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CHAPEL HILL — No. 14 North Carolina destroyed any doubts about its potential with an offensive explosion and an unyielding defensive show. In the undefeated Tar Heels’ most complete game of the season, they dominated a good Syracuse team Saturday 40-7 at Kenan Stadium in an effort that should command plenty of national attention.
he NCAA has ruled UNC wide receiver Tez Walker eligible immediately because of what it called new information, and he’ll debut as a Tar Heel on Saturday against Syracuse.
The NCAA said that the new information had not previously been provided to it by Carolina. “While we must be careful not to compromise a student-athlete’s right to privacy when it com
North Carolina moved up in the latest AP Top 25 football poll without taking a snap this weekend. The Tar Heels (4–0, 1–0 ACC) are up one spot to No. 14, and are 7½-point favorites for their ACC home opener at 3:30 Saturday (ESPN) against Syracuse (4–1, 0-1), which lost at home 31–14 to Clemson on Saturday.
Wide receiver Tez Walker will be able to play this season after all — but not until No. 15 Carolina’s expected bowl game. A school spokesman confirmed Wednesday night that Walker becomes eligible after finishing two semesters at UNC. He transferred to Carolina before the spring 2023 semester and would have met that standard after the fall semester concludes.
Carolina’s best start in 26 years has the Tar Heels again moving up in the AP Top 25 poll. UNC (4–0, 1–0 ACC) moved up two spots to No. 15 in the latest poll after Saturday’s 41–24 win at Pittsburgh in the ACC opener for both teams.
You can understand if UNC fan was feeling a little angst about Saturday night’s game vs. Pittsburgh at Acrisure Stadium. On the road, where Carolina had lost two straight heartbreaking overtime games. Poor weather. A team struggling to find its offensive groove. Looking to go 4–0 for only the third time in the past 40 years. Stormtrooper uniforms, which never seem to work. All the elements were there for an Admiral Ackbar special — it’s a trap.
Hear Coach Mack Brown’s thoughts after UNC’s victory over PIttsburgh.
PITTSBURGH — With Drake Maye digging into his bag of tricks and the defense digging in after a slow start, North Carolina is off to its best start in 26 years. Maye ran for two touchdowns and showed his improvisational skills with a left-handed touchdown pass as the No. 18 Tar Heels rolled to a 41–24 victory over Pittsburgh in their ACC opener for their best start since 1997, when Coach Mack Brown’s last team of his first stint also started 4–0.
UNC defensive linebacker Tomari Fox and linebackers coach Tommy Thigpen talk to the media ahead of the Tar Heels’ game Saturday at Pitt.
Poll voters who had doubts about North Carolina a week earlier were impressed after the Tar Heels’ 31–13 home victory over Minnesota. UNC (3–0) moved up three spots to No. 17 in the latest AP poll, the highest rank since it was No. 17 on Nov. 5 last season after a win over Virginia, a week before peaking at No. 13 following the Nov. 12 victory over Wake Forest.
There’s a saying in football about “best on best,” such as your best player vs. another team’s best player, or what you do best vs. what your opponent does best. That idea was expected to be on display as Minnesota visited UNC on Saturday afternoon.
Carolina players Armani Chapman, Drake Maye, Power Echols and Nate McCollum and talk about the Minnesota win.
Watch Mack Brown’s postgame press conference after the Minnesota game.
CHAPEL HILL — Drake Maye finally got one of the playmaking wide receivers he came into the season expecting and took full advantage. After being banged up and catching only one pass in the first two games, Georgia Tech transfer Nate McCollum caught 15 passes for a career-high 165 yards to ignite No. 20 North Carolina’s 31–13 victory Saturday at Kenan Stadium over Minnesota.
Mack Brown says everybody at UNC is concerned about Tez Walker and wants to get on the same page so they can do something to help him. That’s why he was scheduled to join the noon UNC-Chapel Hill Board of Trustees emergency meeting on Monday to figure out the best options for Walker after the NCAA denied the wide receiver’s appeal. Brown doesn’t know how likely he’ll play this season.
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