North Carolina ended an ugly streak of losses to power conference teams in season openers in 2019, when the Tar Heels overcame South Carolina in Mack Brown’s first game of his second stint in Chapel Hill.

One similar streak remains intact, however.

UNC has not won a road opener against a power conference team since 1992, when the Tar Heels won at Wake Forest, 35-17, in Mack Brown’s fifth season of his first stint at Carolina.

This is somewhat relevant because North Carolina opens this season at Minnesota of the Big Ten. The Tar Heels won last season’s meeting, 31-13, in Kenan Stadium, but this contest will take place at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. So, the Golden Gophers will want a measure of revenge.

In addition, the game is on a Thursday night, will air nationally on FOX, and is considered the top game nationally that night in college football. It’s a great opportunity for both teams, which should add even more fuel to a Gophers club that finished with a losing record last season.

Below is a list of UNC’s openers at power conference teams since its 1983 victory at South Carolina:

(Note: The average score in Carolina's five-game skid in openers at power conference opponents is 27-2.-to-17.)

2021 - @ Virginia Tech, Loss 17-10

2018 - @ California, Loss 24-17

2013 - @ South Carolina, Loss 27-10

2005 - @ Georgia Tech, Loss 27-21

2001 - @ Oklahoma, Loss 41-27

1992 - @ Wake Forest, Win 35-17

1988 - @ South Carolina, Loss 31-10

1983 - @ South Carolina, Win 24-8

Note: UNC played Southern Cal in Anaheim in the Pigskin Classic to open the 1993 season and won 31-9.