UNC Facing Foe After 7-Year Delay

UNC (Finally) Meets UCF After Prior Setbacks

The Tar Heels will face the UCF Knights this upcoming Saturday in Orlando, Florida, marking a long-awaited matchup years in the making. The teams were originally scheduled to face off in 2018, but warnings from Hurricane Florence forced the match astray. Two years later, in 2020, another opportunity slipped away when the COVID-19 pandemic caused the game in Orlando to be called off.

On Sept. 20, the Tar Heels will take their long-anticipated challenge to the Sunshine State, hoping to showcase their growth and resilience the team has shown us in their previous matchups.

(K)night Night

The Knights enter the contest with momentum, fresh off a commanding 61-point victory over the North Carolina A&T Aggies. With Big 12 conference play against Kansas State looming next week, UCF is eager to use this game to establish itself as a legitimate threat.

The Knights know that a slip-up before conference play could derail the narrative they have been trying to build, and facing a storied ACC program like UNC offers both a heat check and an opportunity to make noise nationwide.

UCF’s Lineup

By no means are the Knights going to be an easy opponent, similar to our schedule so far this season. UCF currently holds an undefeated 2-0 record on the season after matchups with NCA&T and a Jacksonville State home-opener. Last week, the team’s top two contributors were purely offensive, carrying 5 of the team’s 9 touchdowns.

Sep 13, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Demon June (35) celebrates with quarterback Gio Lopez (7) after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Redshirt senior running back Jaden Nixon exploded for three touchdowns and 156 rushing yards, while redshirt junior quarterback Jacurri Brown totaled 75 rushing yards and two touchdowns. This duo powered UCF’s offense and is expected to keep that momentum rolling. This leaves the Tar Heels with a yearning to strategize in slowing them down.

How The Heels Can Win

Sep 13, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Caleb Hood (4) isnt able to catch the ball as Richmond Spiders defensive back Devin Geronomi (22) defends in the second quarter at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

This game is about setting the tone early for UNC. With a roster continuously feeding to integrate, UNC will aim to neutralize UCF’s big playmakers like Nixon and Brown to control the tempo. If the Tar Heels can play to their strengths in a consistently improving offense and defense, this long-delayed matchup could be worth the wait.

As UNC continues to find its rhythm, we can expect a promising performance from large playmakers who have begun to find their footing this season: Demon June, Jordan Shipp, and Gio Lopez.

Sep 13, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Demon June (35) with the ball as Richmond Spiders defensive lineman Camden Byrd (6) defends in the second quarter at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

This offensive trio has proved to be what Carolina needs to remain a threat to upcoming conference opponent defenses. The speed of Shipp, the athleticism of June, and the quickness of Lopez all pose a threat to this Knights team.

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