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UNC Football: Tar Heels are Clemson’s biggest challenge, Herbstreit says

By Blake Cockrum

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 07: General view of the game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Miami Hurricanes at Kenan Stadium on September 07, 2019 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 28-25. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 07: General view of the game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Miami Hurricanes at Kenan Stadium on September 07, 2019 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 28-25. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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The UNC football program could challenge ACC king and national powerhouse Clemson, says ESPN college football commentator Kirk Herbstreit.

The North Carolina Tar Heels enter the 2020 college football season as one of the favorites to challenge national powerhouse Clemson for ACC supremacy. In fact, longtime ESPN college football commentator Kirk Herbstreit says it’s North Carolina, and not Notre Dame, that presents the biggest challenge for Dabo Swinney and the Tigers this season.

"“I know Notre Dame with Ian Book is easy to like. There’s a lot to like on that roster. I might be crazy, but I think North Carolina’s, you know, closing the gap there,” Herbstreit said. “And with the quarterback play that (North Carolina has), the system that they have and almost this newfound belief like youthful energy and excitement that hasn’t been in Chapel Hill since, I don’t know, (Mack Brown) left maybe? Mack does a great job of getting kids, and relating to kids and getting them excited. There’s just, like I said, youthful energy about that squad led by Sam Howell. And I think that they’re right there, and maybe a notch ahead of Notre Dame in the ACC for me.”"

Mack Brown and the Tar Heels return one of the ACC’s best teams this season after going 7-6 in 2019, and making their first bowl game appearance in three years. They were the overwhelming preseason favorite to win the ACC Coastal Division before the temporary conference realignment brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.

That’s thanks to rising sophomore quarterback Sam Howell, who passed for 3,641 yards and 38 touchdowns a season ago, a dynamic duo of receivers in Dazz Newsome and Dyami Brown that combined for 22 scores through the air, and a talented back field that includes 1,000-yard rushers Javonte Williams and Michael Carter.

The Tar Heels open up their season as 23-point favorites against the Syracuse Orange this Saturday. They’ll have a noon EST start time inside of an empty Kenan Memorial Stadium.

Next. Tar Heels' uniform combo for game against Syracuse. dark

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