CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WNCN) – North Carolina and N.C. State will meet Saturday for just the third time when both teams are ranked.
The No. 14 Tar Heels (3-1) were largely dominated by an unranked Florida State team amid a 31-28 loss this past weekend. UNC rallied late in the game but fell short.
The Heels dropped from No. 5 to 14 following the loss.
In Raleigh, a banged up Wolfpack team (4-1) rallied from 10 down to Duke to win 31-20.
State is now ranked No. 23 but lost starting quarterback Devin Leary for at least a month with a broken fibula.
The 110th game between N.C. State and North Carolina will kick off at noon on ESPN in Chapel Hill.
The first time the Heels and Pack met when both were ranked occurred in 1979.
No. 19 UNC topped No. 15 N.C. State 35-21 in Raleigh.
The Wolfpack would go on to win the ACC that year – the last time State earned a conference championship.
In 1993, a Mack Brown-led No. 18 North Carolina beat No. 19 N.C. State 35-14.
The Tar Heels manhandled the Pack last year in Raleigh – winning 41-10.
The road team has won six of the last seven games. State won in Raleigh in 2017 – 33-21.
N.C. State has won 12 of the last 20 meetings.
North Carolina head coach Mack Brown is 6-5 against the Pack as head coach of the Heels. He is 6-7 all-time against N.C. State.
As App State’s coach, he lost to State 33-7 in 1983 and then lost 23-20 to State as Texas’ head coach in 1999.
N.C. State head coach Dave Doeren has won four of seven against the Tar Heels.
