The University of North Carolina (UNC) Tar Heels football team will host the Richmond Spiders from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) this Saturday at Kenan Stadium. The game marks the first meeting between the two programs since 1978, adding an element of historical significance to the contest.
Richmond enters the game with a 1-1 record, having suffered a loss to Lehigh in their season opener before securing a victory against Wofford. This Saturday’s game will be their third consecutive road game to start the season. The Spiders are led by Head Coach Russ Huesman, who is currently in his ninth season with the program and 17th overall as a college head coach. Huesman has consistently led Richmond to be a contender in the FCS, achieving 28 wins between 2022 and 2024, as well as reaching the FCS playoffs and finishing ranked in each of those seasons.
Historically, UNC holds a 12-2 overall record against Richmond, including an 8-0 record at home. However, the last encounter in 1978 resulted in a 27-18 victory for the Spiders. Despite the overall positive record, the Tar Heels will aim to avoid a repeat of that previous defeat. The last game played at Kenan Stadium between the two teams was in 1977, where UNC won 31-0.
The game presents a “high risk, low reward” scenario for UNC, as is typical when facing FCS opponents. While a victory is widely expected, an upset loss would be considered a significant setback. UNC’s last loss to an FCS team occurred in 1999, a 28-3 defeat against Furman. The Tar Heels will seek to avoid a similar outcome this weekend.
One player to watch for Richmond is quarterback Kyle Wickersham. Wickersham led the FCS in completion percentage (72.6) in 2023 and has continued his success this season as Richmond’s leading passer and rusher. Standing at 6’4″ and weighing 260 pounds, Wickersham poses a significant challenge for the UNC defense. His dual-threat capabilities will require a focused and disciplined defensive effort from the Tar Heels.
Richmond is recognized as a strong FCS program with a history of upsets against FBS teams, including wins against Virginia in 2016 and Duke in 2006, 2009 and 2011. This game against UNC represents Richmond’s only scheduled matchup against an FBS opponent this season, adding further motivation for the Spiders to perform at their best. Additionally, the Richmond roster includes eight players from North Carolina, including former UNC offensive lineman Jason Smith and redshirt freshman defensive lineman Braxton Lassiter, adding local ties to the game.
