Some may feel the Syracuse football season is already a lost cause amidst a string of close but frustrating losses. But we are still just halfway through the season. The second half of the campaign begins this Saturday night with a trip to Chappell Hill to face the North Carolina Tar Heels. As we know from our preseason look at North Carolina, the Heels are coached by the legendary Bill Belichick and are trying to rebuild after a subpar 2025 campaign. Let’s check in on where North Carolina stands ahead of Saturday night’s showdown.
Where is North Carolina ranked?
The Tar Heels have started to receive votes in the Coaches Poll. If extrapolated, North Carolina would be ranked No. 39 in the country, according to the coaches.
Where is North Carolina in the ACC standings?
With a 2-1 conference record, North Carolina is in the top half of the ACC standings. The Tar Heels are one of just five ACC teams with one loss or fewer in conference play. In theory, that puts them in a good position to challenge for a spot in the ACC Championship Game. However, the Tar Heels also have both Miami and Louisville left on their schedule.
What did North Carolina do last week?
Last week, the Tar Heels made the short trip to Durham and knocked off rival Duke 24-20. North Carolina jumped out to a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter, only for the Blue Devils to score the next 20 points. However, the Tar Heels responded with a 78-yard drive that ended with a touchdown with less than two minutes left, with the UNC defense holding on for the 24-20 win.
THE TAR HEELS WIN THE BELL 🔔
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) October 17, 2026
North Carolina and Duke played a classic rivalry game that went back-and-forth in the 4th quarter. UNC came away with the 24-20 win after @mcgilljaylen2 scored a TD & @5starr_tre picked off the Blue Devils@UNCFootball | @GoHeels | #GoHeels pic.twitter.com/ZKYyzoOOGw
Who is North Carolina’s quarterback?
Billy Edwards began the season as UNC’s quarterback, and he’s managed to hold onto the job to this point in the season. It hasn’t always been aesthetically pleasing for the former Maryland and Wisconsin transfer. He’s barely averaging 200 passing yards per game, while completing just under 60% of his passes. This season, Edwards has nine touchdown passes and five interceptions over six games. While he’s an occasional running threat, Edwards is just barely in positive territory with regard to his rushing yards, by virtue of taking nine sacks over his last four games since ACC play started.
Who are North Carolina’s other stars?
On an offense that’s only averaging 23.5 points per game, it’s tough to find too many star players. The running game, in particular, has struggled to get going. However, wide receiver Jordan Shipp has stood out as expected. Despite finding the end zone just once, he leads UNC with 33 catches for 441 yards. It’s also worth mentioning that of Edwards’ nine passing touchdowns, six have been caught by tight ends and two by starting running back Benjamin Hall, who doesn’t have a rushing touchdown, so Shipp is the only wide receiver with a touchdown this year. Shipp also had six catches for 64 yards and a touchdown against Syracuse last season.
With the Tar Heels allowing just 19.2 points per game, it’s on the defensive side of the ball where you’ll find most of their stars. The obvious choice is a familiar face, Syracuse transfer Derek McDonald. He’s the heartbeat of the UNC defense and the team leader in tackles, which shouldn’t be surprising for Orange fans. Sophomore Xavier Lewis has also been a breakout star for the Tar Heels, collecting seven of the team’s 13 sacks. In the secondary, both Jaiden Patterson and Greg Smith have been standout players, combining for eight defended passes and three interceptions.
As it faces North Carolina this week, Syracuse football will go against former linebacker Derek McDonald. He is a captain of Bill Belichick's defense, currently leads the ACC in tackles (56), has missed just four and owns one of the best PFF tackling grades in the ACC.
— chris carlson (@ccarlsononSU) October 19, 2026
What is North Carolina’s biggest flaw?
Most of the North Carolina offense could be considered the team’s biggest flaw midway through the season. While Edwards has been steady, the Tar Heels rank 101st nationally in points and 120th nationally in rushing yards. Against FCS opponent East Tennessee, UNC scored a modest 35 points, and when you take that game away, the Tar Heels are scoring just 21.2 points per game. However, the Tar Heels have undoubtedly delivered in the clutch, with fourth-quarter, game-winning drives against both Pitt and Duke.
How does Syracuse beat North Carolina?
Unfortunately, the song remains the same for Syracuse. The Orange must stop making self-inflicted errors and getting in their own way. Syracuse is doing a lot right to be competitive in games and give itself a chance to win. But the penalties, ill-timed turnovers, and red-zone struggles, including failures in the kicking game, are getting in the way of Syracuse winning games.
Statistically, Syracuse is better than North Carolina in most major statistical categories. However, the Tar Heels rank considerably better when it comes to penalties and red-zone efficiency. The good news is that the two teams have the same turnover margin.
The other difference is that the Orange has four possible starting quarterbacks, while UNC has been able to keep Edwards healthy all season. Nevertheless, this game is as simple as the rest; if the Orange can stop turning it over in key spots, execute in the red zone, and avoid a barrage of penalties, they will start winning games, and that includes Saturday night in Chappell Hill.
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