# List of North Carolina Tar Heels football seasons

This is a list of seasons completed by the North Carolina Tar Heels football team of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Since the team's creation in 1888, the Tar Heels have participated in more than 1,100 officially sanctioned games, including 30 bowl games.
The Tar Heels have been a member of a few conferences. Initially competing as an independent school, North Carolina joined the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 1895, where it was a member until 1921. Between 1922 and 1952, the Tar Heels competed in the Southern Conference, where it won 3 conference championships. In 1953, North Carolina joined the Atlantic Coast Conference as a founding member, where it has been a member ever since.

## Seasons

| Conference Champions | Bowl game berth | Division Champions |
| Year | Coach(es) | Conference | Conference Record | Conference Record | Conference Record | Conference Finish | Overall Record | Overall Record | Overall Record | Bowl/Postseason | Final ranking | Final ranking |
| Year | Coach(es) | Conference | Wins | Losses | Ties | Conference Finish | Wins | Losses | Ties | Bowl/Postseason | AP | Coaches' |
| North Carolina Tar Heels |||||||||||||
| 1888 | No coach | Ind | | | | — | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1889 | No coach/Hector Cowan | Ind | | | | — | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1890 | No games played | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 1891 | No coach | Ind | | | | — | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1892 | No coach | Ind | | | | — | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1893 | William J. "Yup" Cook | Ind | | | | — | 3 | 4 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1894 | Vernon K. Irvine | Ind | | | | — | 6 | 3 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1895 | Thomas Trenchard | Ind | | | | — | 7 | 1 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1896 | Gordon Johnston | Ind | | | | — | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1897 | William A. Reynolds | Ind | | | | — | 7 | 3 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1898 | William A. Reynolds | Ind | | | | — | 9 | 0 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1899 | William A. Reynolds | Ind | | | | — | 7 | 3 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1900 | William A. Reynolds | Ind | | | | — | 4 | 1 | 3 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1901 | Charles O. Jenkins | Ind | | | | — | 7 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1902 | Herman Olcott | Ind | | | | — | 5 | 1 | 3 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1903 | Herman Olcott | Ind | | | | — | 6 | 3 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1904 | Robert R. Brown | Ind | | | | — | 5 | 2 | 2 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1905 | Bill Warner | Ind | | | | — | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1906 | Willis Kienholz | Ind | | | | — | 1 | 4 | 2 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1907 | Otis Lamson | Ind | | | | — | 4 | 4 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1908 | Edward L. Greene | Ind | | | | — | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1909 | Arthur Brides | Ind | | | | — | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1910 | Arthur Brides | Ind | | | | — | 3 | 6 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1911 | Branch Bocock | Ind | | | | — | 6 | 1 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1912 | C. W. Martin | Ind | | | | — | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1913 | Thomas Trenchard | Ind | | | | — | 5 | 4 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1914 | Thomas Trenchard | Ind | | | | — | 10 | 1 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1915 | Thomas Trenchard | Ind | | | | — | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1916 | Thomas Campbell | Ind | | | | — | 5 | 4 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1917 | Thomas Campbell | No games - World War I | No games - World War I | No games - World War I | | | | | | | | |
| 1918 | Thomas Campbell | No games - World War I | No games - World War I | No games - World War I | | | | | | | | |
