosse Women 's Lacrosse Men 's Soccer Women 's Soccer Softball Men 's Tennis Women 's Tennis Facilities Bryson Field at Boshamer Stadium Bynum Gymnasium Carmichael Arena Dean Smith Center Eddie Smith Field House Fetzer Field Finley Golf Course Henry Stadium Kenan Memorial Stadium Tin Can Woollen Gymnasium Other Atlantic Coast Conference Carlyle Cup Carolina Basketball Museum Carolina blue Carolina -- Duke rivalry Carolina -- State Game The Marching Tar Heels `` Hark The Sound '' `` Here Comes Carolina '' `` I 'm a Tar Heel Born '' North Carolina -- Wake Forest rivalry Olympians Rameses The Rams Club South 's Oldest Rivalry Tar Heel Tar Heel Sports Network Tobacco Road Victory Bell Campus Ackland Art Museum Airport Botanical Garden Carolina Inn Coker Arboretum Davie Poplar Franklin Street Hospitals Hunt Arboretum Images Morehead Planetarium Old Chapel Hill Cemetery Old East Old Well Playmakers Theatre Silent Sam Wilson Library Town of Chapel Hill Student life Black Student Movement Carolina Week The Daily Tar Heel Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies Dramatic and Performing Arts Order of Gimghoul Student Television WXYC History Alumni Presidents and Chancellors William Richardson Davie UNC system Speaker ban Academics - athletics scandal Founded : 1789 Atlantic Coast Conference football Atlantic Division Boston College Eagles Clemson Tigers Florida State Seminoles Louisville Cardinals NC State Wolfpack Syracuse Orange Wake Forest Demon Deacons Coastal Division Duke Blue Devils Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Miami Hurricanes North Carolina Tar Heels Pittsburgh Panthers Virginia Cavaliers Virginia Tech Hokies Championships and awards ACC football champions ACC yearly football standings ACC Championship Game ACC football honors Seasons 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1984 1985 1986 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=North_Carolina_Tar_Heels_football&oldid=819473670 '' Categories : North Carolina Tar Heels football Sports clubs established in 1888 1888 establishments in North Carolina Hidden categories : Pages with citations lacking titles Pages with citations having bare URLs CS1 errors : dates CS1 errors : external links All accuracy disputes Articles with disputed statements from December 2016 Articles needing additional references from June 2017 All articles needing additional references Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 9 January 2018, at 15 : 42. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: when was the last time unc was ranked in football
Answer: 2015