May Series: Top 5 UNC Football Teams Of The 2000s

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Our annual May series ranking former players and teams from North Carolina’s football and basketball past continues, as this week the focus is on the top Tar Heels’ football teams from each decade.

We have broken this into six categories: Pre-1970; the 1970s; 1980s; 1990s; 2000s; and since 2010.

We usually will rank six teams and seven players per period. This week’s series:

Record: 6-5 (3-5)

Bowl: None

Ranking: None

Coach: Carl Torbush

All-Americans: Julius Peppers (DE)

First-Team All-ACC: Alge Crumpler TE, Julius Peppers DE

Honors: Alge Crumpler, Mackey Award finalist.

What's To Know: Coming off a shocking 3-8 season two years after finishing in the top 10 for a second consecutive year, Carl Torbush’s third and last team showed some fight in solid wins over Marshall and at Pittsburgh. After dropping five of six game sin one span, the Heels closed with three straight wins, but it wasn’t enough to save Torbush, who was fired after the season.

Record: 6-6 (5-3)

Bowl: Lost Continental Tire Bowl to Boston College 37-34

Ranking: None

Coach: John Bunting

All-Americans: Jacob Brown (C)

First-Team All-ACC: Jason Brown C.

Honors: Jason Brown, Rimington Award finalist.

What's To Know: This was one of the strangest seasons in UNC history, as the Tar Heels had lopsided losses at UVA (56-24), to Louisville (34-0), at FSU (38-16), and at Utah (46-16), but they also pounded Georgia Tech, beat NC State in a memorable thriller, and shocked No. 4 Miami on a 42-yard field goal by Connor Barth as time expired. Darian Durant was a pleasure to watch that season chucking the ball around and escaping constant pass rushes. Bunting only other bowl team finished the regular season 6-5 before falling to BC.

Record: 8-5 ((4-4)

Bowl: Lost Meinecke Car Care Bowl to West Virginia 31-30

Ranking: None

Coach: Butch Davis

All-Americans: Trimane Goddard (DB).

First-Team All-ACC: Hakeem Nicks WR, Trimane Goddard DB. Deunta Williams DB.

Honors: None

What's To Know: The Tar Heels started the season strong with a 5-1 record that included wins at a solid Rutgers team (44-12), at Miami, at nationally ranked UConn, and at home versus Notre Dame. But the Heels then lost three of five before ending the regular season with a win at Duke. Excitement was high around the program, as Carolina drew at least 59,000 fans for its first four games, then 48,000 in the rain for BC, before 59,000 showed up in the sixth home game. The NCAA later vacated UNC’s wins that season.

Record: 8-5 (4-4)

Bowl: Lost Meinecke Car Care Bowl to Pittsburgh, 19-17

Ranking: None

Coach: Butch Davis

All-Americans: Kendric Burney DB, Robert Quinn DE, Quan Sturdivant LB

First-Team All-ACC: K

Honors: None

What's To Know: Butch Davis’ third UNC team had a lot of promise and opened the season 3-0 before falling at Georgia Tech and at home to Virginia scoring just three points. The Heels did pick up a late-October win at No. 14 Virginia Tech and a November win at No. 12 FSU, but closed the season falling by a point at NC State and in the bowl game. The NCAA later vacated UNC’s wins that season.

Record: 8-5 (5-3)

Bowl: Won Peach Bowl beating Auburn 16-10.

Ranking: None

Coach: John Bunting

All-Americans: Julius Peppers (DE)

First-Team All-ACC: Julius Peppers DE, Ryan Sims DT.

Honors: Julius Peppers Lombardi Award, Chevrolet National Defensive Player of the Year, Bednarik Award, Nagurski Award finalist, Football News National Defensive Player of the Year finalist, 10th in Heisman Trophy voting.

What's To Know: John Bunting’s first team opened on the road with three teams that ended the year in the top 10, falling at Oklahoma, at Texas, and at Maryland before returning home to beat No. 6 Florida State. That club also won at NC State, at Clemson, and at home versus Virginia. Carolina’s defense struggled early that season, but got very strong very quickly, with its best effort in a 38-3 romp at Clemson. The Tar Heels also squashed Auburn’s offense in the bowl game.