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UNC Football: Tar Heels receiving early praise ahead of 2020 college football season

By Zack Pearson

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - AUGUST 31: Head coach Mack Brown of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts after defeating the South Carolina Gamecocks 24-20 in the Belk College Kickoff game at Bank of America Stadium on August 31, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - AUGUST 31: Head coach Mack Brown of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts after defeating the South Carolina Gamecocks 24-20 in the Belk College Kickoff game at Bank of America Stadium on August 31, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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The North Carolina Tar Heels football program received some early praise ahead of the 2020 college football season.

We are still months away from the start of the 2020 college football season but the excitement is as high as it’s been in a long time for the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Coming off a 7-6 season in which they won their first bowl game since 2013, UNC is returning the majority of their key starters including star quarterback Sam Howell. Another year together for Mack Brown’s squad should result in better results for the Tar Heels in 2020. Heck, they are even being predicted as a favorite for the Coastal Division in the Atlantic Coast Conference this year.

We have already seen a few different publications put out their early Top 25 for next season and include UNC on it. And last weekend, that was the case again.

The official NCAA website released their early top 25 teams and right there are the Tar Heels not only in the top 25 but top 20. The NCAA ranked UNC at No. 17 and had this to say about their chances:

"Why not have some fun? Sure, UNC went only 7-6, but the losses were by a combined 26 points. The biggest reason for optimism is obvious: QB Sam Howell. The highly regarded freshman was better than any fair expectation by passing for 3,641 yards, 38 touchdowns and only seven interceptions this past season. He has a bunch of talent around him, too, including RBs Michael Carter and Javonte Williams (totaling almost 2,000 combined yards) and a pair of 1,000-yard receivers in Dyami Brown and Dazz Newsome."

They bring up some good points in their explanation with the Tar Heels returning a lot of talent including Howell, running backs Michael Carter and Javonte Williams as well as 1,000-yard receivers Dyami Brown and Dazz Newsome. The offense should be loaded again.

Defensively, UNC does return a lot of talent but also welcomes in a Top 20 recruiting class with a focus on defense.

UNC’s schedule is tough to start as they will take on UCF on the road in Week 1 and then play Auburn at a neutral site in Atlanta for the Chick-fil-A Kickoff in Week 2. The Knights were ranked No. 20 in this early Top 25 and Tigers No. 10.

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