UNC Football: Tar Heels predicted to “Rise” in 2021

Coming off a very strong 2020 season, experts are predicting that the UNC Football program will be even better this upcoming season.

We’re still a few months away from the start of the 2021 college football season, but it’s never too early for some preseason projections!

In an article for 247 Sports, Chris Hummer identified the teams that he projects to both rise and fall this season. Hummer listed the Tar Heels as his first “riser” on the list.

Here’s what the expert analyst had to say in regards to why he views the UNC football program as “risers”:

"There’s a lot to like about North Carolina. The Tar Heels have one of the nation’s best quarterbacks in Sam Howell and his entire o-line returns in front of him. The defense has stacked talent the last few recruiting cycles to the point it seems primed for a jump. The schedule also doesn’t look daunting. Miami must travel to Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels avoid Clemson in the regular season, and their toughest non-conference opponent (Notre Dame) is rebuilding on the fly this year.  North Carolina carried plenty of hype last year but finished just 8-4. I feel very comfortable projecting a 10-win season for the Tar Heels in 2021. Their window is open with Howell on campus for what’s likely to be his final college season. North Carolina is primed to take advantage."

Based on what we know at this point, it most certainly would not be a stretch to say that the Tar Heels could be even better than they were a year ago.

As Hummer pointed out, Sam Howell returns for his third season, as all eyes will be on him as he makes the case to be the best quarterback available in next year’s NFL Draft. Yes, he lost a good portion of his key weapons to the NFL, but the Tar Heels return their entire offensive line and have some skilled players ready to fill in the current voids.

Also, Mack Brown’s team returns a handful of defensive standouts, as the core has mostly remained intact. The team will have to replace Chazz Surratt, but the program returns the bulk of the defensive starters that played in the bowl game last season.

Additionally, the schedule (at this point in time) does favor the Tar Heels. It is still a bit early to tell, but if Norte Dame struggles in their rebuild, you can point to the Miami game as most likely the Tar Heels biggest challenge.

Last year, the Tar Heels were a bit of a “sleeper” team. The 2020 season was their coming out party, as they let the nation know that UNC football was back on the map.

Fast forward a year, and now everyone knows what Mack Brown and company are brewing in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels won’t sneak up on anyone this year, as it’s well-known that this group should be one of the best teams in the entire country this upcoming season.

Continue to follow the Keeping It Heel team for all the latest news and updates surrounding the UNC football program.