1980 North Carolina Tar Heels football team
Encyclopedia
The 1980 North Carolina Tar Heels football
team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
in the 1980 NCAA Division I-A college football season.
Player of the Year honors in 1980.
North Carolina Tar Heels football
The North Carolina Tar Heels football team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collegiate level football. In Carolina’s first 121 seasons of football competition, the Tar Heels have compiled a record of 646–488–54, a winning percentage of .566...
team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
in the 1980 NCAA Division I-A college football season.
Regular season
Lawrence Taylor had 16 sacks in his final year for the Tar Heels, and set numerous defensive records. His awards included All-America and Atlantic Coast ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
Player of the Year honors in 1980.
Schedule
The Tar Heels finished the regular season with an 11-1-0 record.| Game | Date | Opponent | Result | Tar Heels points | Opponents | Record |
| 1 | Sept. 6 | Furman | Win | 35 | 13 | 1-0 |
| 2 | Sept 13 | @ Texas Tech | Win | 9 | 3 | 2-0 |
| 3 | Sept. 27 | Maryland | Win | 17 | 3 | 3-0 |
| 4 | Oct. 4 | Georgia Tech | Win | 33 | 0 | 4-0 |
| 5 | Oct 11 | @ Wake Forest | Win | 27 | 9 | 5-0 |
| 6 | Oct 18 | North Carolina State | Win | 28 | 8 | 6-0 |
| 7 | Oct 25 | East Carolina | Win | 31 | 3 | 7-0 |
| 8 | Nov 1 | @ Oklahoma | Loss | 7 | 41 | 7-1 |
| 9 | Nov 8 | @ Clemson | Win | 24 | 19 | 8-1 |
| 10 | Nov 15 | Virginia | Win | 26 | 3 | 9-1 |
| 11 | Nov 22 | Duke | Win | 44 | 21 | 10-1 |
| 12 | Texas | Win | 16 | 7 | 11=1 | |
1980 Team Players in the NFL
The following players were drafted into professional football following the season.| Player | Position | Round | Pick | Franchise |
| Lawrence Taylor Lawrence Taylor Lawrence Julius Taylor , nicknamed "L.T.", is a Hall of Fame former American football player. Taylor played his entire professional career as a linebacker for the New York Giants in the National Football League... |
Linebacker | 1 | 2 | New York Giants 1981 New York Giants season The 1981 New York Giants season was the 57th season for the club in the National Football League. The Giants qualified for the playoffs for the first time in 18 years with a 9–7 record, which placed them third in the National Football Conference East Division... |
| Donnell Thompson Donnell Thompson Donnell Thompson was a defensive end in the National Football League. Thompson attended the University of North Carolina.... |
Defensive Tackle | 1 | 18 | Baltimore Colts 1981 Baltimore Colts season The 1981 Baltimore Colts season was the 29th season for the team in the National Football League. The Baltimore Colts finished the National Football League's 1981 season with a record of 2 wins and 14 losses, and finished tied for fourth in the AFC East division with the New England Patriots... |
| Rick Donnalley Rick Donnalley William Frederick Donnalley is a former American football center in the National Football League. Donnalley was selected in the third round by the Pittsburgh Steelers out of the University of North Carolina in the 1981 NFL Draft.His younger brother Kevin Donnalley also played in the NFL.... |
Center | 3 | 73 | Pittsburgh Steelers 1981 Pittsburgh Steelers season - Schedule :- Schedule :- Week 1 : vs. Kansas City Chiefs :at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania* Game time: 1:00 pm EDT* Game weather:* Game attendance: 53,305* Referee: Jim Tunney... |
| Amos Lawrence | Running Back | 4 | 103 | San Diego Chargers 1981 San Diego Chargers season The 1981 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 11–5 record in 1980. In the playoffs they beat the Dolphins in a game known as the Epic in Miami and lost to the Bengals in a game known as the Freezer Bowl.... |
| Ron Wooten Ron Wooten Ronald John Wooten was a guard who played seven professional seasons with the New England Patriots in the National Football League. Wooten attended the University of North Carolina... |
Guard | 6 | 157 | New England Patriots 1981 New England Patriots season The New England Patriots finished the National Football League's 1981 season with a record of two wins and fourteen losses, and finished tied for last in the AFC East division.-Staff:-Schedule:- Standings :-Roster:... |
| Harry Standback | Defensive Tackle | 6 | 164 | Atlanta Falcons 1981 Atlanta Falcons season -NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Awards and records:*Steve Bartkowski, Falcons Game Record, Most Passing Yards in One Game, 416 yards... |
Awards and honors
- Lawrence Taylor, All-America selection
- Lawrence Taylor, Atlantic Coast ConferenceAtlantic Coast ConferenceThe Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
Player of the Year honors