By R.L. Bynum
For the fifth straight game to start the season, North Carolina’s game will start at noon when the Tar Heels visit Pittsburgh on Oct. 10.
The game against the Panthers at Acrisure Stadium will air on ESPN or ESPN2.
This will equal the total number of noon starts in 2024, when the Tar Heels went 1–4 in those early-afternoon games, beating Virginia but losing to James Madison, Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech and Boston College. UNC also plays at noon on Nov. 7 when the Tar Heels play at UConn.
Carolina (2–1, 0–1 ACC) had its most noon starts in the last 40 years in 2007, with seven, when the Tar Heels went 1–6 in those games.
Pittsburgh (4–0, 1–0) will have one more day of rest than UNC after playing at Virginia Tech at 7 p.m. Friday (ESPN).
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UNC early starts in last 40 years
| Year/date | Opponent | W/L/T | Score | Start time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | ||||
| Sept. 6 | The Citadel | W | 45–14 | 12:15 |
| Sept. 20 | Florida State | T | 10–10 | 12:20 |
| Oct. 4 | Georgia Tech | W | 21–20 | 12:15 |
| Oct. 18 | N.C. State | L | 35–34 | 12:15 |
| Nov. 1 | Maryland | W | 32–30 | 12:15 |
| Nov. 15 | Virginia | W | 27–7 | 12:15 |
| 1987 | ||||
| Sept. 5 | Illinois | W | 34–14 | 12:05 |
| Oct. 17 | N.C. State | W | 17–14 | 12:05 |
| Oct. 31 | Maryland | W | 27–14 | 12:05 |
| Nov. 21 | Duke | L | 25–10 | 12:05 |
| 1988 | ||||
| Oct. 15 | N.C. State | L | 48–3 | Noon |
| Oct. 29 | Maryland | L | 41–38 | Noon |
| Nov. 5 | Clemson | L | 37–14 | Noon |
| Nov. 19 | Duke | L | 35–29 | 12:05 |
| 1989 | ||||
| Oct. 7 | Wake Forest | L | 17–16 | Noon |
| Oct. 28 | Maryland | L | 38–0 | Noon |
| Nov. 4 | Clemson | L | 35–3 | Noon |
| Nov. 18 | Duke | L | 41–0 | Noon |
| 1990 | ||||
| Nov. 3 | Clemson | L | 20–3 | 12:10 |
| Nov. 10 | Virginia | L | 24–10 | 12:10 |
| Nov. 17 | Duke | W | 24–22 | 12:10 |
| 1991 | ||||
| Sept. 28 | N.C. State | L | 24–7 | Noon |
| Oct. 19 | Virginia | L | 14–9 | 12:10 |
| Oct. 26 | Georgia Tech | L | 35–14 | 12:10 |
| Nov. 2 | Maryland | W | 24–0 | 12:10 |
| Nov. 23 | Duke | W | 47–14 | 12:10 |
| 1992 | ||||
| Sept. 5 | Wake Forest | W | 35–17 | 12:10 |
| Sept. 26 | N.C. State | L | 27–20 | 12:10 |
| Oct. 10 | Florida State | L | 36–13 | 12:10 |
| Oct. 17 | Virginia | W | 27–7 | 12:10 |
| Nov. 21 | Duke | W | 31–28 | 12:10 |
| 1993 | ||||
| Sept. 25 | N.C. State | W | 35–14 | 12:10 |
| Oct. 9 | Wake Forest | W | 45–35 | 12:10 |
| Oct. 16 | Georgia Tech | W | 41–3 | 12:05 |
| 1994 | ||||
| Oct. 8 | Georgia Tech | W | 31–24 | 12:10 |
| Nov. 19 | Duke | W | 41–40 | Noon |
| 1995 | ||||
| Sept. 9 | Maryland | L | 32–18 | Noon |
| Oct. 7 | Virginia | W | 22–17 | Noon |
| Oct. 14 | Georgia Tech | L | 27–25 | Noon |
| Nov. 4 | Clemson | L | 17–10 | Noon |
| Nov. 11 | Florida State | L | 28–12 | Noon |
| Nov. 18 | Duke | W | 28–24 | Noon |
| 1996 | ||||
| Nov. 2 | N.C. State | W | 52–20 | Noon |
| Nov. 23 | Duke | W | 27–10 | Noon |
| 1997 | ||||
| Sept. 6 | Indiana | W | 23–6 | Noon |
| Sept. 20 | Maryland | W | 40–14 | Noon |
| Sept. 27 | Virginia | W | 48–20 | Noon |
