The North Carolina Tar Heels football program has been back on the upswing since Mack Brown returned to Chapel Hill in 2019. Meanwhile, the Clemson Tigers, an ACC rival to the south of the Heels, have seen their dynastic run of the 2010s begin to subside of late.
When it comes to these two rivals, though, Clemson has historically dominated UNC on the football field. The two teams have met 59 times in program histories with the Tigers accruing a 39-19-1 to hold the substantial edge in the rivalry. Clemson has also beaten North Carolina twice in the past eight years in the ACC Championship Game.
For Tar Heels fans, it feels like an eternity since they've been able to get one over on the Tigers. But how long has it actually been? When was the last time North Carolina beat Clemson? We've got the answers.
When is the last time UNC beat Clemson in football?
Not shockingly given the overall recent history of the two programs, it's been a while since North Carolina beat Clemson. In fact, UNC's last win over Clemson in football came all the way back on Oct. 9, 2010 when the Tar Heels picked up a 21-16 win in Chapel Hill.
Now, it's worth noting that the ACC was in its divisional model for much of the 2000s and the Tar Heels and Tigers were in different divisions. Subsequently, from the 2010 win until the two teams met in Week 12 of the 2023 season, the two programs only faced off on the gridiron five times, twice in the ACC Championship Game. The latest meeting was in the 2022 conference title bout with Clemson running away with a 39-10 victory.
When is the last time North Carolina beat Clemson in Death Valley?
To find the last time the Tar Heels won in Clemson, you have to go back even farther. UNC's last win in Death Valley came all the way back in 2001 when North Carolina actually blew out the Tigers on Oct. 20 in a 38-3 win. That was the first season for the Heels under head coach John Bunting.
Mack Brown's record at UNC vs. Clemson
Head coach Mack Brown entered the 2023 meeting with an 0-2 mark over this stint with North Carolina. However, when he previously coached in Chapel Hill from 1988-97, he did have more success then, going 3-7 against the Tigers for an overall mark of 3-9 against Clemson.