Charlotte 49ers

Date: Sept. 19, Chapel Hill

Charlotte 2019 Record:7-6 overall, 5-3 C-USA

Postseason: Lost to Buffalo in the Bahamas Bowl

Returning Starters: Offense 6, Defense 6.

Head Coach: Will Healy, an Eddie Robinson Award winner as the 2017 National FCS Coach of the Year, was selected as the head football coach for the Charlotte 49ers in December, 2018. He came to the 49ers from Austin Peay, where he spent three years infusing energy and enthusiasm into that program while engineering one of the greatest turnarounds in college football history.

3 Key Players: Chris Reynolds, QB (passed for 2,564 yards, 22 TDs, 11 INTs and ran for 791 yards & 6 TDs last season), Markees Watts, DE (62 tackles, 9.5 sacks,) Ben DeLuca (injured a year ago but the 49ers’ leading tackler in 2018).

Must Figure Out: The 49ers led C-USA in rushing last season averaging more than 200 yards per contest, but they lost 3,000-yard career rushing Benny LeMay and three offensive linemen, including their left tackle who was named the team’s MVP.

In Great Shape: This is a confident program. Healy infused the program with positivity and energy. The result was a bowl appearance in his first season, and while the 49ers must replace some key players from a year ago, there are enough parts remaining and growing depth in the program to expect another decent season.

Looking Ahead: "It's a game that I know our fans will be really excited about. We were already looking forward to this series starting in 2024, so now we just won't have to wait as long. You knew Coach Brown would get that program going again, and they already have as much momentum as just about any team in the country. That staff has done a great job." – Charlotte Coach Will Healy on the matchup with UNC.

History vs. UNC: First meeting.

Matchup with UNC: The 49ers are a nice story as the program continues to grow, but they won’t be much of a match for the Tar Heels as long as UNC is ready to play. Carolina has way too many big-play weapons on offense and athletes on defense for Charlotte to pull off an upset.

Rivals site: Niner Report