With the official College Football Preseason rankings released, North Carolina fans have begun to dissect their schedule more meticulously. How good are the opponents projected to be? How many wins should Tar Heel fans expect? We’ve covered the schedule in its entirety, but today we’re going to take a closer look at the three toughest matchups on North Carolina’s schedule.
South Carolina
The Tar Heels kick things off on a neutral field against the South Carolina Gamecocks. South Carolina is not ranked, but they enter the season with high expectations. Coming off an 8-4 season that saw them beat both Tennessee and Clemson before dropping their bowl game in a close loss to Notre Dame, the Gamecocks bring back most of their key pieces.
South Carolina is led by quarterback Spencer Rattler and Head Coach Shane Beamer. Rattler is expected to be in the Heisman conversation, along with North Carolina star quarterback Drake Maye. Of course, the cherry on top of this game is that ESPN’s College Gameday will be hosted in Charlotte, where the game is being played. This is North Carolina’s chance to make a statement to the country.
Miami
2023 is projected to be a “show me” season for the Miami Hurricanes. On the heels of a disappointing 5-7 debut season, 2nd-year Head Coach Mario Cristobal is looking to see improvement across the board. The Hurricanes, also unranked, are tied for the 25th-best odds to win the National Championship this upcoming season. Their odds are the same as teams like Iowa, Auburn, and Kentucky.
While Miami definitely struggled last season, Cristobal looked to the transfer portal to beef up his roster. The Hurricanes enter this season with a veteran core on both sides of the ball, and a ton of underclassmen looking to usurp them. Cristobal has created a competitive environment filled with talent, and while nothing is certain in College Football, Miami has a considerably higher ceiling than last year’s record shows.
Clemson
Of course, it’s always those damn Tigers.
Clemson is coming off a (for them) disappointing season. Before 2021, the Tigers had made the College Football Playoff in six consecutive seasons. That was the longest streak in the short history of the College Football Playoff. After missing badly in 2021 (almost falling out of the top 25), Clemson rebounded last season to finish number 7 overall, narrowly missing the playoffs. This season, Head Coach Dabo Swinney is looking to lead the Tigers back to (in their minds) their rightful place.
For Clemson, it starts and ends with young quarterback Cade Klubnik. Klubnik was one of the highest-rated prospects in the 2022 class and showcased his talents quite a bit in his freshman season. North Carolina fans may remember Klubnik as the guy who replaced D.J. Uiagalelei in the ACC Championship game. Uiagalelei was benched early on and Klubnik stepped up to lead the Tigers to a dominant 39-10 victory over the Tar Heels.
Drake Maye may have his eyes set on the Heisman Trophy, but team success always comes first. If the Tar Heels want to make noise this season, they’ll have to take care of business against the teams they’re supposed to beat. But if they want 2023 to be special, it’s going to come down to this final game played in Clemson.
I, for one, cannot wait.