| 1919 | Thomas Campbell | Ind | | | | — | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1920 | Myron Fuller | Ind | | | | — | 2 | 6 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1921 | Bill Fetzer | Ind | | | | — | 5 | 2 | 2 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1922 | Bill Fetzer | SoCon | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1st | 9 | 1 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1923 | Bill Fetzer | SoCon | 3 | 1 | 1 | 12th | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1924 | Bill Fetzer | SoCon | 2 | 3 | 0 | 14th | 4 | 5 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1925 | Bill Fetzer | SoCon | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3rd | 7 | 1 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1926 | Chuck Collins | SoCon | 3 | 3 | 0 | 10th | 4 | 5 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1927 | Chuck Collins | SoCon | 2 | 5 | 0 | 19th | 4 | 6 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1928 | Chuck Collins | SoCon | 2 | 2 | 2 | 11th | 5 | 3 | 2 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1929 | Chuck Collins | SoCon | 7 | 1 | 0 | 3rd | 9 | 1 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1930 | Chuck Collins | SoCon | 4 | 2 | 2 | 8th | 5 | 3 | 2 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1931 | Chuck Collins | SoCon | 2 | 3 | 3 | 13th | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1932 | Chuck Collins | SoCon | 2 | 5 | 1 | 17th | 3 | 5 | 2 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1933 | Chuck Collins | SoCon | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3rd | 4 | 5 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1934 | Carl Snavely | SoCon | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2nd | 7 | 1 | 1 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1935 | Carl Snavely | SoCon | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | 8 | 1 | 0 | — | N/A | N/A |
| 1936 | Raymond Wolf | SoCon | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | 8 | 2 | 0 | — | — | N/A |
| 1937 | Raymond Wolf | SoCon | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2nd | 7 | 1 | 1 | — | 19 | N/A |
| 1938 | Raymond Wolf | SoCon | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4th | 6 | 2 | 1 | — | — | N/A |
| 1939 | Raymond Wolf | SoCon | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3rd | 8 | 1 | 1 | — | — | N/A |
| 1940 | Raymond Wolf | SoCon | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5th | 6 | 4 | 0 | — | — | N/A |
| 1941 | Raymond Wolf | SoCon | 2 | 4 | 0 | 11th | 3 | 7 | 0 | — | — | N/A |
| 1942 | Jim Tatum | SoCon | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4th | 5 | 2 | 2 | — | — | N/A |
| 1943 | Tom Young | SoCon | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5th | 6 | 3 | 0 | — | — | N/A |
| 1944 | Gene McEver | SoCon | 0 | 3 | 1 | 9th | 1 | 7 | 1 | — | — | N/A |
| 1945 | Carl Snavely | SoCon | 2 | 2 | 0 | 7th | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | — | N/A |
| 1946 | Carl Snavely | SoCon | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1st | 8 | 2 | 1 | Lost 1947 Sugar Bowl vs. Georgia, 10-20 | 9 | N/A |
| 1947 | Carl Snavely | SoCon | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | 8 | 2 | 0 | — | 9 | N/A |
| 1948 | Carl Snavely | SoCon | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2nd | 9 | 1 | 1 | Lost 1949 Sugar Bowl vs. Oklahoma, 6-14 | 3 | N/A |
| 1949 | Carl Snavely | SoCon | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1st | 7 | 4 | 0 | Lost 1950 Cotton Bowl Classic vs. Rice, 13-27 | 16 | N/A |
| 1950 | Carl Snavely | SoCon | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7th | 3 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — |
