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UNC Set To Celebrate 100 Seasons at Kenan Stadium

Kenan Stadium’s 100th season to feature upgrades and alumni tributes.
Caleb Meadows|
Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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North Carolina Tar Heels

North Carolina will celebrate 100 seasons in Kenan Stadium this upcoming college football season. The Tar Heels have an all-time 328-207-16 record at the home stadium.

The Tar Heels hosted their first game at Kenan Stadium on Nov. 24, 1927. Now in 2026, after 551 football games, the 100-season celebration will take place.

UNC Set To Upgrade Stadium

This upcoming season will pay tribute to some of the most historic moments in Kenan Stadium while also building an upgraded fan experience for the future. The program announced some upgrades for next season, including new video and ribbon boards and a new sound system.

"We are excited to recognize 100 seasons of Kenan Stadium by honoring the program's alumni, elevating the fan experience from pregame to postgame and enhancing our historic facility," said Steve Newmark, executive associate director of athletics. "As we cheer on the 2026 Tar Heels, we will also commemorate the past while continuing to build toward the future."

UNC Legends Will Be Honored

Former Tar Heel players will be honored during home games. Plans call for featuring the program's five retired jerseys and highlighting other honored jerseys around the stadium to show respect and gratitude to past UNC legends.

UNC will debut a throwback uniform from the 1980 season, when the program won the ACC championship and finished No. 9 in the coaches poll. The uniform game debut has yet to be announced, but it will take place sometime next season.

New Era in Chapel Hill

Last season marked a new era in UNC football when NFL legend Bill Belichick was hired as the next head coach. While the team had a disappointing 4-8 season, Belichick has a year of college football under his belt and will almost certainly have a better season in his second year.

There is no way Belichick has a down season two years in a row. It should be an exciting time next season in Kenan Stadium for everyone involved. The NCAA also knows that UNC is set for a bounce-back season, as the team will travel to Dublin, Ireland, to take on TCU in the first college football game of the new season in Week 0.

The Tar Heels’ first game in Kenan Stadium next season is scheduled to be Sept. 12 against ETSU. It is a new era in UNC football, but it will also be a historic season as they honor the previous legends who have taken a step in Kenan Stadium.

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Caleb Meadows
CALEB MEADOWS

Caleb Meadows is a contributor to the UNC Tar Heels. He previously covered Louisville sports and WWE for FanSided. Meadows also covered local sports in Oklahoma while attending Oklahoma State, where he earned a degree in sports communications. Follow him on X, at @CalebMeadows25.