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You’re likely frustrated if you are a Spectrum cable customer who can’t make it to Kenan Stadium for Saturday’s 5:15 UNC home football opener against Appalachian State. ACC Network, one of the 26 channels currently off Spectrum’s menu because of a carriage dispute between Charter Communications and Disney, will televise the game.
After an impressive defensive performance in an opening-game victory in Charlotte over South Carolina, North Carolina jumped four spots to No. 17 in the latest AP Top 25 football poll to continue the Tar Heels’ best early-season ranking stretch in 40 years.
The biggest spotlights will be on Sam Howell and Javonte Williams as the NFL season starts this week, but rookies such as Josh Downs will also be worth watching. Dyami Brown may get more chances early this season, and three other UNC alums moved up on depth charts leading up to this weekend’s openers.
Mack Brown says college sports decision-makers make big moves with an eye on money, with little consideration of the other effects of the changes. The veteran North Carolina coach says that one of those times was Friday, when the ACC college presidents voted to add Stanford, Cal and SMU to the league over the objections of his school’s leadership.
Well, that was a pleasant surprise. UNC built a 17-point, third-quarter lead and then turned away their brethren from Lesser Carolina multiple times in the 4th quarter to leave Charlotte with a season-opening 31–17 win.
Coach Mack Brown and quarterback Drake Maye comment on UNC’s victory over South Carolina.
CHARLOTTE — Even without his best two wide receivers, talented redshirt sophomore quarterback Drake Maye still found a way. And UNC finally found a way to keep pressure on an opposing quarterback. Showing elusiveness and poise in the opener of likely his final college season, Maye led No. 21 North Carolina to a 31–17 opening-game victory Saturday for Coach Mack Brown’s 100th win as UNC’s head coach.
With Carolina’s opener with South Carolina in Charlotte coming up on Saturday night, Coach Mack Brown says they are still waiting to hear back from the NCAA about the status of wide receiver Tez Walker. It’s a tremendous source of frustration for Walker, a transfer from Kent State, and the entire program.
NFL teams waived seven former UNC players in the last week, many on Tuesday when rosters had to be trimmed to 53 players ahead of season openers the weekend after next. Rookie wide receiver Antoine Green was among those making the cut after an impressive final exhibition game for the Detroit Lions.
As ACC adds Stanford and Cal beginning in the 2024–25 school year, the first concern should be for the athletes who must routinely take cross-country flights while also being students. The travel sounds daunting because it is. But there are scheduling models that could make it easier.
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