UNC got a much-needed break on the injury front just in time for Saturday night’s meeting with Syracuse.
Less than 24 hours before kickoff, the latest ACC availability report flipped the mood around the Tar Heels in a big way. All six starters who were initially listed as questionable earlier this week have now been moved to probable, a significant turn after there had been real concern UNC might be short-handed against the Orange.
The players now listed as probable are wide receiver Jordan Shipp, defensive backs Kaleb Cost and Peyton Waters, running back Benjamin Hall, offensive lineman Jordan Hall, and kicker Aeron Burrell.
That’s a major swing from where things stood when the first availability report came out.
UNC still won’t be at full strength - eight players are listed out for the game, including Tre Miller - but Bill Belichick and the Tar Heels have to be encouraged by how the report is trending. Getting those previously questionable players back in the mix would be a welcome boost across both sides of the ball.
The secondary could use the help most immediately. Cost has been out since suffering a lower-body injury in UNC’s win over Pittsburgh, and the injury appeared serious enough that a longer absence seemed possible. With Miller and Weatherspoon already ruled out, Cost’s return would give a thin defensive backfield some badly needed support.
Waters’ status matters just as much. He left last weekend’s win over Duke in the first quarter with what appeared to be a shoulder injury, and having him available would help a UNC defense that has to deal with Syracuse wide receiver Umari Hatcher, one of the ACC’s most productive pass-catchers.
There’s good news on offense, too. Hall left the Duke game after hurting his hamstring on the Tar Heels’ opening drive and never returned, but he has done enough in the last few days to land on the probable list. If he suits up, he would give North Carolina another back to pair with Jaylen McGill, who delivered when called on after Hall exited.
Shipp’s status is another important one. The Tar Heels’ leading receiver had seven catches for 75 yards and a touchdown against Duke, and he has become one of Billy Edwards Jr.’s most dependable targets this season.
Jordan Hall’s possible return would also matter up front. He has been out since September 19, and getting him back would give UNC another body for the offensive line as it tries to keep the offense moving.
Probable still doesn’t mean guaranteed, but for UNC, this is the kind of update that changes the outlook fast. Kickoff is set for 7:30 PM.
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Bella Devey has been at the center of that surge, leading the conference in goals, while several other Tar Heels have also earned league and national attention. Carolina has handled Stanford well in the series, but this one still feels like a measuring stick, with the Cardinal bringing one of the leagues best profiles into Chapel Hill and the Tar Heels trying to keep their edge as the schedule tightens. [Read more 🡒]
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Angelis numbers suggest there is still plenty for North Carolina to try to test, especially with some of the turnover and sack issues Syracuse has dealt with at quarterback. Malachi Nelson and Amari Odom are both ruled out, so the Oranges depth chart is thinner than it might have been earlier in the season, and that makes Angelis role even more central to how Syracuse tries to stay afloat against a Tar Heels defense looking to make the first punch count. [Read more 🡒]
Belichicks NFL Future Suddenly Matters A Lot To North Carolina
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For the Tar Heels, that uncertainty matters because it keeps Belichicks long-term future in Chapel Hill tied to speculation beyond the college game. There have been no official offers and no confirmed negotiations, but the lack of NFL traction and his advancing age have added another layer to a situation that remains open-ended for now. [Read more 🡒]