On This Day in UNC History: September 7
Posted Sep 7, 2013
September 7, 1996: UNC 27, Syracuse, 10 - On a weekend when Hurricane Fran was battering the Triangle area, Mack Brown's 24th-ranked Tar Heels were in the safe confines of Syracuse's Carrier Dome delivering a battering of their own to the 9th-ranked Orangemen.
The Tar Heels stormed out to a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter while holding Syracuse quarterback Donovan McNabb without a completion until late in the first half. North Carolina quarterback Chris Keldorf finished the game with 22 completions in 32 pass attempts for 218 yards. McNabb, on the other hand, was just 11 for 32 with 125 yards passing.
It was UNC's first road win over a top-10 team in 30 years, and the Tar Heels would finish the 1996 season with a 10-2 record, including a 20-13 Gator Bowl win over West Virginia.
Related: 1996 UNC Football Schedule & Results
Related: Football, Football Recruiting
UNC vs. UConn Football Preview: Tar Heels Aim to Get Back on TrackUNC Football (4-4, 2-3 ACC standings) looks to shake its two-game losing streak with a trip Saturday to square off with UConn (4-4). The two...
Wed Nov 4, 2026Video: QB Coach Matt Lombardi, UNC Players Pre-UConn Press Conferences
North Carolina quarterbacks coach Matt Lombardi, wide receiver Trech Kekahuna, tight end Jordan Washington, and defensive back Kaleb Cost speak with the media ahead of...
Wed Nov 4, 2026
Drake Maye digs the long ball: Patriots QB's success on deep passes keying surge
Since Week 4, Drake Maye has six touchdowns and no interceptions on passes at least 20 yards. That leads the NFL in that stretch and...
Wed Nov 4, 2026
2026 UNC Football Opponent Preview: UConn
UNC visits UConn on Saturday. The Huskies enter with a 4-4 record, having dropped their last game at Air Force. Jason Candle is in his...
Wed Nov 4, 2026