Anticipation for North Carolina’s trip to Kansas on November 8 will be sky high as the game approaches in four months, and rightfully so.
Two of the top three college basketball programs of all time squaring off in perhaps the most storied building in the sport is something to celebrate, cherish, and look forward to. It will also mean UNC has played true road games at the other six blueblood programs this century.
Now, blueblood is certainly a subjective term, as is fabled. Indiana might not be a blueblood any longer, and Connecticut hasn’t reached fabled status, but they are in a group of seven programs now that stand above the rest of the nation from purely a historic standpoint.
So, with the huge game at Phog Allen Fieldhouse on tap for this coming season, we wanted to look at the Tar Heels’ history playing against and at the other top non-ACC programs in the sport’s lore.
It should be noted that UNC has also played at UCLA, Indiana, Kentucky, and UConn this century, and of course annually at Duke. We are also adding five other programs that have won national championships and are regarded as among the top programs of all-time not in the ACC.
Other ACC teams that would make such a list are Louisville, Syracuse, and to a small degree NC State. But we will not look at Carolina’s history against them or the Blue Devils. This is strictly nonconference programs.
This will be UNC’s second ever trip to Lawrence, KS, and first in 64 years. Carolina beat the Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse, 78-70, on Dec. 17, 1960.
Kansas has never played in Chapel Hill, so its visit on Nov. 14, 2025 will be its first time at UNC.
Here is UNC’s history versus the other top non-ACC programs that have national championships:
UNC vs Kansas
Series: 6-6 (1-0 at KU)
-Kansas has won the last four, all in the NCAA Tournament: 2008 Final Four; 2012 Elite 8; 2013 second round; 2022 national championship.
-Seven of the 12 meetings have been in the NCAA Tournament, including the 1957 national championship, the 1991 Final Four, and the 1993 Final Four.
-UNC is 2-5 vs Kansas in NCAA Tournament play.
UNC vs UCLA
Series: UNC 11-3 (2-1 at UCLA)
-Last meeting at Pauley Pavilion: Dec. 23, 2000 (UNC 80, UCLA 70).
-UNC is 2-1 in NCAA Tournament play losing in the 1968 national championship game, and winning in the second round in 1989 and Sweet 16 in 2022.
-Carolina faces UCLA in the CBS Sports Classic this season. It will be the third meeting between the schools in the event, with UNC winning the first two contests.
UNC vs Indiana
Series: UNC 6-10 (2-5 at IU)
-Last meeting in Assembly Hall: Nov. 30, 2022 (Indiana 77-65)
-UNC is 1-2 vs. Indiana in NCAA Tournament play losing in the 1981 national championship, losing in the 1984 Sweet 16, and winning in the 2016 Sweet 16.
UNC vs Kentucky
Series: UNC is 25-18 vs. Kentucky (6-8 at UK)
-Last meeting in Rupp Arena: Dec. 13, 2014 (UK 84-70)
-UNC is 3-1 vs UK in NCAA Tournament play, beating the Wildcats in Elite Eight games in 1977, 1995, and 2017, and falling to them in the 2011 Elite Eight.
UNC vs UConn
Series: UNC 5-2 (1-1 at UConn)
-Last meeting in Storrs/Hartford, CT: Feb. 13, 2005 (UConn 77-70)
-UNC is 1-0 vs UConn in NCAA Tournament play, beating the Huskies in the 1998 Elite Eight.
UNC vs Arizona
Series: UNC 4-3 (1-0 at Arizona)
-Last meeting in Tucson: Jan. 27, 2007 (UNC 92-64)
-UNC is 0-2 vs Arizona in NCAA Tournament play losing in the 1988 Elite Eight and 1997 Final Four.
UNC vs Michigan State
Series: UNC 13-4 (2-1 in East Lansing)
-Last meeting at MSU: Dec. 4, 2013 (UNC 79-65)
-UNC is 6-0 vs Michigan State in NCAA Tournament play winning in the 1957 Final Four, 1997 Sweet 16, 2005 Final Four, 2007 second round, 2009 national championship, and 2024 second round.
UNC vs Ohio State
Series: UNC 13-3 (3-1 at OSU)
-Last meeting in Columbus: Nov. 28, 2007 (UNC 66-55)
-UNC is 3-1 vs Ohio State in NCAA Tournament play winning in the 1946 Final Four, 1968 Final Four, 1983 Sweet 16, and losing in the 1992 Sweet 16.
UNC vs Villanova
Series: UNC 11-6 (0-1 at Villanova)
-Last meeting in Philly: Jan. 20, 1996 (Villanova 76-56)
-UNC is 5-2 vs Villanova in NCAA Tournament play winning in the 1982 Elite Eight, 1991 second round, 2005 Sweet 16, 2009 Final Four, 2013 first round, and losing in the 1985 Elite Eight, and 2016 national championship.
UNC vs Michigan
Series: UNC 6-4 (0-1 at Michigan)
-Last meeting in Ann Arbor: Nov. 28, 2018 (Michigan 84-67)
-UNC is 3-1 vs Michigan in NCAA Tournament play winning in the 1987 second round, 1988 Sweet 16, and 1993 national championship while losing in the 1989 Sweet 16.
Note: Programs such as Cincinnati, Arkansas, Georgetown, and Marquette were considered.
