Menu

On This Day in UNC History: September 7


September 7, 1996: UNC 27, Syracuse, 10 - On a weekend when Hurricane Fran was battering the Triangle area, '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 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 Recruiting

UNC Playing Running Back Rotation ‘Off Feel’
UNC's season opener against TCU showed how its three running backs were used at different points in the game. Benjamin Hall started and led the...

Video: The Process, 2026 UNC Football Game 1 - "DUBlin"
UNC Football's Week 1 documentary "DUBlin," highlights the Tar Heels' preparation, travel, and eventual upset victory in their 2026 season-opening game against the TCU Horned...

Michael Lombardi’s UNC Resignation — Looking Back, To The Future
Here are three things to know about the resignation of Michael Lombardi, who was college football's highest-paid GM, at $1.5 million dollars per year: No...

How UNC's Offensive Line Took A Step Forward in Game 1
UNC had the same five offensive linemen play every snap in just two games during Bill Belichick's first season. There was little cohesion up front...