A Look Back Down Memory Lane: Memorable UNC Season Openers

The win over Texas in 1948 is often seen as the biggest win in program history. The Tar Heels lost to the Longhorns 34-0 in Austin the season before, but the tables flipped as North Carolina went up 21-0 in the first 12 minutes of the game. The Tar Heels won behind Charlie Justice’s four touchdowns—two passing and two rushing.

1993: UNC 31, USC 9

The 20th-ranked Tar Heels were at a disadvantage when it went out to the Los Angeles area to take on No. 18 USC at Anaheim Stadium to begin the 1993 season in the Disneyland Pigskin Classic.

  Despite facing some home-field disadvantages, the Tar Heels’ option offense proved too much for the Trojan defense, delivering one of Mack Brown’s first signature wins and propelling UNC to a 10-3 season—the program’s first 10-win campaign since 1981.

1996: UNC 45, Clemson 6

Clemson had dominated the series, winning 13 of the previous 15 meetings with UNC, including eight by double digits. That didn’t stop the Tar Heels from dominating Clemson in Chapel Hill, as the men in  Carolina Blue blanked the Tigers 45-0.

This game introduced the defense that came to define the final two years of Mack Brown’s first stint at North Carolina. The Tar Heels held Clemson to 91 total yards — just 1.8 per play — and kept the Tigers from crossing midfield in the second half. The lopsided win sparked two dominant seasons in which UNC went 21-3.

2010: LSU 30, UNC 24

This is the only loss on the list, but it's memorable because of the circumstances that happened right before gameday.

The Tar Heels and LSU both entered the evening ranked, but UNC was facing a major off-the-field crisis. Thirteen starters—including the team’s top two rushers, one of its starting wide receivers, three of four starting defensive linemen, and the entire secondary—were sidelined due to an NCAA investigation into potential program violations.

Thanks to a gutsy 412-yard, three-touchdown performance by T.J. Yates, UNC nearly pulled off a comeback, rallying from a 20-point fourth-quarter deficit to within six points in the final seconds. The Tar Heels had a chance to win the game on LSU’s six-yard line on the last play of the game. However, Yates’ pass fell incomplete as time expired.

2019: UNC 24, South Carolina 20

What made this game memorable wasn’t the dramatic finish but the fact that it was Sam Howell’s first start.

Howell, the first freshman to start a season opener at quarterback in Carolina history, completed 15 of his 24 pass attempts for 245 yards and two scores. He tossed touchdown passes to Dyami Brown and Beau Corrales to erase a 20-9 deficit in the final quarter.

Defensive back Patrice Rene intercepted Jake Bentley in the final minute to secure the victory for the Tar Heels to kick off Mack Brown’s second stint in Chapel Hill. 

2024: UNC 19, Minnesota 17

Omarion Hampton rushed for 129 yards and Noah Burnette kicked four field goals, including the game-winner with 1:44 left, as North Carolina edged Minnesota 19-17 at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. This may seem like a basic close game, but on closer inspection, it’s actually the first time the Tar Heels had won a season opener on the road since 1992.

UNC’s defense contributed five sacks and held the Gophers to 244 total yards and 78 on the ground. Minnesota missed a potential game-winning field goal in the final seconds.

It was also a game where the Tar Heels had to overcome adversity after starting quarterback Max Johnson suffered a season-ending leg injury. Pulling out a road win against a quality opponent while watching a teammate go down with such a disturbing setback says a lot about the team’s resolve.