By R.L. Bynum MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. –– North Carolina players at the Orange Bowl heard the doubters who didn’t give the Tar Heels a chance after four stars opted out of the game against the highest-ranked team to miss the College Football Playoff. The defensive unit, which was shaky at times during the regular season, …
Continue reading “UNC’s defense shines for three quarters before Texas A&M surges to victory”
By R.L. Bynum North Carolina offensive coordinator Phil Longo enjoyed a high-energy Christmas morning with his four kids and spent that afternoon coming up with a game plan for the Orange Bowl against Texas A&M. The morning gave him some nice holiday memories but the work he did in the afternoon had a short shelf …
Continue reading “Game planning on Christmas gives way to redistribution process for UNC’s Longo”
Orange Bowl possible with win at Miami By R.L. Bynum After a week out of the Top 25 and a blowout senior day victory, North Carolina is back in the AP Top 25 football poll at No. 20. The poll figured to have plenty of changes after six teams in last week’s Top 25 lost, …
Continue reading “Heels return to AP poll at No. 20 but CFP rankings bigger”
By R.L. Bynum With a huge road matchup next weekend at No. 9 Miami, the goals were pretty simple for a senior day matchup with Western Carolina: Take care of business, stay away from injuries and play a lot of young guys in the second half. North Carolina (7–3, 6–3 ACC) checked all of those …
By R.L. Bynum In North Carolina’s second chance at a historic signature win in two seasons, the Tar Heels showed that the program can play with anybody in the country. Just like against No. 1 Clemson a year ago when UNC was a 2-point conversion away from victory, the Tar Heels couldn’t get it done …
Continue reading “Tar Heels play another top team well but again fall short of historic win”
By R.L. Bynum Who said the polls are logical? North Carolina won two consecutive games impressively and got left out of the AP football poll a week ago. The Tar Heels haven’t played since then but are back in the poll after a three-week absence at No. 25. In the coaches’ poll, UNC moved up …
Continue reading “Idle UNC slips back into the AP Top 25 at No. 25”
By R.L. Bynum Mack Brown’s North Carolina team has been fortunate to escape without too much disruption during the football season because of COVID-19. But one scenario could throw a major 2020 curveball at the Tar Heels. Beating No. 2 Notre Dame on Nov. 27 at Kenan Stadium will be quite a challenge for North …
By R.L. Bynum Two weeks after Virginia shoved North Carolina onto the Top 25 football poll exit ramp, Sam Howell impressively navigated a victory and directed the Tar Heels down the on-ramp — at least in the coaches poll. After being left out of the Top 25 for two consecutive weeks following Carolina’s 44–41 loss …
By R.L. Bynum Years from now, North Carolina fans will fondly reflect on the record-shattering career of quarterback Sam Howell while watching him pick apart NFL defenses. There will be many more opportunities between now and the end of next season. But Saturday’s sterling effort against Wake Forest will be one memory that will stick …
By R.L. Bynum DURHAM — North Carolina found the cure for its struggling defense in Durham and with the Tar Heels’ offense as potent as ever, possession of the Victory Bell was never in doubt. Javonte Williams, with 24 points, scored as much as Duke in Carolina’s 56–24 romp over the Blue Devils (2–6, 1–6 …
Continue reading “UNC’s defense plays well; Tar Heels, Williams pour on the offense in romp at Duke”
