UNC Receives Encouraging Injury Update Before Showdown With Wake Forest

Before a big road game against in-state rival Wake Forest, North Carolina received a major boost of confidence in its injury report.

Star cornerback Thaddeus Dixon was upgraded to questionable for Saturday’s game after missing the last four games with an injury suffered in the first half against Clemson on Oct. 4. According to the ACC, a questionable designation means Dixon is uncertain to play and has less than a 50% chance of participating.

North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick announced during his press conference on Monday that Dixon was day-to-day.

UNC — CB Thaddeus Dixon | Grant Chachere, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

“He's day to day,” Belichick said during his weekly presser on Tuesday. "He's closer than he was today he was yesterday. We'll go out there and see how it goes.”

UNC added Dixon through the transfer portal in January, signing him as the top-rated portal prospect of the offseason, according to the Rivals Industry rankings. Since arriving on campus, the Los Angeles-area native has been a key player for the defense.

Often considered the only player on the roster likely to be selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, Dixon started at cornerback for North Carolina in the season’s first five games. He recorded 14 tackles and three pass deflections in that span. Dixon posted a 72.7 Pro Football Focus pass coverage grade, second among Tar Heels defensive backs and just 0.1 behind safety Gavin Gibson, who led the team at 72.8.

Defensive back Kaleb Cost was listed as questionable as well.

North Carolina

Out for UNC

UNC — North Carolina offensive lineman Chad Lindbergh (Sept. 15, 2025) | Jackson McCurdy, North Carolina Tar Heels On SI

DB #17 Peyton Waters
LB #28 Chinedu Onyeagoro
LB #30 Evan Bennett
LB #33 Tyler Houser
FB #33 Henry Martello
OL #51 Peter Pesansky
OL #53 Christo Kelly
OL #68 Aidan Banfield
OL #69 Chad Lindberg
DL #84 Laderion Williams
DL #86 Kamarion Thomas
TE #87 Cort Halsey
TE #88 Deems May

Questionable for UNC

UNC — Sep 1, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels defensive back Kaleb Cost (21) reacts after intercepting a pass in the second quarter at Kenan Stadium. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

DB #1 Thaddeus Dixon
DB #21 Kaleb Cost

Wake Forest

Out for Wake Forest

DB #4 Sascha Garcia
DB #6 Rushaun Tongue
WR #7 Micah Mays Jr.
DB #13 Ashaad Williams
DB #14 Braxton Winston III
QB #15 Elijiah Oehlke
RB #28 David Egbe
WR #44 Wesley Stroebel
LB #51 Luke White
OL #52 Uber Ajongo
OL #74 Nathan Pahanich
WR #88 Ian VerSteeg
DL #93 Josh Harrison
DL #95 Brandon Smiley
P #98 Rohan Macneill

Questionable for Wake Forest

WR #10 Chris Barnes

Probable for Wake Forest

TE #25 Harry Lodge
OL #65 Clinton Richard

Oct 31, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick looks to the clock in the fourth quarter game against the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

For ACC league games this football season, availability reports are required to be submitted two nights before a game, the night before a game, and then two hours before the game’s scheduled kickoff time.

For basketball and baseball games during those upcoming seasons, the ACC is requiring availability reports to be turned in the night before a game, and then two hours before the game’s scheduled tip-off time.

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