We have reached the end of the 2024 college football season for the UNC football program.
It was certainly an up and down season for the Tar Heels, as the program will now bring in a new regime led by Bill Belichick. Before the Belichick era officially begins, the current team still has one more game on the slate: a matchup with UConn in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl.
Now, we certainly didn't forget our regular season standings, as contributor JT Zangara led the way with a 9-3 staff picks record. You can see the final standings below:
Regular Season Standings
JT Zangara: 9-3
Chase Maxwell: 8-4
Michael McKay: 8-4
Nick Delahanty: 7-5
Luke Sugar: 7-5
Brendan Lunga: 3-1
Before we get into the staff picks for the UConn game, we are proud to announce that we have a few more writers who have joined our staff that will be making their staff pick debuts for this one!
Jeremiah Artacho
Cameron Blue
You waited long enough: here are our final staff picks for the 2024 UNC football season:
Nick Delahanty- Site Expert
It's been quite the season for this program. Quite frankly, I'm just happy I finished with an over .500 record with our staff picks!
If Omarion Hampton was playing, I'd feel a lot more confident in this game. However, I do love to watch Davion Gause, as I think he can have a big-time performance in this one.
The key is: which team will run the football better. Based on that, it's hard to bet against UConn, given their success running the ball this season.
It'll be close, but I expect UConn to win this year's Fenway Bowl.
Prediction: UConn 28, North Carolina 20
Chase Maxwell- Contributor
Although the Tar Heels enter their final game of the 2024 season as favorites, with Omarion Hampton missing from the offense, I don’t think North Carolina has what it takes to win. Not a great way to end the season- but we’ve got so much to look forward to next year.
Prediction: UConn 27, North Carolina 24
Michael McKay- Contributor
North Carolina comes into the Fenway Bowl a shell of itself. A shell of a team that finished the season 6-6. A shell of a team that lost its best offensive player (Omarion Hampton) and best defensive player (Kaimon Rucker, to a dirty play from NC State). Anyone thinking that this team will suddenly rise above itself to dominate a cagey UConn team is deluding themselves. UNC had the offense to be in most games, but that calculus figures to change that human cheat code Omarion Hampton won't be running the ball. Davion Gause has shown promise in relief, but how will he fare in a starring role? I fear that we won't see the best of Gause until next season.
Prediction: UConn 27, North Carolina 21
Luke Sugar- Contributor
As a New England native who’s lived in Massachusetts his whole life, I couldn’t be happier that the Heels are playing in the Fenway Bowl.
There’s nothing like Fenway — the greatest ballpark in the world (yes, even better than Wrigley). It’s the ballpark I’ve been going to my whole life, so UNC playing there is really a full-circle moment.
I have to ride with the Tar Heels in the ballpark I grew up watching games at. I think UNC finishes the season strong and transitions into the Belichick era on a high note. North Carolina beats UConn in a back-and-forth Boston brawl.
Prediction: North Carolina 27, UConn 24
JT Zangara- Contributor
To finish off the 2024 football season, I have the Tar Heels winning the Fenway Bowl vs UConn. This will be the last game before the Bill Belichick era in Chapel Hill. UConn is 8-4 this season but also went 0-3 vs ACC teams. I expect this game to be very high scoring but remain close. UConn has a good run defense so the Tar Heel pass game must be in rhythm. Freshman Davion Gause could be a player to watch on North Carolina's offense. If the offense can connect Saturday, we could see the Tar Heels snap their four straight losses in Bowl Games and move to 7-6 to end the season.
Prediction: North Carolina 38, UConn 34
Brendan Lunga- Contributor
A new age is set to begin for UNC football with Bill Belichick becoming head coach next season. The Fenway Bowl is the only thing keeping the Tar Heels from officially turning the page on the Mack Brown 2.0 era. The Tar Heels will likely look past this game with Freddie Kitchens at the helm. Combine that with UNC’s recent history in postseason play, the Huskies should be able to take the win in the Fenway Bowl.
Prediction: UConn 34, North Carolina 28
Jeremiah Artacho- Contributor
Right out of the gate, I'm taking UNC with the victory by a score of 27-24. I like its chances being led by interim head coach Freddie Kitchens. After everything that has happened this season — something is in the air that tells me North Carolina will end this season on a good note, in addition to a high-level performance by Jacolby Criswell. This game will be close but in favor of the Tar Heels. Overall, seeing two "basketball schools" go toe-to-toe on the field instead of the court will be interesting.
Prediction: North Carolina 27, UConn 24
Cameron Blue- Contributor
It has been a month since the UNC football team has taken the field, a heartbreaking
loss to rival North Carolina State. In the month since The Tar Heels have fired Mack
Brown and hired eight-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick as head coach. Several
key players have either entered the transfer portal or declared for the NFL draft star
running back Omarion Hampton, doing the latter. Can the Tar Heels overcome these
distractions? The Huskies come into the matchup with an 8-4 record but have lost three
games by one score, the only exception being a 50-7 loss to Maryland.
The Tar Heels offense will struggle to move the ball, with the loss of Hampton and
offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey,
Prediction: UConn 24, North Carolina 10