Football Set To Kick Off 2024 Season At Minnesota

The Matchup
North Carolina at Minnesota
Thursday, August 29, 2024
8:00 p.m. ET | FOX
Huntington Bank Stadium | Minneapolis, Minn.

North Carolina (0-0, 0-0 ACC)
CFP/AP/Coaches Rank:
Head Coach: Mack Brown
Record at UNC: 107-73-1
Career Record: 282-149-1

Minnesota Golden Gophers (0-0, 0-0 Big-10)
CFP/AP/Coaches Rank:
Head Coach: P.J. Fleck (Northern Illinois, 2004)
Record at Minnesota: 50-34 (8th Season)

TV: FOX
Play-By-Play: Jason Benetti
Analyst: Brock Huard
Sideline: Allison Williams

Radio - Tar Heel Sports Network
Local: WCHL-FM 97.9 (Chapel Hill) | WCHL-AM 1360 (Chapel Hill)
Sirius: 132 | XM: 193
Play-by-Play: Jones Angell
Analyst: Bryn Renner & Joe Jauch
Sideline: Lee Pace
Pre-Game Show: Dave Nathan & Na' Brown

Series History
All-Time Series Record: UNC leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: North Carolina won, 31-13 (2023, Chapel Hill)

ACC/Big 10 Showdown Kicks Off Regular Season
For the first time since 2016, the North Carolina Tar Heels will face a Big Ten opponent on the road in non-conference play. During the 2016 season, the Tar Heels defeated Illinois 48-23 in Champaign. Now, the Tar Heels will look to go 2-0 against Minnesota after its 31-13 victory over the Gophers inside Kenan Stadium last season.

A Win Would...
» Give Carolina its ninth victory in season-opening games against a Power conference team since Mack Brown's first season in Chapel Hill back in 1988. With Mack Brown at the helm, the Tar Heels are 8-2 in those games and 0-11 in games under all other head coaches.
» Cement Carolina's first win in the state of Minnesota.
» Extend UNC's winning streak to three in season-opening matchups.

Second Stint Success
During the five years of Mack Brown's second stint in Chapel Hill, Carolina is tied for second in the ACC in both overall and conference wins. Clemson leads both categories with 54 overall wins and 34 ACC victories with UNC and NC State tied for second at 38 overall wins and 24 conference victories.

Last Time vs. Minnesota
The Tar Heels' 2023 matchup with the Gophers saw Drake Maye complete 29-of-40 passes for 414 yards and two touchdowns and Nate McCollum made his first start at Kenan Stadium a memorable one with 15 receptions for 165 yards and a score as No. 20 UNC defeated Minnesota, 31-13. Maye's 414 yards were the second most in his two seasons as starter. He completed 18-of-23 for 287 yards in the first half. McCollum's 15 catches were the fourth most by a Tar Heel in a game and were just one shy of the UNC single-game record. He had 11 catches for 130 yards in the first half, the most receptions in any half by a Tar Heel in at least 50 seasons.

Tight End Trust
Since Mack Brown returned to the sidelines in 2019, nobody in the ACC has used their tight ends more effectively than the Tar Heels. Over that span, Carolina's tight ends have posted 241 receptions for 3,116 yards and 32 TDs, while producing 141 first downs. The Tar Heels lead the ACC in yards, TDs and first downs, and rank second in receptions. The two stalwarts returning at the position, John Copenhaver and Bryson Nesbit, combined for 864 yards and nine TDs last season.

My "O" My
Omarion Hampton ranked near the top of the national charts in nearly all rushing statistics in 2023, but he led the country in one key category. Of his 1,504 rushing yards, 1,072 came after contact according to PFF. In addition to his rushing yards, Hampton was one of two running backs in the country that rushed for over 1,500 yards and scored 15 touchdowns. Ollie Gordon of Oklahoma State was the other.

Thirty Threshold
The Tar Heels are 71-8 under Mack Brown when they score 30-plus points and 47-1 when they score 40-plus points

Nine Tar Heels Named To Preseason Award Watch Lists
Noah Burnette, John Copenhaver, Power Echols, Omarion Hampton, Alijah Huzzie, Willie Lampkin, Bryson Nesbit, Kobe Paysour and Kaimon Rucker each garnered preseason award watch list recognition.

»Noah Burnette

Lou Groza Award Watch List

»John Copenhaver

Mackey Award Watch List

»Power Echols

Bednarik Award Watch List
Butkus Award Watch List

»Omarion Hampton

Maxwell Award Watch List
Walter Camp Player of the Year
Doak Walker Award Watch List
Sporting News Preseason All-America First Team -AP Preseason All-America First Team
Preseason All-ACC

»Alijah Huzzie

Paul Hornung Award Watch List

»Willie Lampkin

Preseason All-ACC Bryson Nesbit
John Mackey Award Watch List

»Bryson Nesbit

John Mackey Award Watch List

»Kobe Paysour

CSC Comeback Player of the Year

»Kaimon Rucker

Bronko Nagurski Award Watch List
Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
Bednarik Award Watch List

Numbers To Know

1.5 - Kaimon Rucker is 1.5 TFL short of tying Ebenezar Ekuban (32) for the ninth-most TFL in Carolina History. He currently has 30.5.

3 - Rucker is only three sacks away from tying Hilee Taylor for the ninth-most career sacks with 19. He currently has 16.

4 - Last season, Nate McCollum caught 15 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown against the Golden Gophers. His 15 receptions was tied for the fourth-most in a single game in UNC history.

5 - North Carolina was one of five teams to eclipse 2,400 yards rushing and 3,800 passing last season (Georgia, LSU, Oregon, Texas, UNC).

9 - The North Carolina offense ranked 9th in the FBS in 3rd down conversions last season. UNC was 91/188 on 3rd down.

10 - Carolina enters the post Drake Maye era. After last season, Maye was drafted by the New England Patriots with the No. 3 overall pick.

15 - Carolina brings back 15 starters from a season ago. Five Tar Heels return on offense, six on defense and four on special teams.

34.5 - The Tar Heel offense averaged 34.5 points per game last season. UNC ended the season ranked 20th in the FBS in scoring.

95 - Omarion Hampton is 95 yards away from his 2,000th career rushing yard.

77.7 - Since Mack Brown returned in 2019, North Carolina's team QBR of 77.7 leads the ACC and ranks 8th nationally.

1,000 - North Carolina players have a total of five 1,000-yard rushing seasons since Mack Brown returned in 2019. That is the most of any team in the country.

1,504 - Omarion Hampton finished the 2023 season with the fifth-most rushing yards in the FBS. He was one of five FBS running backs with over 1,500 yards.

Scoreboard Slider

University of North Carolina Athletics

Players Mentioned

Noah Burnette

John Copenhaver

Power Echols

Omarion Hampton

Alijah Huzzie

Willie Lampkin

Drake Maye

Nate McCollum

Bryson Nesbit

Kobe Paysour

Kaimon Rucker

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