UNC Football: Tar Heels crack Top 10 in preseason coaches poll

The 2021 college football season is right around the corner with kickoff for Week 0 in just over two weeks. And with the excitement building for the UNC Football program, it’s good to gauge where the national media thinks the Tar Heels are going into the season.

On Tuesday, the first USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll was released for the preseason and there is good news for the Tar Heels.

The Tar Heels checked in at No. 9 in the first poll of the season by the USA TODAY, their highest ranking since their No. 8 ranking in the 1997 season, which was during Mack Brown’s first stint as  a head coach. UNC is coming off a 2020 season in which they took a step forward in Brown’s second year despite losing to Texas A&M. Many now think the Tar Heels are a dark horse this season and may contend for the ACC or potentially a College Football Playoff spot.

Alabama took home the No. 1 spot in the poll earning 63 of 65 first-place votes followed by No. 2 Clemson, No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 4 Ohio State and No. 5 Georgia.  Meanwhile, Texas A&M (No. 6), Notre Dame (No. 7), Iowa State (No. 8) and Cincinnati (No. 10) round out that top 10.

In total the ACC had three teams in the first poll with Miami checking in at No. 16. UNC is set to matchup with Notre Dame and Miami this season and if they did reach the conference title game, would likely see Clemson there.

The Tar Heels open up the 2021 season on the road at Virginia Tech on Friday, September 3rd with a 6 p.m. EST kickoff to be broadcasted on ESPN. The Tar Heels and Hokies have split the past two meetings, winning one each.

For more on the UNC Football program, please make sure to check back with Keeping It Heel.