How many Top 100 all-time rivalries is the UNC football team part of?
Despite their recent, seemingly never-ending stretch of mediocrity, the North Carolina Tar Heels have a long, successful history dating back to the 1900s.
UNC's best stretch arguably occurred between 1977 and 1982, when it finished ranked in the Top 15 five times. North Carolina does have six-consecutive bowl appearances, but no postseason victories since the 2019 Military Bowl against Temple.
Part of the Tar Heels' long history, dating back to their first season in 1888, are some of the top rivalries across college football.
In the Athletic's recent rankings of college football's Top 100 rivalries, UNC finds itself on that exclusive list three times. North Carolina-Virginia ranks 42nd all-time, North Carolina-NC State is 57th and North Carolina-Duke is 77th.
You might be surprised to find the Tar Heels-Blue Devils rivalry lower on this list, but that annual game doesn't generate the same excitement when compared with men's basketball. UNC leads Duke in the all-time football series, 66-41-4, but the boys in royal blue won last year to snap a 5-game losing streak in the series.
Though North Carolina-NC State is a one-sided rivalry on the field as of late, with the Wolfpack winning four consecutive clashes (and nine of the last seven), this series has no shortage of exciting moments. The Tar Heels lead the all-time slate, 68-40-6, but can they add a 69th victory over Thanksgiving weekend?
UNC-UVA, dubbed "The South's Oldest Rivalry," is the closest series of the above three rivalries. North Carolina leads the all-time series, 67-58-4, including a 41-14 drubbing in Charlottesville during 2024.
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