No. 12: 1993
Our series ranking the 20 best UNC football teams of all time continues today. Once this series concludes, we will rank the best UNC basketball teams of all time:
No. 12: 1993
Record: 10-3 (6-2)
Bowl: Gator Bowl, lost 24-10 to Alabama
Ranking: 19
Coach: Mack Brown
All-Americans: Bracey Walker (DB)
First-Team All-ACC: Ethan Albright, OT; Curtis Johnson, RB; Bracey Walker, DB.
Honors: Leon Johnson, ACC Rookie of the Year.
What's To Know: A season-opening 31-9 rout of No. 18 Southern Cal in the Disney Kickoff Classic in Anaheim, CA, was more than a sign of things to come for Mack Brown's athletic and entertaining Tar Heels. From that point on, the offense mostly hummed, as Carolina was 15th in the nation in scoring at 33.2 points per game. Their best efforts: 59 versus Maryland; 45 versus Wake and UTEP, 44 against Ohio U., 42 at Tulane and 41 versus Georgia Tech.
Jason Stanicek running the option or chucking it down field was a sight to see, but so was the running and catching out of the backfield of Leon Johnson and the raw explosiveness of Curtis Johnson. Let’s also not forget the electrifying Marcus Wall, and on defense the popping of Jimmy Hitchock, sack specialist Marcus Jones and game-changing plays from Bracey Walker.
A 33-7 loss at home to Florida State showed the Heels they were still a few lengths behind the Seminoles and a 17-10 loss at Virginia kept alive a series of ugly performances in Charlottesville. However, the foundation of Brown's vision was settling in and the program was headed in the right direction.
Nine Tar Heels were named second-team All-ACC and two more made the third team. Carolina was ranked every week of the season with a high of No. 12 two different times.
Some of the lessons learned from this season almost helped the Tar Heels get over the hump a few years later. An increase in interest in the program coming off the thrilling bowl victory of the season before and the high-octane offense in '93 also got the wheels churning for the next major expansion and renovation to Kenan Stadium.
1994 NFL Draft
2nd Rnd: Bucky Brooks, WR/DB, Bills
4th Rnd: Austin Robbins, DT, Raiders
4th Rnd: Bracey Walker, DB, Chiefs
4th Rnd: Sean Crocker, DB, Bills