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
Dre Bly joins South Carolina Gamecocks football coaching staff as defensive assistantFormer UNC cornerback and assistant coach Dre Bly has been added to the South Carolina football coaching staff as a defensive assistant. Bly spent 2025...
Tue Mar 10, 2026Ryan Switzer joins Oregon Ducks football coaching staff as offensive analyst
The Oregon Ducks and coach Dan Lanning are adding an exciting former NFL receiver to their football coaching staff. The Ducks adding Ryan Switzer as...
Tue Mar 10, 2026
Mitch Trubisky Signs Two-Year Deal With Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans have kicked off their stint in free agency with the signing of backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky. After a reliable run with the...
Mon Mar 9, 2026
Javonte Williams re-signing with Dallas Cowboys is 'huge'
Javonte Williams is staying put with the Dallas Cowboys on a three-year deal signed in February. "It was huge," quarterback Dak Prescott said. "I sent...
Mon Mar 9, 2026