The first ACC injury report of Duke week brought a few familiar names, but it also delivered some new uncertainty for North Carolina as the Tar Heels get ready for their rivalry matchup this weekend.
UNC already knew it would be without Tre Miller after what is believed to be a potential season-ending injury. Kaleb Cost is also sitting in the doubtful category after the scary injury he suffered against Pittsburgh, which lines up with UNC’s previous view of him as week-to-week.
The biggest new development for the Tar Heels is Greg Smith showing up on the injury report for the first time this season. The star safety is listed as questionable, and that makes him one of the key names to monitor as Saturday afternoon gets closer.
UNC also has two more starters listed as questionable in Isaiah Johnson and Jordan Hall. The Tar Heels would also love to get Jordan Washington onto the field, as the transfer tight end still has not made his UNC debut after suffering an injury before the season.
On the Duke side, the headliner is Nate Sheppard. The star running back is questionable for the matchup, and UNC fans know exactly why that matters after he nearly ran for 100 yards against the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill last season.
The ACC will keep updating availability reports at 8 p.m. each day leading up to game day, with the final report due two hours before kickoff. For now, the names worth watching most are the ones tagged questionable, since that’s where the most movement usually happens as the week goes on.
In Other News...
UNC Heads To Duke With A Defensive Problem It Can't Hide
North Carolina heads to Duke still trying to make sense of a defense that has too often put the offense back on the field. The Tar Heels have struggled on third down, and the issues have only grown more complicated with injuries thinning out the secondary. Against a Duke team that wants to lean on the ground game, UNC is walking into a matchup that will test both its communication and its ability to stay in control of long drives.
Nate Sheppard gives Duke a rushing threat that can expose missed assignments and worn-down personnel, which puts even more pressure on North Carolina to clean up the details. The Tar Heels do not just need better tackling, they need better timing, better down-and-distance situations and a defense that can survive without being stretched snap after snap. If UNC cannot solve those problems quickly, the Blue Devils have a clear path to make this rivalry tilt in their favor. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Fans Finally Get The Kenan Stadium Atmosphere They Wanted
For Tar Heels fans who have been waiting for a true night-game feel at Kenan Stadium, the ACC finally delivered one. North Carolinas Oct. 24 matchup with Syracuse will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET on ACC Network, giving UNC its first Saturday night home game of the season and adding a little extra juice to a stretch that already carries plenty of weight.
The timing matters, too, with UNC sitting 3-2 overall and 1-1 in ACC play as it heads into a run that includes Duke, Syracuse and Miami. The Syracuse game will also be labeled Family Football Day, but the bigger draw may be the atmosphere itself, with Tar Heels supporters finally getting the kind of prime-time setting they have been hoping to see in Chapel Hill. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Just Entered A Fascinating Battle For An Elite Young Big
North Carolina has jumped into the chase for one of the most intriguing young big men in the country, extending a scholarship offer to Cherif Millogo, a 7-foot-4 center in the class of 2027 at St. Francis High School in California. The Tar Heels are the latest major program to get involved with a prospect whose size alone makes him impossible to ignore, and who already sits among the top players nationally in his class.
Millogos rise has plenty of layers beyond the recruiting ranking. Originally from Burkina Faso, he is being mentored by former NBA player Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, giving him both a unique background and a strong developmental guide as his profile grows. With several other major programs already in the mix, UNC has entered a battle that could take some time to sort out. [Read more 🡒]