Old North Banter
Fansided

UNC Football: Tar Heels could be darkhorse CFP contenders

By Richard Adkins

ANNAPOLIS, MD - DECEMBER 27: Head coach Mack Brown of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts on the sideline in the second half against the Temple Owls in the Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on December 27, 2019 in Annapolis, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
ANNAPOLIS, MD - DECEMBER 27: Head coach Mack Brown of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts on the sideline in the second half against the Temple Owls in the Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on December 27, 2019 in Annapolis, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

After Year One back at the helm of UNC football, Mack Brown already has the Tar Heels ready to contend.

The return of Mack Brown sent shockwaves through the college football world when he made his comeback to the sport, but few would have expected how quickly the Hall of Fame coach has gotten UNC football back into contention. The excitement brewing around Carolina’s football program is higher than it’s been at any time in recent history, and it’s been in large part due to Brown’s return.

Many expected him to turn the team around, and through impressive recruiting, the Tar Heels are on the verge of not only competing with Clemson in the ACC, but perhaps even on a national level. While it remains to be seen how far UNC can go this season (if there’s a season at all), some analysts view Brown’s Heels as a darkhorse to sneak into the College Football Playoffs.

Carolina will bring back nearly all of its offensive starters from last year, including standout quarterback Sam Howell.

After originally committing to Florida State, the return of Brown was enough to bring stud quarterback Sam Howell back to his home state. The results were phenomenal, as Howell earned ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, in addition to being named the Military Bowl MVP in 2019. He’ll be entering his second season with the Tar Heels this fall after posting an amazing true freshman campaign where he threw for 38 touchdowns with only seven interceptions. Howell will have his two biggest weapons in wide receivers Dazz Newsome and Dyami Brown back at school with him in 2020. Between the two they combined for 22 touchdown receptions while both caught for more than 1,000 yards this past season.

On the defensive side, UNC will get back fan-favorite and first team All-ACC selection Chazz Surratt. He finished runner-up for ACC Defensive Player of the Year as a junior, as well as finishing with the second-most tackles in the conference. Add in the fact that 2019 marked Surratt’s first season playing linebacker (he had played QB from 2017-18), and it’s not hard to see him taking another leap forward this season. His return along with new defensive additions will be key to the Tar Heels’ success.

One of the biggest storylines of the offseason for UNC has been the stellar recruiting class they have coming in.

UNC’s 2020 recruiting class comes in led by several five-star players, including the top-ranked defensive end in Desmond Evans. All total the Heels have 25 newcomers, with seven being four-stars and six being ranked in the ESPN 300. The addition of the 2020 class, the 2021 class is shaping up to even better, as they rank second in the country behind only Ohio State according to 247 Sports.

Wins both on the field and on the recruiting trail have made Carolina’s name more and more respected around the college football world, with some viewing the Tar Heels as potential playoff contenders sooner rather than later. It’ll be tough to do so this year, but in order to have a shot at the CFP, UNC can’t afford to lose even a single game. Considering that their biggest games of the regular season come against UCF and Auburn, the Heels really have no room for error. Even still, it would likely take a victory over Clemson in the ACC title game to warrant real consideration.

If Carolina can continue to make progress and win the close games they failed to win last year, there’s no reason to think Mack Brown and company shouldn’t be the favorite to dethrone Clemson in the ACC. Don’t look now, but UNC is coming and coming in a hurry. They may not be ready for the playoffs this season, but I’m willing to bet they’ll at least contend for a spot the following.

Home/North Carolina Tar Heels