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UNC Football: History on ESPN’s College Game Day

By Jordan Falls

Sep 10, 2016; Bristol, TN, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. joins the cast of College Gameday to make his guest game picks prior to the Battle at Bristol football game between the Virginia Tech Holies and Tennessee Volunteers at Bristol Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 10, 2016; Bristol, TN, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. joins the cast of College Gameday to make his guest game picks prior to the Battle at Bristol football game between the Virginia Tech Holies and Tennessee Volunteers at Bristol Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /
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The UNC Football program will begin the 2023 regular season on a National Stage, with College GameDay choosing their game as the host site.

Being part of ESPN’s College GameDay is awesome for any college football program. It signals “big game” and “game of the week” for everyone involved.

The UNC football program hasn’t had many opportunities to be on College GameDay often. For just the third time in the program’s history, the Tar Heels will participate in the famous TV show heading into its 36th season and 30th year of hosting the show on-site.

The previous two occasions haven’t ended so well for the Tar Heels. The first time that Carolina was on College GameDay, the ESPN crew came to Chapel Hill for what was labeled as “Judgement Day.” No. 5 North Carolina was set to host No. 2 Florida State in a battle of two 8-0 teams.

Had North Carolina football finally climbed to the mountaintop?

The answer ended up being no.

As the Tar Heels struggled against the Seminoles in a 20-3 loss. Mack Brown then left for Texas, and it seemed like Carolina football would never return to that point.

Thirteen years later, Butch Davis had the Tar Heels on College GameDay to open the 2010 season against LSU in Atlanta, Georgia, as part of the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff game. A game that the Tar Heels entered with thirteen players suspended for violating NCAA rules.

Despite being down multiple key players, the Tar Heels still had a chance to win the game. After trailing 30-10 with 10:48 left in the game, Carolina attempted to make a comeback. LSU fumbled up 30-24 with 1:08 left in the game to give the Tar Heels life. TJ Yates got Carolina down to the LSU six-yard line with six seconds left with two chances to tie, and potentially, win the game. Unfortunately, two incomplete passes to Zack Pianalto later, and the Tar Heels fell to 0-2 on College GameDay.

Another thirteen years later, the Tar Heels are again back on the National Stage. It is a small sample size, but can the Tar Heels overcome this “College GameDay Curse” along with their “Curse of the Preseason AP Poll”? Saturday night against South Carolina would be as good of a time as ever to end the 0-2 record on ESPN’s College GameDay and earn a victory on a National Stage.

ESPN’s College GameDay will be live from Romare Bearden Park in uptown Charlotte on ESPN and ESPNU from 9:00 AM until 12:00 PM Saturday morning. We aren’t sure what all the features will be on the show yet, but we do know some topics of discussion, including an interview with Mack Brown and a feature on UNC football quarterback Drake Maye. With the Tar Heels and Gamecocks as the host site, UNC football fans can expect the Tar Heels to be the point of discussion throughout the show.

Next. UNC Football: Schedule Predictions for the 2023 Season. dark

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