North Carolina’s 2-0 start under Michael Malone has earned the Tar Heels a little more notice nationally, even if it hasn’t been enough to crack the rankings yet.
UNC picked up six votes in Monday’s USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll after opening the season with wins over Western Carolina and Wofford. The Tar Heels handled Wofford on Friday night after having some issues against Western Carolina, and the early stretch has already offered a few hints about what this team needs to clean up.
It’s still the opening act, and the schedule is about to stiffen, but this is the window for UNC to sort through those problems. The Tar Heels should keep improving as the season moves along, and there are already early signs that Malone is fitting well at this level.
UNC remains unranked, but the votes show it is at least on the edge of the conversation. The Tar Heels were listed behind Kentucky, Memphis, Saint Louis, Purdue, Indiana, Texas A&M and Baylor in the latest poll.
UNC now turns to a week that includes a home game against Wyoming on Tuesday and Georgia on Friday night.
In the full Monday poll, Kentucky and Purdue dropped out of the rankings, while the others receiving votes included Kentucky with 101, Memphis with 34, Saint Louis with 23, Purdue with 12, Indiana with 12, Texas A&M with 11, Baylor with 9, North Carolina with 6, Marquette with 6, West Virginia with 5, Missouri with 4, LSU with 3, Wisconsin with 1, Villanova with 1 and Nevada with 1.
In Other News...
Belichick May Be Getting A New In-State Rival Tar Heels Fans Know Well
NC State is expected to hire Philip Rivers as its next head football coach, pending approval from the universitys trustees, a move that would instantly add a familiar name to the in-state rivalry. Rivers, an NC State alum and former NFL quarterback, has spent the past few years coaching at the high school level since 2021, and his jump to the college sideline would bring a very different kind of spotlight to Raleigh.
For North Carolina, the development matters beyond the usual border-state bragging rights because Bill Belichick knows Rivers well from their NFL meetings. Belichick has already weighed in on Rivers competitiveness, which only adds to the intrigue if the hire becomes official and the rivalry gets a new face with a long football rsum behind it. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Has A Real Chance To Clinch Something At Louisville
North Carolina heads to Louisville with a straightforward goal in front of it: get one more win and become bowl-eligible. After the Tar Heels handled UConn, the program has a little momentum and a clearer sense of identity under Bill Belichick in his second season, with the discipline on both sides of the ball looking more settled than it did earlier in the year.
Billy Edwards Jr. has been a big part of that push, coming off a strong outing against UConn with 255 passing yards and three touchdowns. Now the challenge gets a little tougher on the road, where UNC can turn a solid midseason stretch into something more meaningful if it can finish the job at Louisville. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Defense Just Lost A Key Piece At The Worst Time
North Carolinas defense took a tough hit during its game against Syracuse, when linebacker Jonathan Agumadu suffered a lower-body injury that will keep him out for the rest of the 2026 season. Agumadu had become a significant part of the Tar Heels defensive rotation, so his absence leaves a noticeable void in the middle of the unit at a point when depth matters most.
Timir Hickman-Collins is among the linebackers expected to help absorb the workload from here, and UNC will need others to step forward quickly as it tries to steady the defense without one of its more reliable contributors. Injuries are part of the season, but losing a player like Agumadu now forces the Tar Heels to adjust on the fly and reshuffle a position group that had been counting on his presence. [Read more 🡒]