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Preview: North Carolina vs Illinois

North Carolina vs Illinois, Noon, ESPN2

Must win game in September?

It sure feels that way and not just for this season but possible for the program at large. Consider the following stat. UNC has zero wins in four tries against Power 5 non-conference teams during the Larry Fedora era. Those four losses were to South Carolina(2013 & 2015), Notre Dame and Rutgers last year. The Tar Heels did beat Cincinnati in the Belk Bowl in 2013 but the Bearcats are in the AAC and not Power 5. This stat, possibly more than any other, defines where the program is at.