All Tar Heels

UNC Football Overcomes Jinx, Rises in Both Polls

UNC football is now off to its best start to a season in over a quarter century.

Matt Giles

UNC football at Pitt (Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)
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Entering Week 4, the UNC football program had not begun a season 4-0 since 1997, the final year of head coach Mack Brown's first stint in Chapel Hill. The last four times the Tar Heels had notched a 3-0 record (2009, 2011, 2020, 2022), they lost their next game.

But neither that jinx nor Pitt could slow down UNC on Saturday night, as the visiting Tar Heels defeated the unranked Panthers, 41-24, while seemingly firing on all cylinders.

And Brown's group was rewarded for its effort in the latest polls that came out on Sunday. UNC jumped two spots in the AP Top 25 Poll and US LBM Coaches Poll, now sitting at No. 15 in the eyes of the media and coaches.

The Tar Heels remain the second-highest ACC squad, trailing Florida State (No. 5 in the AP and No. 4 in the Coaches Poll) while holding on to their slight advantage over archrival Duke (No. 17 in the AP and No. 16 in the Coaches Poll) and Miami (No. 18 in both polls).

UNC football now enjoys a bye week before hosting Syracuse on Oct. 7 and Miami the following week.

Note: The 1997 Tar Heels, who opened with eight straight wins before falling to Florida State and finished 11-1 with a Gator Bowl victory over Virginia Tech, represent the program's only squad in the last 40 years to reach at least a 5-0 mark.

Stay tuned to All Tar Heels on SI.com for more UNC football news.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, Duke Blue Devils on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining UNC on SI in 2023, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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