The University of Virginia and North Carolina have a football series dating back to October 1892. Across the 132-year span, the Tar Heels have picked up 67 wins over the Cavaliers while Virginia has taken home 58. The old rivals also share four ties, the most recent of which occurred in 1984.
This season, the Cavaliers, who have won five of the last eight meetings against North Carolina, will take on the Tar Heels in an October 25 road game. The contest is one of four away games on the 'Hoos' schedule for the back half of the season.
Here is a closer look at the UNC football program, led this season by head coach Bill Belichick.
Recent History
The Tar Heels closed out the 2024 season at 6-7, their second losing record under Mack Brown since he returned to the program, decades after his first stint in the 1990s. In conference play, the team went 3-5, picking up consecutive wins against Wake Forest, Florida State, and Virginia.
Throughout the season, UNC struggled with offensive inefficiency, defensive collapse, and quarterback depth. The team averaged 30.9 points per game, which ranked 45th nationally, while allowing 28.1 points per game, ranking 89th.
Missing many of its key contributors, the 2024 campaign ended in a 27-14 loss to Connecticut in the Fenway Bowl, closing the year on a three-game losing streak. This marked their fifth consecutive bowl game loss.
In a bright spot for the Tar Heels, they finished the season ranked 38th nationally and fourth in the ACC in rushing offense, averaging 182.3 yards on the ground per game. Omarion Hampton led this charge for the Heels, ranking fourth in career rushing yards with 3,565 and third in all-time rushing scores with 36 at UNC. Hampton was drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers with the No. 22 overall pick in this year's NFL Draft.
Last Matchup
The most recent contest between the Cavaliers and Tar Heels ended in a decisive 41-14 victory for UNC on Virginia's home turf. On October 26, 2024, the Heels completely dominated both sides of the ball, handing the Cavaliers their fourth loss of the season. Virginia rushed for just 88 yards, but lost 81 on 29 attempts. The visitors ran 40 times for 151 yards gained and two touchdowns.
Failing to make up for their shortcomings through the air, the Cavaliers recorded 281 passing yards and one touchdown while the Heels notched a pair of scores and 293 receiving yards. North Carolina took advantage of their opponent's weakness in the red zone and put up a 428-yard performance in the face of a shaky Virginia defense. The victory sparked a three-game winning streak for the Heels, while Virginia bounced back the following week against No. 18 Pitt.
Coaching Staff
One of the biggest stories in college sports in recent months is UNC's hiring of legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick. With a record six Super Bowl titles as head coach of the New England Patriots, Belichick steps in to replace Mack Brown, who was let go at the end of the regular season.
Signing a five-year deal with the Tar Heels, the new head coach brought in a slew of assistants with NFL backgrounds, making this team one to watch as they adjust to the new system. Belichick retained Freddie Kitchens, who served as the team's interim coach in the Fenway Bowl loss to UConn. Kitchens will now serve as the team's offensive coordinator with 16 years of NFL coaching experience under his belt, including a stint as the Cleveland Browns head coach.
Belichick's son, Steve, was hired as defensive coordinator after spending over a decade coaching under his father with the New England Patriots from 2012 to 2023. He most recently served as defensive coordinator at the University of Washington and now joins his brother, Brian Belichick, who will coach the Tar Heels' defensive backs and safeties.
Roster Turnover
Through both transfer portal windows, North Carolina brought in 41 new transfers but saw 51 players leave the program. 247 Sports ranked the program as having the No. 3 transfer class in the ACC with seven four-star commits, just underMiami and Florida State, who have nine and eight, respectively. The Tar Heels' top reinforcements bolster key spots on the defensive line, in the secondary, at linebacker, and along the offensive line.
Players to Watch: Transfers
Gio Lopez
North Carolina found their projected starting quarterback in Gio Lopez, a South Alabama transfer. The redshirt sophomore started and played in 11 of South Alabama's 13 games last season, finishing the season with 2,557 yards and 18 touchdowns against just five interceptions, while completing 65.9% of his passes.
He ranked third in the Sun Belt in fewest interceptions thrown, and fourth in passing touchdowns, average passing yards per game, passing efficiency, and completion percentage. Also a threat on the ground, the 6'0 203-pound quarterback ran for 465 yards and seven touchdowns last season, the 10th most in the conference. Lopez joins the Heels as the No. 32 quarterback out of the portal, according to 247 Sports.
Daniel King
Daniel King joins the Heels as a redshirt senior on the offensive line. The 6'5 340-pound powerhouse spent the last three seasons at Troy, where he earned All-Sun Belt Conference honors in 2023 and 2024. King finished his career at Troy with 2,642 snaps played, allowing just nine sacks in 1,396 career pass blocking snaps.
Last season alone, the Georgia native played 429 snaps at right tackle and 360 at right guard and was the fourth-rated run blocker in the league, allowing just a pair of sacks. His size, skillset, and experience as a team captain, guard, and tacklemake him one of the most valuable transfers into the UNC program. 247 Sports ranks King as the No. 8 offensive line transfer out of the portal this season.
Thaddeus Dixon
A defensive back from California, Thaddeus Dixon played two seasons at Long Beach City College and two with Washington before joining the Heels through the winter portal. The 6'1, 185-pound redshirt senior appeared in 28 career games for the Huskies with 12 starts.
In 2024, Dixon earned an honorable mention All-Big Ten honor for a campaign that produced two interceptions, 16 pass breakups, 69 tackles, three tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. The four-star transfer arrives at North Carolina as the No. 3 cornerback in the portal and the No. 52 overall player.
Players to Watch: Returners
Davion Gause
Davion Gause returns for a sophomore season in the UNC running back room after appearing in all 13 contests last season. The Florida native was the Tar Heels' No. 2 rushing guy last season with 67 carries for 326 yards and four touchdowns. In a standout true freshman performance, Gause returned a blocked punt for a touchdown and rushed twice for eight yards against JMU.
With Omarion Hampton heading to the NFL, Gause has a chance to take on a veteran role in the Tar Heels' running back room and become a go-to guy. His youth and raw talent make him one to keep an eye on.
Chris Culliver
In the wide receiver room, the Heels return Chris Culliver for a junior campaign. Culliver appeared in 12 games during the 2024 campaign, earning one start against Boston College. He finished out his sophomore season with six catches for 135 yards and a touchdown in the regular season finale against NC State.
The 6'2 receiver is also a playmaker in the kick returner position, but hasn't had much opportunity to make an impact due to backed-up veteran talent. Another year for Culliver is another opportunity for him to work his way up the depth chart and build on the potential he has already shown.
Kobe Paysour
Also in the wide receiver room is Kobe Paysour, the Heels' No. 4 receiver last season. The redshirt senior has seen his playing time steadily rise over four seasons with UNC, interrupted only by a season-ending injury in 2023. Despite his injuries, Paysour has 70 catches for 936 yards and seven touchdowns across his 29 career games with the program.
He briefly entered the portal this winter before withdrawing his name four days later, much to the relief of the UNC program. With consistent quarterback play, this wide receiver group has the potential to become a major problem for opposing defenses.
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