| 1951 | Carl Snavely | SoCon | 2 | 3 | 0 | 10th | 2 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1952 | Carl Snavely | SoCon | 1 | 2 | 0 | 12th | 2 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1953 | George T. Barclay | ACC | 2 | 3 | 0 | T-3rd | 4 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1954 | George T. Barclay | ACC | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3rd | 4 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1955 | George T. Barclay | ACC | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4th | 3 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1956 | Jim Tatum | ACC | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5th | 2 | 7 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1957 | Jim Tatum | ACC | 4 | 3 | 0 | 4th | 6 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1958 | Jim Tatum | ACC | 4 | 3 | 0 | 4th | 6 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1959 | Jim Hickey | ACC | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2nd | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1960 | Jim Hickey | ACC | 2 | 5 | 0 | 6th | 3 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1961 | Jim Hickey | ACC | 4 | 3 | 0 | 2nd | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1962 | Jim Hickey | ACC | 3 | 4 | 0 | T-4th | 3 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1963 | Jim Hickey | ACC | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1st | 9 | 2 | 0 | Won 1963 Gator Bowl vs. Air Force, 35-0 | — | 19 |
| 1964 | Jim Hickey | ACC | 4 | 3 | 0 | T-3rd | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1965 | Jim Hickey | ACC | 3 | 3 | 0 | T-5th | 4 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1966 | Jim Hickey | ACC | 1 | 4 | 0 | 8th | 2 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1967 | Bill Dooley | ACC | 2 | 5 | 0 | 7th | 2 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1968 | Bill Dooley | ACC | 1 | 6 | 0 | 8th | 3 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1969 | Bill Dooley | ACC | 3 | 3 | 0 | T-3rd | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1970 | Bill Dooley | ACC | 5 | 2 | 0 | T-2nd | 8 | 4 | 0 | Lost 1970 Peach Bowl vs. Arizona State, 26-48 | — | — |
| 1971 | Bill Dooley | ACC | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1st | 9 | 3 | 0 | Lost 1971 Gator Bowl vs. Georgia, 3-7 | — | 18 |
| 1972 | Bill Dooley | ACC | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1st | 11 | 1 | 0 | Won 1972 Sun Bowl vs. Texas Tech, 32-28 | 12 | 14 |
| 1973 | Bill Dooley | ACC | 1 | 5 | 0 | 6th | 4 | 7 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1974 | Bill Dooley | ACC | 4 | 2 | 0 | T-2nd | 7 | 5 | 0 | Lost 1974 Sun Bowl vs. Mississippi State, 24-26 | — | — |
| 1975 | Bill Dooley | ACC | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6th | 3 | 7 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1976 | Bill Dooley | ACC | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | 9 | 3 | 0 | Lost 1976 Peach Bowl vs. Kentucky, 0-21 | — | — |
| 1977 | Bill Dooley | ACC | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1st | 8 | 3 | 1 | Lost 1977 Liberty Bowl vs. Nebraska, 17-21 | 17 | 14 |
| 1978 | Dick Crum | ACC | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4th | 5 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1979 | Dick Crum | ACC | 3 | 3 | 0 | 5th | 8 | 3 | 1 | Won 1979 Gator Bowl vs. Michigan, 17-15 | 15 | 14 |
| 1980 | Dick Crum | ACC | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1st | 11 | 1 | 0 | Won 1980 Bluebonnet Bowl vs. Texas, 16-7 | 10 | 9 |
| 1981 | Dick Crum | ACC | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2nd | 10 | 2 | 0 | Won 1981 Gator Bowl vs. Arkansas, 31-27 | 9 | 8 |
| 1982 | Dick Crum | ACC | 3 | 3 | 0 | T-3rd | 8 | 4 | 0 | Won 1982 Sun Bowl vs. Texas, 26-10 | 18 | 13 |
| 1983 | Dick Crum | ACC | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2nd | 8 | 4 | 0 | Lost 1983 Peach Bowl vs. Florida State, 3-28 | — | — |
| 1984 | Dick Crum | ACC | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3rd | 5 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1985 | Dick Crum | ACC | 3 | 4 | 0 | 5th | 5 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1986 | Dick Crum | ACC | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2nd | 7 | 4 | 1 | Lost 1986 Aloha Bowl vs. Arizona, 21-30 | — | — |
| 1987 | Dick Crum | ACC | 3 | 4 | 0 | 6th | 5 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1988 | Mack Brown | ACC | 1 | 6 | 0 | 7th | 1 | 10 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1989 | Mack Brown | ACC | 0 | 7 | 0 | 8th | 1 | 10 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1990 | Mack Brown | ACC | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5th | 6 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 1991 | Mack Brown | ACC | 3 | 4 | 0 | 5th | 7 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — |
