Keeping It Heel
Fansided

UNC Football Ranked No. 20 in Preseason Coaches Poll

ByJordan Falls|
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 19: A detailed view of a University of Virginia helmet sticker, in honor of the three Virginia football players who were killed in a shooting, is seen on the helmet of a North Carolina Tar Heels player during their game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Kenan Memorial Stadium on November 19, 2022 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 19: A detailed view of a University of Virginia helmet sticker, in honor of the three Virginia football players who were killed in a shooting, is seen on the helmet of a North Carolina Tar Heels player during their game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Kenan Memorial Stadium on November 19, 2022 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

The NCAA Football Coaches poll was released on Monday and the UNC football program, expectedly, finds itself ranked in the top 25.

The countdown is on for the start of the UNC football program’s season.

It still seems far away, as we’re at 26 days until kickoff. But the sign of getting closer to kickoff is preseason rankings begin to be released, and the UNC football program finds itself ranked inside the top 25 of the 2023 preseason Coaches Poll.

The Tar Heels come in at No. 20 in the preseason poll, which is in the area we have seen them in various rankings during the off-season. After spring practice, we saw the Tar Heels ranked as high as No. 16 (in USA Today) and as low as No. 22 (Sporting News).

Even though the UNC football program stumbled to the finish line in 2022, losing four straight after starting 9-1, there are still high expectations revolving around the program in 2023, especially with the return of Drake Maye.

Maye was voted ACC Preseason Player of the Year at ACC Media Day and is projected to be in the Heisman Trophy conversation all season long. If the Tar Heels can develop offensive talent around him, replacing Josh Downs, and the defense has improved, then there is definitely room to meet, and exceed, those preseason expectations in Chapel Hill.

UNC’s opening opponent, South Carolina, is unranked in the Coaches Poll. The Tar Heels are the third-ranked ACC team behind No. 8 Florida State and No. 9 Clemson.

You can view the complete top 25 coaches poll in the below tweet.

Follow us @KeepingItHeel on Twitter and like our fan page on Facebook for continued coverage of UNC football news, updates, and recruiting.

Home/UNC Football