| Oct. 11 | Wake Forest | W | 30–12 | Noon |
| Nov. 22 | Duke | W | 50–14 | Noon |
| 1998 | ||||
| Oct. 24 | Wake Forest | W | 38–31 | Noon |
| Nov. 7 | Maryland | W | 24–13 | Noon |
| Nov. 21 | Duke | W | 28–6 | Noon |
| 1999 | ||||
| Sept. 4 | Virginia | L | 20–17 | Noon |
| 2000 | ||||
| Oct. 28 | Virginia | L | 17–6 | Noon |
| Nov. 11 | Maryland | W | 13–10 | Noon |
| Nov. 17 | Duke | W | 59–21 | Noon |
| 2002 | ||||
| Oct. 12 | N.C. State | L | 34–17 | Noon |
| Oct. 19 | Virginia | L | 37–27 | Noon |
| Oct. 26 | Wake Forest | L | 31–0 | Noon |
| Nov. 9 | Clemson | L | 42–12 | Noon |
| Nov. 23 | Duke | W | 23–21 | Noon |
| 2004 | ||||
| Sept. 11 | Virginia | L | 56–24 | Noon |
| Oct. 2 | Florida State | L | 38–16 | Noon |
| Nov. 6 | Virginia Tech | L | 27–24 | Noon |
| Nov. 13 | Wake Forest | W | 31–24 | Noon |
| Nov. 20 | Duke | W | 40–17 | Noon |
| 2005 | ||||
| Sept. 24 | N.C. State | W | 31–24 | Noon |
| Oct. 22 | Virginia | W | 7–5 | Noon |
| Oct. 29 | Miami | L | 34–16 | Noon |
| Nov. 5 | Boston College | W | 16–14 | Noon |
| Nov. 12 | Maryland | L | 33–30 | Noon |
| 2006 | ||||
| Sept. 9 | Virginia Tech | L | 35–10 | Noon |
| Sept. 23 | Clemson | L | 52–7 | Noon |
| Oct. 7 | Miami | L | 27–7 | Noon |
| Oct. 14 | South Florida | L | 37–20 | Noon |
| 2007 | ||||
| Sept. 15 | Virginia | L | 22–20 | Noon |
| Sept. 22 | South Florida | L | 37–10 | Noon |
| Sept. 29 | Virginia Tech | L | 17–10 | Noon |
| Oct. 6 | Miami | W | 33–27 | Noon |
| Oct. 27 | Wake Forest | L | 37–10 | Noon |
| Nov. 10 | N.C. State | L | 31–27 | Noon |
| Nov. 17 | Georgia Tech | L | 27–25 | Noon |
| 2008 | ||||
| Sept. 27 | Miami | W | 28–24 | Noon |
| 2009 | ||||
| Sept. 12 | Connecticut | W | 12–10 | Noon |
| Sept. 19 | East Carolina | W | 31–17 | Noon |
| Sept. 26 | Georgia Tech | L | 24–7 | Noon |
| Oct. 3 | Virginia | L | 16–3 | Noon |
| Nov. 21 | Boston College | W | 31–13 | Noon |
| Nov. 28 | N.C. State | L | 28–27 | Noon |
| 2010 | ||||
| Sept. 18 | Georgia Tech | L | 30–24 | Noon |
| Nov. 20 | N.C. State | L | 29–25 | Noon |
| 2011 | ||||
| Sept. 24 | Georgia Tech | L | 35–28 | Noon |
| Oct. 8 | Louisville | W | 14–7 | Noon |
| Oct. 22 | Clemson | L | 59–38 | Noon |
| 2013 | ||||
| Sept. 21 | Georgia Tech | L | 28–20 | Noon |
| 2015 | ||||
| Sept. 19 | Illinois | W | 48–14 | Noon |
| Nov. 7 | Duke | W | 66–31 | Noon |
| Nov. 21 | Virginia Tech | W | 30–27 | Noon |
| 2016 | ||||
| Nov. 25 | N.C. State | L | 28–21 | Noon |
| 2017 | ||||
| Sept. 2 | California | L | 35–30 | 12:20 |
| Sept. 9 | Louisville | L | 47–35 | Noon |
| Sept. 30 | Georgia Tech | L | 33–7 | Noon |
| 2018 | ||||
| Sept. 22 | Pittsburgh | W | 38–35 | 12:20 |
| Oct. 20 | Syracuse | L | 40–37 | 12:20 |
| Oct. 27 | Virginia | L | 31–21 | 12:20 |
| Nov. 3 | Georgia Tech | L | 38–28 | Noon |
| Nov. 10 | Duke | L | 42–35 | 12:20 |
| Nov. 24 | N.C. State | L | 34–28 | 12:20 |
| 2019 | ||||
| Dec. 27 | Temple | W | 55–13 | Noon |
| 2020 | ||||
| Sept. 12 | Syracuse | W | 31–6 | Noon |
| Oct. 10 | Virginia Tech | W | 56–45 | Noon |
| Oct. 24 | N.C. State | W | 48–21 | Noon |
| 2021 | ||||
| Oct. 2 | Duke | W | 38–7 | Noon |
| Nov. 6 | Wake Forest | W | 58–55 | Noon |
