The North Carolina Tar Heels are set to open up the 2026-27 college basketball season on November 2nd, the first in the Michael Malone era.
After two exhibition games, a win over USC and then a loss to Indiana, we have a little preview of what we can expect maybe early on this season. But when the Tar Heels officially tip off on November 2nd, they will do so unranked.
On Monday, the coaches and Associated Press polls were both released and the Tar Heels were not ranked in either of the two polls. They received 24 votes in the coaches' poll, putting them at 29th overall. As for the AP poll, they received 20 votes but were the 30th team overall.
Take a look at the full 2026-27 preseason coaches poll released by USA TODAY Sports:
Others Receiving Votes
Nebraska 66; UCLA
64; Missouri 60; Ohio State 31; North Carolina 24; Texas A&M 19; Villanova 14; Indiana 9; Wisconsin 5; Saint Louis 4; Cincinnati 4; West Virginia 2; Creighton 2; Maryland 1; Auburn 1;
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: North Carolina to begin 2026-27 season unranked in polls
