Football Hosts Syracuse In ACC Home Opener Saturday - University of North Carolina Athletics

First And Ten
• Carolina is in its 136th season of football (139th year) in 2026 and the Tar Heels own an all-time record of 759-586-54.
• UNC will host Syracuse in its ACC home opener on Saturday, Oct. 24, after playing its first three conference games on the road. Kickoff from Kenan Stadium is set for 7:30 p.m. on ACC Network with Justin Kutcher (PxP), Max Browne (Analyst) and Madison Fitzpatrick (Sideline) on the call.
• Saturday's game will be Carolina's Cancer Awareness Game, as the coaches will wear sneakers painted by patients from the UNC Children's Hospital.
• In their last outing, the Tar Heels earned a 24-20 road win at Duke to win the Battle for the Victory Bell and hand the Blue Devils their first home loss of the season, snapping their eight-game winning streak against in-state opponents.
• Carolina's defense held Duke to a season-low 124 rushing yards, as the Blue Devils entered the game averaging 226.6 rushing yards per game. It was also the first time Duke hasn't scored a rushing touchdown in a game this season, as their only offensive touchdown was scored on a passing play.
• North Carolina's Peyton Seelmann was named ACC Linebacker of the Week on Monday, after recording a game-high 16 tackles to lead the Tar Heels' stout defensive effort. The junior linebacker totaled seven solo tackles and nine assisted tackles, while adding 0.5 tackles for loss, a half sack for seven yards and a quarterback hurry.
• Sophomore defensive lineman Xavier Lewis was recently named an Associated Press Midseason First Team All-American and a Lombardi Award Midseason Watch List, presented annually to the nation's top college football linemen and linebackers. Lewis ranks second nationally with 1.17 sacks per game to lead the ACC, while his 1.67 sacks per game is also second nationally and first in the conference.
• The Tar Heels are second in the nation in fewest penalty yards with 202 and fifth nationally in fewest penalty yards per game with 33.67, both of which lead the ACC.
• Carolina is allowing just 19.2 points per game, fourth best in the ACC and 35th nationally.
• UNC owns the 14th toughest strength of schedule, according to ESPN, having played a pair of ranked teams this season (No. 3 Notre Dame and No. 25 Pitt).

A Win Over Syracuse Would…
• Give the Tar Heels three consecutive ACC wins for the first time since 2024.
• Give Carolina its fourth straight win in the series with Syracuse, dating back to the 2020 season.
• Be the program's 39th ACC home opener victory.
• Be Carolina's 760th all-time victory in program history.

Seelmann Tabbed ACC Linebacker Of The Week
• Following his standout defensive performance in North Carolina's 24-20 road win at Duke last Saturday, Peyton Seelmann was named ACC Linebacker of the Week on Monday.
• Seelmann recorded a game-high 16 tackles to lead the Tar Heels' stout defensive effort. The junior linebacker totaled seven solo tackles and nine assisted tackles, while adding 0.5 tackles for loss, a half sack for seven yards and a quarterback hurry.
• His 16 tackles are the most by a Carolina player since Nov. 25, 2023, when Cedric Gray, now a member of the Tennessee Titans in the NFL, tallied 17 tackles.
• Seelmann was at his best when the Tar Heels needed him the most, as he had 13 of his tackles in the second half, including seven in the fourth quarter.

Carolina-Syracuse Connections
• Saturday's game features numerous connections between the two programs with the most prominent being North Carolina linebacker Derek McDonald, who spent five seasons with the Orange and earned his degree in broadcast and digital journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
• McDonald recorded 173 tackles during his time with Syracuse and had 56 tackles this season for the Tar Heels.
• Additionally, Syracuse wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator Josh Gattis began his coaching career as an offensive graduate assistant at Carolina in 2010.
• Gattis was the offensive coordinator at Maryland from 2023-24 when UNC quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. played for the Terrapins.
• Carolina wide receiver Jordan Shipp and Syracuse defensive back Chris Peal are childhood friends with both hailing from Charlotte, North Carolina, and playing for Providence Day School. The duo helped lead the program to the 2023 State Championship.

Last Time Versus Syracuse
• North Carolina used a second-half surge to pull away from Syracuse 27-10 to earn the program's first ACC victory under head coach Bill Belichick on Oct. 31 inside the JMA Wireless Dome.
• The Tar Heels outscored the Orange 21-0 in the second half and dominated on both sides of the ball to outgain Syracuse, 425-147.
• Demon June led the way for Carolina with 182 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns. June's 72-yard touchdown reception to start the second half gave Carolina a 13-10 lead at the time and the Tar Heels never looked back.
• The Jacksonville, North Carolina, native also rushed for 101 rushing yards with a touchdown in the game.
• Melkart Abou Jaoude had a strong day on defense for Carolina with six tackles, two sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. He was named ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week for his performance in that game last year.

Lewis Tabbed to Associated Press Midseason All-America First Team, Lombardi Award Midseason Watch List
• Carolina's Xavier Lewis was named to the Associated Press Midseason All-America First Team on Oct. 15.
• Lewis was one of two interior defensive linemen selected to the AP Midseason All-America First Team.
• On Oct. 14, Lewis was named to the Lombardi Award Midseason Watch List, which recognizes the nation's top college football linemen and linebackers.
• Lewis has recorded 10 tackles for loss and seven sacks this season. His 1.67 tackles for loss per game rank second nationally and lead the ACC, while his 1.17 sacks per game is also second nationally and best in the conference.
• This season, the Rolesville, N.C., native has tallied 30 tackles this season with 14 solo stops and 16 assisted tackles.

Dynamic Duo
• North Carolina linebackers Derek McDonald and Peyton Seelmann have formed one of the ACC's most prolific duos this season.
• McDonald leads the ACC with 9.3 tackles per game, while Seelmann is third with 8.8.
• A native of Atlanta, McDonald 56 tackles this season and Seelmann has 53.
• One of the two has led the Tar Heels in tackling every game this year with McDonald leading the way against TCU, Clemson, Notre Dame and Pitt, while Seelmann paced UNC on defense versus ETSU and Duke.

Thomas With The Blocked Punt
• Freshman Calvin Thomas made one of the biggest special teams plays in the game against Duke, as he raced through the Blue Devils' punt formation to tally the first blocked punt for the Tar Heels since the JMU game in 2024.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Melkart Abou Jaoude

Billy Edwards Jr.

Demon June

Xavier Lewis

Derek McDonald

Peyton Seelmann

Jordan Shipp

Calvin Thomas

Scoreboard Slider

University of North Carolina Athletics