By R.L. Bynum
North Carolina is ranked in the preseason AP Top 25 football poll for the third time in four seasons.
The Tar Heels are No. 21 in the poll, released Monday, the lowest preseason poll appearances in Coach Mack Brown’s second stint in Chapel Hill after being ranked No. 18 in 2020 and No. 10 in 2021.
It’s the best stretch of UNC making the preseason AP poll since the Tar Heels did it in five of six seasons from 1994 to 1998. All but 1998 were during Brown’s first UNC stint.
UNC is a 2½-point underdog for its 7:30 opener against South Carolina in Charlotte on Sept. 2 (ABC). The Gamecocks aren’t ranked, receiving the 27th-most poll points.
The Tar Heels are No. 20 in the preseason coaches poll, released last Monday.
No. 9 Clemson is the only team on UNC’s schedule ranked in the preseason poll.
As expected, two-time reigning College Football Playoff champion Georgia is No. 1 for the 13th consecutive poll, with Michigan No. 2 and Ohio State No. 3. At No. 4, Alabama is outside of the top three for the first time since 2009.
Florida State is No. 8, with Pittsburgh, Louisville, Duke and N.C. State getting votes.
Ranking Carolina the highest at No. 13 is Kirk Kenney of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Tom Murphy of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette has the Heels No. 15, and Matt Brown of Sports on Earth and Mike Niziolek of The Herald-Times in Bloomington, Ind., each have them No. 16. Seven voters left UNC off their ballots.
The North Carolina voters on the poll this season are Jordan Crammer of WNCN (who has UNC No. 18), Kate Rogerson of WTVD (No. 17), Steve Wiseman, the Duke beat writer for The News & Observer (No. 25).
Carolina missed the preseason poll last season and was ranked from Week 8 (Oct. 16) to Week 14 (Nov. 27). The Tar Heels were as high as No. 13 but fell out of the poll after the 30–27 double-overtime home loss Nov. 25 to N.C. State. Carolina received votes, with the 32nd-most poll points in the final poll.
The Tar Heels finished 9–5, losing their last four games after winning eight of the first nine.
AP Top 25
Others receiving votes: Texas Tech 101, South Carolina 73, UCLA 66, UTSA 64, Arkansas 22, Boise St. 17, Pittsburgh 16, Kentucky 14, Louisville 10, Troy 10, Kansas 10, Auburn 7, Minnesota 6, Toledo 4, Duke 4, Mississippi St. 4, Florida 4, Illinois 3, Baylor 3, Coastal Carolina 3, South Alabama 1, NC State 1, James Madison 1, Liberty 1.
Carolina in Preseason AP Top 25
2023 — No. 21
2021 — No. 10
2020 — No. 18
2016 — No. 22
2014 — No. 23
2010 — No. 18
2009 — No. 21
1998 — No. 12
1997 — No. 7
1995 — No. 20
1994 — No. 19
1993 — No. 20
1983 — No. 11
1982 — No. 5
1981 — No. 12
1980 — No 14
1978 — No. 19
1973 — No. 19
UNC schedule
UNC schedule
| Month/ date | Opponent/event | 2023 record | UNC record in series |
|---|---|---|---|
| April | |||
| 20 | Spring game, 3 p.m. | — | — |
| August | |||
| 29 (Thurs.) | at Minnesota | 6–7 | 1–0 |
| September | |||
| 7 | Charlotte | 3–9 | 0–0 |
| 14 | N.C. Central | 9–3 | 0–0 |
| 21 | James Madison | 11–2 | 3–0 |
| 28 | at Duke | 8–5 | 65–40–4 |
| October | |||
| 5 | Pittsburgh | 3–9 | 12–5 |
| 12 | Georgia Tech | 7–6 | 22–33–3 |
| 26 | at Virginia | 3–9 | 66–58–4 |
| November | |||
| 2 | at Florida State | 13–1 | 3–17–1 |
| 16 | Wake Forest | 4–8 | 72–36–2 |
| 23 | at Boston College | 7–6 | 6–2 |
| 30 | N.C. State | 9–4 | 68–39–6 |
Photo via @UNCFootball
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