| 1992 | Mack Brown | ACC | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3rd | 9 | 3 | 0 | Won 1993 Peach Bowl vs. Mississippi State, 21-17 | 19 | 18 |
| 1993 | Mack Brown | ACC | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2nd | 10 | 3 | 0 | Lost 1993 Gator Bowl vs. Alabama, 10-24 | 19 | 21 |
| 1994 | Mack Brown | ACC | 5 | 3 | 0 | T-3rd | 8 | 4 | 0 | Lost 1994 Sun Bowl vs. Texas, 30-35 | — | 21 |
| 1995 | Mack Brown | ACC | 4 | 4 | 0 | 5th | 7 | 5 | 0 | Won Carquest Bowl vs. Arkansas, 20-10 | — | — |
| 1996 | Mack Brown | ACC | 6 | 2 | — | 2nd | 10 | 2 | — | Won 1997 Gator Bowl vs. West Virginia, 20-13 | 10 | 10 |
| 1997 | Mack Brown | ACC | 7 | 1 | — | 2nd | 10 | 1 | — | did not coach bowl game. | 6 | 4 |
| 1997 | Carl Torbush | ACC | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | — | Won 1998 Gator Bowl vs. Virginia Tech, 42–3 | 6 | 4 |
| 1998 | Carl Torbush | ACC | 4 | 4 | — | T-4th | 7 | 5 | — | Won 1998 Las Vegas Bowl vs. San Diego State, 20-13 | — | — |
| 1999 | Carl Torbush | ACC | 2 | 6 | — | 9th | 3 | 8 | — | — | — | — |
| 2000 | Carl Torbush | ACC | 3 | 5 | — | 6th | 6 | 5 | — | — | — | — |
| 2001 | John Bunting | ACC | 5 | 3 | — | 3rd | 8 | 5 | — | Won 2001 Peach Bowl vs. Auburn, 16-10 | — | — |
| 2002 | John Bunting | ACC | 1 | 7 | — | 8th | 3 | 9 | — | — | — | — |
| 2003 | John Bunting | ACC | 1 | 7 | — | 9th | 2 | 10 | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | John Bunting | ACC | 5 | 3 | — | T-3rd | 6 | 6 | — | Lost 2004 Continental Tire Bowl vs. Boston College, 24-37 | — | — |
| 2005 | John Bunting | ACC | 4 | 4 | — | 4th (Coastal) | 5 | 6 | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | John Bunting | ACC | 2 | 6 | — | 5th (Coastal) | 3 | 9 | — | — | — | — |
| 2007 | Butch Davis | ACC | 3 | 5 | — | 4th (Coastal) | 4 | 8 | — | — | — | — |
| 2008 | Butch Davis | ACC | 0 (4) | 4 | — | 3rd (Coastal) | 0 (8) | 5 | — | Lost 2008 Meineke Car Care Bowl vs. West Virginia, 30-31 | — | — |
| 2009 | Butch Davis | ACC | 0 (4) | 4 | — | 4th (Coastal) | 0 (8) | 5 | — | Lost 2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl vs. Pittsburgh, 17-19 | — | — |
| 2010 | Butch Davis | ACC | 4 | 4 | — | 3rd (Coastal) | 8 | 5 | — | Won 2010 Music City Bowl vs. Tennessee, 30-27 (2OT) | — | — |
| 2011 | Everett Withers | ACC | 3 | 5 | — | 4th (Coastal) | 7 | 6 | — | Lost 2011 Independence Bowl vs. Missouri, 24-41 | — | — |
| 2012 | Larry Fedora | ACC | 5 | 3 | — | T-1st (Coastal) | 8 | 4 | — | Ineligible | — | — |
| 2013 | Larry Fedora | ACC | 4 | 4 | — | 5th (Coastal) | 7 | 6 | — | Won 2013 Belk Bowl vs. Cincinnati, 39-17 | — | — |
| 2014 | Larry Fedora | ACC | 4 | 4 | — | 3rd (Coastal) | 6 | 7 | — | Lost 2014 Quick Lane Bowl vs. Rutgers, 21-41 | — | — |
| 2015 | Larry Fedora | ACC | 8 | 0 | — | 1st (Coastal) | 11 | 3 | — | Lost 2015 Russell Athletic Bowl vs. Baylor, 38-49 | 15 | 15 |
| 2016 | Larry Fedora | ACC | 5 | 3 | — | 3rd (Coastal) | 8 | 5 | — | Lost 2016 Sun Bowl vs. Stanford, 23-25 | — | — |
| 2017 | Larry Fedora | ACC | 1 | 7 | — | 7th (Coastal) | 3 | 9 | — | — | — | — |
| 2018 | Larry Fedora | ACC | 1 | 7 | — | 7th (Coastal) | 2 | 9 | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | Mack Brown | ACC | 4 | 4 | — | 4th (Coastal) | 7 | 6 | — | Won 2019 Military Bowl vs. Temple, 55-13 | — | — |
| 2020 | Mack Brown | ACC | 7 | 3 | — | T-4th (Coastal) | 8 | 4 | — | Lost 2021 Orange Bowl vs. Texas A&M, 27-41 | 18 | 17 |
| 2021 | Mack Brown | ACC | 3 | 5 | — | 5th (Coastal) | 6 | 7 | — | Lost 2021 Duke's Mayo Bowl vs. South Carolina, 21-38 | — | — |
| 2022 | Mack Brown | ACC | 6 | 2 | — | 1st (Coastal) | 9 | 5 | — | Lost 2022 Holiday Bowl vs. Oregon, 27-28 | — | — |
| 2023 | Mack Brown | ACC | 4 | 4 | — | T-5th | 8 | 5 | — | Lost 2023 Duke's Mayo Bowl vs. West Virginia, 10–30 | | |
| 2024 | Mack Brown | ACC | 3 | 5 | — | T-10th | 6 | 7 | — | Lost 2024 Fenway Bowl vs. Connecticut, 14-27 | | |
| Totals (Through December 28, 2024) | Totals (Through December 28, 2024) | Totals (Through December 28, 2024) | SoCon: 98–52–17 (.638) ACC: 262–251–5 (.511) | SoCon: 98–52–17 (.638) ACC: 262–251–5 (.511) | SoCon: 98–52–17 (.638) ACC: 262–251–5 (.511) | | All-time: 735–576–54 (.558) | All-time: 735–576–54 (.558) | All-time: 735–576–54 (.558) | Postseason: 15–24 (.385) | | |