With North Carolina’s move this offseason to playing home games at Kenan Stadium on synthetic artificial turf, we decided to take a look at the Tar Heels’ history playing on surfaces other than grass .

Many programs switched from artificial turf to grass in the 1990s but many have gone back to the fake stuff throughout the 2000s, so we went back to the 2000 campaign to look at how UNC has done on the fake stuff in the 18 seasons since. A few notes before unveiling our findings:

*Currently, just five ACC teams play home games on artificial turf, including Wake Forest, Louisville, Boston College and Syracuse along with Carolina.

*In 2000, BC, Louisville and Syracuse played on artificial turf. Wake was still playing on grass at the time.

*According to an article in Hero Sports.com, between 1978-1999, only four Division I-A football programs switched from grass to artificial turf, though from 2000-2016, 43 schools made the switch and 94 of the 130 FBS teams will play on something other than grass this season. Multiple reports suggesting Notre Dame was switching back to grass were erroneous, though a temporary grass surface will be used for an international soccer match slated for July 19.

*Entering this season, 31 of the 64 Power 5 programs play on grass plus Notre Dame now does, too. The non-ACC P5 programs that play on grass are Penn State, Purdue, Northwestern, Michigan State, TCU, Colorado, Oklahoma, Iowa State, USC, UCLA, Stanford, Arizona State, Alabama, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Auburn, Georgia, Florida, LSU, Ole Miss and South Carolina (that’s 10 of 14 SEC schools).

As for the Tar Heels, they have played 22 games on artificial turf this century owning an 8-14 record. The average score of these games is Opponents 31.3, UNC 28.5. Carolina won six of its first 10 games this century on the fake stuff but has dropped 10 of its last 12.

Here are UNC’s results this century playing on surfaces other than grass:

2000: @ Pittsburgh, W - 20-17

2001: Vs. Auburn (Peach Bowl), W – 16-10

2002: @ Syracuse, W – 30-22

2003: @ Wisconsin, L – 38-27

2004: @ Utah, L – 46-16

2005: @ Louisville, L – 69-14

2006: None

2007: None

2008: @ Rutgers, W – 44-12

2009: @ Boston College, W – 31-13

2010: Vs. LSU (Atlanta), L – 30-24

2010: @ Rutgers, W – 17-13

2011: Vs. Missouri (Independence Bowl), L – 41-24

2012: @ Wake Forest, L – 28-27

2012: @ Louisville, L – 39-34

2013: None

2014: @ Notre Dame, L – 50-43

2014: Vs. Rutgers (Quick Lane Bowl), L – 40-21

2015: Vs. Baylor (Russell Athletic Bowl), L – 49-38

2016: Vs. Georgia (Atlanta), L – 33-24

2016: @ Illinois, W – 48-23

2016: Vs. Stanford (Sun Bowl), L – 25-23

2017: @ Old Dominion, W – 53-23

2018: @ California, L – 24-17

2018: @ Syracuse, L – 40-37 (OT)