Football is back, and although Kenan Stadium was mostly empty (save for a few cardboard cutouts and Roy Williams), Carolina fans around the world were ready to exhale and watch their Tar Heels dominate an overmatched Syracuse team struggling with roster depletion. Except it didn’t really play out the way everyone thought.
The plan was for UNC’s offense, led by Heisman candidate Sam Howell and his full quiver of offensive weapons to lay 40+ points on Syracuse before giving reps to backups Jace Ruder and Jacolby Criswell. An inexperienced defensive line would rely on linebackers Chazz Surratt and Jeremiah Gemmel and a deep, talented secondary to give it a chance to hit Syracuse quarterback Tommy DeVito.