UNC Football vs. Cal: Preview, game info, prediction and more

The UNC Football program returns to action on Saturday afternoon as they travel to Cal to open up the 2018 college football season. Read our preview, keys to the game and more.

Finally. College Football is back!

The North Carolina Tar Heels return to action on Saturday afternoon as they play a matinee against the Cal Golden Bears to open up the season. This will be the second and final game in a home-and-home series between the two teams with the Golden Bears beating UNC in Chapel Hill during the first meeting in 2017.

For the Tar Heels, Saturday’s marks the start of what they hope is a turnaround after a disappointing 2017 campaign.

But if UNC wants to get off to a good start, they will have to do it while being short-handed for a few games.

The Tar Heels quarterback competition was expected to be the big storyline for the 2018 season with both Nathan Elliott and Chazz Surratt battling for the starting job. After UNC announced the suspension of 13 players for selling team-issued shoes, including Surratt, head coach Larry Fedora named Elliott the starter.

Surratt will miss four games for the incident and joining him in the suspension are 12 other UNC players who are suspended anywhere from one to four games. Aside from Surratt, perhaps the biggest impact felt from the suspensions will be on the defensive line.

Both Tomon Fox and Malik Carney were suspended four games but will serve them in alternate games after UNC applied for a waiver and was granted one by the NCAA. Fox and Carney will both play in the Cal game.

Then there’s injuries.

UNC will be without one of its top playmakers as running back Michael Carter will miss the game with a broken wrist he suffered during a training camp practice. Carter burst onto the scene last season in the Week 1 loss to Cal, finishing with two touchdowns. On the defensive side, UNC will be without defensive tackle Aaron Crawford.

The tackle is a big key to UNC’s defensive line and his absence could impact this game.

Season opener struggles

UNC has another chance to earn a season-opening win over a Power Five school, something they have struggled with over the years. The Tar Heels last win over a Power Five  opponent in a season-opener was way back in 1997 when they beat Indiana.

Since then, the Tar Heels have lost eight-straight season openers against Power Five programs, including three consecutive years vs. South Carolina (2015), Georgia (2016), and Cal (2017).

UNC’s last Week 1 win came in 2014 when they beat Liberty. The Tar Heels can end that streak with a win over Cal on Saturday.

UNC key to victory

The run game.

UNC will be without Carter but still have two very good backs in both Jordon Brown and Ohio State transfer Antonio Williams. A steady ground game will help take the pressure off Elliott and could be a big reason why UNC could win this game.

Expect the Tar Heels’ offense to try and establish the run game early in this one. If UNC can move the ball down the field with the run, it will start to open up some things for the passing game as well.

Brown is likely to get the start with Williams splitting the workload.. We fully see the two having nearly the same amount of carries when the game is over. If they can combined for 100-plus and some touchdowns, UNC will be in good shape to win.

Along with the run game, something to watch will be the short passing offense. Despite their poor record last season, the Tar Heels do have some playmakers on offense that Fedora will hope to utilize.

Look for players like Dazz Newsome, Anthony Ratliff-Williams and even Dynami Brown who the Tar Heels will try to get the ball to in space and let them get to work.

Something to keep an eye on…

The Tar Heels defense will need to limit the big plays to have a chance at winning this game. Last season vs. Cal, UNC gave up two touchdown plays of 50-plus yards sandwiched between halftime that doomed them.

Cal scored on a 67-yard touchdown pass from Ross Bowers to Vic Wharton III with 1:08 left in the second quarter to cut the UNC lead to 17-14 at half. The drive was aided by a personal foul penalty on Jalen Dalton after UNC forced a punt on third down. Take that play away, and UNC takes a 10-point halftime lead rather than just three points.

Then, coming out of the half Cal took the lead on a Bowers 54-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Laird. UNC was able to grab the lead back in the third quarter, but two Cal touchdowns sealed the deal.

It’s safe to say that both of those plays were big for UNC losing that game and it simply cannot happen again this year. Look for UNC to hopefully limit those big plays and stay in this game early.

What you need to know

WHAT? UNC 0-0 (0-0 ACC) AT Cal 0-0 (O-0 PAC-12)
WHEN? Saturday, September 1 at 4:00 p.m. ET
WHERE? California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California.
TV? Fox. Brian Custer, & Ben Leber
RADIO? Tar Heel Sports Network. Jones Angell (play-by-play), Brian Simmons (analyst) and Lee Pace (sideline)
WEATHER? Clear skies with sun in the afternoon and temperature at 74 degrees.
LINE? UNC + 7.5
ALL-TIME SERIES? Cal leads 1-0 after winning first meeting in 2017.
PREDICTION? Cal 38, UNC 33