UNC Football among eight teams most likely to make the College Football Playoff for the first time Posted Aug 22, 2021 Doubters critical of the hiring of Mack Brown for his second tenure with the Tar Heels have been silenced in two short years after the program nearly beat Clemson in his first season and reached the Orange Bowl in his second. Now comes the possibility of challenging the Tigers for the ACC title. North Carolina's bid starts with quarterback Sam Howell. (USA Today)