College football season is here, but before you know it, college basketball season will also be here. In Chapel Hill, the North Carolina Tar Heels are eager to prove themselves as an ACC contender once again.
UNC snuck into this year’s NCAA Tournament as the field’s final team, much to the dismay of high-profile analysts. North Carolina quickly proved they belong, stomping San Diego State 95-68, but recurring issues arose during a Round of 64 loss to Ole Miss.
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Speaking of the Big Dance, let’s take a quick look at Joe Lunardi’s latest 2026 bracketology. The Tar Heels are projected to land the East Region’s 6-seed, facing automatic qualifier VCU in the Round of 64.
If this matchup were to occur, it’d be the first-ever between UNC and the Rams. VCU has a long history of postseason success, reaching the 2011 Final Four under Shaka Smart – and most recently an 80-71 loss to BYU in March.
On paper, the 2025-2026 North Carolina roster is one of its deepest in years. Star guard Seth Trimble is returning for his senior campaign, giving a new-look team a much-needed familiar face. The Tar Heels added Top-10 recruit Caleb Wilson, a starting point guard in Kyan Evans, wing help in Luka Bogavac and plenty of height, highlighted by 7-footer Henri Veesaar.
UNC’s first game will be an October 24 exhibition at BYU, which landed former UNC target AJ Dybantsa, the class of 2025’s top-ranked recruit. North Carolina will face several tough opponents in non-conference play, including Kansas (November 7), Michigan State (Nov. 27), Kentucky (December 2), Georgetown (Dec. 7) and Ohio State (Dec. 20).
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Where will the Tar Heels land after their regular season concludes? Let’s hope for another National Championship, which UNC desperately needs to turn itself back into a feared program.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC projected to nab 6-seed, face VCU in Joe Lunardi 2026 bracketology
