UNC Football Schedule Lookahead: Clemson

North Carolina and Clemson enter the new season trying to rebound from rare setbacks, with both programs overhauling their offenses after disappointing years that fell far short of expectations.

The teams meet in Week 3 at Clemson’s Memorial Stadium on Sept. 19, with kickoff set for 11 a.m. It’s an early-season measuring stick for a UNC program desperate to show progress — and for a Clemson team trying to prove it still belongs among the ACC’s elite.

North Carolina finished 4-8 and missed a bowl game despite playing a much-improved defense over the second half of the season. The Tar Heels had one of the nation’s worst offenses, averaging 288.8 yards per game — last in the ACC and 129th nationally — and just 19.3 points. Three losses came by seven points or fewer, a margin that likely cost them postseason eligibility.

The offensive collapse led to the firing of coordinator Freddie Kitchens and the hiring of Bobby Petrino to revive the attack under head coach Bill Belichick, who faces mounting pressure after back-to-back losing seasons.

Clemson also slipped, going 7-6 in a year that would be acceptable at many ACC programs but is viewed as a major setback for a team that dominated the league for more than a decade and routinely claimed the conference’s College Football Playoff berth from 2015 to 2020 and again in 2023. The seven wins were the Tigers’ fewest in 15 years and marked a third straight season with at least four losses and only one victory over a bowl-eligible Power Five opponent.

In response, Clemson dismissed offensive coordinator Garrett Riley and brought back former coordinator Chad Morris in hopes of recharging an attack that has lagged behind the program’s standard.

North Carolina’s problems were on full display in last year’s 38-10 loss to Clemson, a game effectively decided by halftime. The Tigers led 35-3 at the break and eased off late after striking on the first play from scrimmage with a 75-yard double-pass touchdown.

Clemson then sent a wave of talent to the NFL. Quarterback Cade Klubnik, once projected as a potential top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, went in the fourth round to the New York Jets. Running back Adam Randall was drafted in the fifth round by the Baltimore Ravens. Seven more Tigers were selected: offensive lineman Blake Miller, defensive tackle Peter Woods, defensive end T.J. Parker, cornerback Avieon Terrell, wide receiver Antonio Williams, linebacker Wade Woodaz and defensive tackle DeMonte Capehart.

Despite those departures, Clemson is not expected to rely heavily on offensive transfers, in keeping with head coach Dabo Swinney’s approach. Rising junior Christopher Vizzina is the favorite to start at quarterback, though freshman Tait Reynolds will push him in camp.

The Tigers return top receivers Bryant Wesco Jr. and T.J. Moore, who torched North Carolina’s secondary last season while combining for seven catches for 150 yards and three touchdowns.

Defensively, Clemson could feature multiple newcomers. The Tigers added Penn State cornerback Elliot Washington II and safeties Corey Myrick (Southern Miss) and Jerome Carter III (Old Dominion) from the transfer portal.

The unit still leans on proven playmakers in senior defensive end Will Heldt and junior linebacker Sammy Brown. Heldt led Clemson with 15.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks last season, while Brown finished with a team-high 107 tackles to go with 13.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, five pass breakups, a forced fumble and an interception.

For UNC, the trip to Death Valley doubles as a test of whether Petrino’s offense can keep pace against a top-tier defense and whether the Tar Heels can shed last season’s reputation as a team that couldn’t finish games. The environment will be loud and unforgiving, but if North Carolina can show real offensive growth and stay within striking distance late, it will signal that the rebuild is moving in the right direction.

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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Football Schedule Lookahead: Clemson