No. 14: 1977
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. 14: 1977
Record: 8-3-1 (5-0-1)
Bowl: Liberty Bowl, lost 21-17 to Nebraska
Ranking: 14
Coach: Bill Dooley
All-Americans: Dee Hardison (DT); Mike Salzano (G)
First-Team All-ACC: Dee Hardison, DL, Rod Broadway, DL, Ken Sheets, DL, Buddy Curry, LB, Alan Caldwell, DB, Amos Lawrence, HB, Mike Salzano, OG
Honors: Amos Lawrence, ACC Rookie of the Year.
What's To Know: At least the 1977 Tar Heels won an ACC championship, because it would have been a shame for this squad to be so close to something special yet end up going down as just another solid club in UNC's history.
They lost twice by scores of 10-7 (at Kentucky in the opener and at home versus nationally ranked Texas Tech), tied No. 13 Clemson 13-13, and then lost 21-17 to Nebraska in the bowl game. Three losses and one tie - four blemishes - by a total of 10 points. In between were routs of Northwestern (41-7 on the road), South Carolina, Virginia and Richmond and solid wins at N.C. State, at Maryland and at Duke.
Carolina wasn’t ranked until after its ninth game, but the Tar Heels stayed in the Top 20 once they got in.
The first of four consecutive seasons of "Famous Amos" Lawrence rushing for 1,000 yards was a pretty good one for the Tar Heels, but it was oh-so close to being much better, but at least a third of four ACC titles in a 10-year span gives them something to show for that season.
1978 NFL Draft
5th Rnd: Bob Hukill, OG, Cowboys
6th Rnd: Dave Simmons, LB, Packers
6th Rnd: Mike Salzano, OG, Cowboys