Top 20 UNC Football Teams: No. 3 - 1981

Posted May 16, 2020
Sitting at 6-0 and ranked No. 3 in the nation in 1981, the Tar Heels hosted a solid South Carolina team at Kenan Stadium. North Carolina started the season on fire, routing nonconference foes while racking up huge numbers, including by tailback Kelvin Bryant, who was on his way to serious Heisman Trophy contention when he went down with a knee injury. (Tar Heel Illustrated)

Related: Football, Football Recruiting

Ranking the top 5 wide receivers in UNC Football history
Whenever a program produces great quarterbacks, big-time receivers follow. UNC is often linked with star running backs and, more recently, high-powered passing games, but the...
Wed Jul 29, 2026

Everything you need to know from UNC sports this summer
While the crowds departed Chapel Hill in May, the headlines didn’t. From deep tournament runs to historic draft success, North Carolina athletics delivered memorable moments...
Tue Jul 28, 2026

UNC Football Picked 15th in Preseason ACC Poll
UNC Football was selected 15th in the preseason ACC media poll. Miami, which lost to Indiana in the national championship game in January, was picked...
Tue Jul 28, 2026

North Carolina's Quarterback Battle Still Wide Open Entering Preseason Camp
There's an age-old saying in football: if you have two quarterbacks, you have none. But they never said what happens if you have four. UNC...
Tue Jul 28, 2026