| Nov. 20 | Wofford | W | 34–14 | Noon |
| 2022 | ||||
| Sept. 3 | Appalachian State | W | 63–61 | Noon |
| Sept. 10 | Georgia State | W | 35–28 | Noon |
| 2023 | ||||
| Nov. 4 | Campbell | W | 59–7 | Noon |
| 2024 | ||||
| Sept. 21 | James Madison | L | 70–50 | Noon |
| Oct. 5 | Pittsburgh | L | 34–24 | Noon |
| Oct. 12 | Georgia Tech | L | 41–34 | Noon |
| Oct. 26 | Virginia | W | 41–14 | Noon |
| Nov. 23 | Boston College | L | 41–21 | Noon |
| 2025 | ||||
| Oct. 4 | Clemson | L | 38–10 | Noon |
| Oct. 25 | Virginia | L | 17–16 | Noon |
| 2026 | ||||
| Aug. 29 | TCU | W | 15–10 | Noon ET |
| Sept. 12 | ETSU | W | 34–3 | Noon |
| Sept. 19 | Clemson L | 28–20 | Noon | |
| Oct. 3 | Notre Dame | Noon | ||
| Team | ACC | All |
|---|---|---|
| No. 4 Miami | 2–0 | 4–0 |
| Clemson | 2–0 | 3–1 |
| Duke | 1–0 | 4–0 |
| Pittsburgh | 1–0 | 4–0 |
| Virginia Tech | 1–0 | 4–0 |
| Virginia | 1–0 | 3–1 |
| No. 21 SMU | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| Wake Forest | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| California | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Louisville | 1–1 | 2–2 |
| Stanford | 1–2 | 2–2 |
| North Carolina | 0–1 | 2–1 |
| Boston College | 0–1 | 2–2 |
| Florida State | 0–1 | 2–2 |
| N.C. State | 0–1 | 2–2 |
| Georgia Tech | 0–1 | 1–3 |
| Syracuse | 0–2 | 1–2 |
Friday’s result
Clemson 24, California 10
Saturday’s results
Virginia Tech 21, Boston College 14
Pittsburgh 59, Bucknell 0
Wake Forest 30, Louisville 27
Florida State 34, Central Arkansas 7
Duke 62, William & Mary 7
Virginia 42, Delaware 3
No. 4 Miami 52, Central Michigan 3
N.C. State 41, Appalachian State 31
No. 21 SMU 34, Missouri State 24
Stanford 34, Georgia Tech 27
Friday’s game
Pittsburgh at Virginia Tech, 7 p.m., ESPN
Saturday’s games
No. 3 Notre Dame at North Carolina, noon, ESPN
Stanford at Wake Forest, noon, ACCN
Boston College at No. 21 SMU, noon, The CW
Syracuse at UConn, noon, CBSSN
Virginia at Florida State, 3:30, ESPN2
Louisville at N.C. State, 3:30, ACCN
California at UNLV, 3:30, CBSSN
Friday, Oct. 9, game
Florida State at Louisville, 7 p.m., ESPN
Saturday, Oct. 10, games
North Carolina at Pittsburgh, noon, ESPN or ESPN2
Wake Forest at N.C. State, noon, The CW
Virginia Tech at California, 3:30, ESPN or ACCN
Duke at Georgia Tech, 3:30, ESPN2 or ACCN
Stanford at No. 3 Notre Dame, 3:30, NBC/Peacock
Syracuse at Virginia, 7:30, ACCN
| Month/ date | Score/ time | Opponent (current ranking) | Record/TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| August | |||
| 29 | W, 15–10 | vs.TCU in Dublin | 1–0 |
| September | |||
| 12 | W, 35–3 | vs. ETSU | 2–0 |
| 19 | L, 28–20 | at Clemson | 2–1, 0–1 ACC |
| October | |||
| 3 | Noon | vs. No. 3 Notre Dame | ESPN |
| 10 | Noon | at Pittsburgh | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 17 | TBA | at Duke | TBA |
| 24 | TBA | vs. Syracuse | TBA |
| 31 | TBA | vs. No. 4 Miami | TBA |
| November | |||
| 7 | Noon | at UConn | CBSSN |
| 14 | TBA | vs. Louisville | TBA |
| 21 | TBA | at Virginia | TBA |
| 28 | TBA | vs. N.C. State | TBA |
| December | |||
| 5 | noon, ABC | ACC championship game in Charlotte | ESPN |
Photo by Smith Hardy
