Keeping It Heel
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UNC Football: Top 5 Tar Heel Teams In The Last 40 Years

By Richard Adkins

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 21: North Carolina Tar Heels players take the field during their game against the Appalachian State Mountaineers at Kenan Stadium on September 21, 2019 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The Mountaineers won 34-31. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 21: North Carolina Tar Heels players take the field during their game against the Appalachian State Mountaineers at Kenan Stadium on September 21, 2019 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The Mountaineers won 34-31. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor poses for his University of North Carolina headshot in 1980. The New York Giants selected Taylor second in the 1981 NFL Draft and he played 13 years with the team. (Photo by University of North Carolina/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor poses for his University of North Carolina headshot in 1980. The New York Giants selected Taylor second in the 1981 NFL Draft and he played 13 years with the team. (Photo by University of North Carolina/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /

1980 North Carolina Tar Heels

Coming in at No. 2 we have the 1980 Tar Heels led by head coach Dick Crum

There’s no surprise we find head coach Crum on this list again in back to back fashion with the explosive 1980 Tar Heels. This Carolina football team was a defensive juggernaut that brought hard hits giving up an average of 10.8 points per game ranking 8th out of 138 schools. Along with this dominating defense came a beautiful record going 11-1 overall, 6-0 in the conference, and a win % of .917% which I tied for school highest. They ended the season 10th in AP with the 3rd best record out of 138 schools.

It’s no shocker when you look at the roster and see Lawrence Taylor which played his final season for the Heels this season on why they went 11-1 while dominating on defense. Taylor arguably the greatest Tar Heel football player ever finished his Carolina career the 1980 season where he racked up 16 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and 22 tackles for the loss out of the 69 total tackles. Taylor won ACC player of the year and earned All American leading that Carolina defense.

The 1980 Tar Heels finished off the season on a 4 game win streak including Bluebonnet Bowl over Texas 16-7. This marked one of the best seasons in Carolina football history.

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