| Year: | 2016 |
| Team: | North Carolina Tar Heels |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Atlantic Coast Conference |
| Division: | Coastal |
| Short Conf: | ACC |
| Record: | 8–5 |
| Conf Record: | 5–3 |
| Head Coach: | Larry Fedora |
| Hc Year: | 5th |
| Cooff Coach1: | Gunter Brewer |
| Cooc1 Year: | 3rd |
| Cooff Coach2: | Chris Kapilovic |
| Cooc2 Year: | 3rd |
| Off Scheme: | Spread |
| Def Coach: | Gene Chizik |
| Dc Year: | 2nd |
| Def Scheme: | 4–3 |
| Captain: | Mack Hollins, Nazair Jones, Des Lawrence, Caleb Peterson, Mitchell Trubisky, Nick Weiler |
| Stadium: | Kenan Memorial Stadium |
| Bowl Result: | L 23–25 vs. Stanford |
The 2016 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a member of Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) during the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was led by fifth-year head coach Larry Fedora and played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium. The Tar Heels finished the season 8–5 overall and 5–3 in ACC play to place in a three-way tie for second in the Coastal Division. They were invited to the Sun Bowl, where they lost to Stanford.
National Signing Day was on February 3, 2016 and was the first chance for high school seniors to officially declare which university or college they will be attending for their college career. North Carolina had 26 high school seniors sign a National Letter of Intent to play football with them. Of the class, 7 athletes enrolled early to UNC.[1]
^These signees will not be enrolling at UNC in 2016 due to not being admitted into the school.[2] [3]
North Carolina head coach Larry Fedora enters his fifth year as the North Carolina's head coach for the 2016 season. At the end of the 2015 season, assistant head coach, Seth Littrell, was hired as the head coach at North Texas.[5] As a result, co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, Chris Kapilovic, was promoted to offensive coordinator, and will retain his role as offensive line coach.[6] Former Tar Heel player, Chad Scott, was hired to replace Littrell as the tight ends/hybrids coach.[7]
See also: 2016 Georgia Bulldogs football team.
See also: 2016 Illinois Fighting Illini football team.
See also: 2016 James Madison Dukes football team.
See also: 2016 Pittsburgh Panthers football team.
See also: 2016 Florida State Seminoles football team.
See also: 2016 Virginia Tech Hokies football team.
See also: 2016 Miami Hurricanes football team.
See also: 2016 Virginia Cavaliers football team and South's Oldest Rivalry.
See also: 2016 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team.
See also: 2016 Duke Blue Devils football team and Victory Bell (Duke–North Carolina).
See also: 2016 The Citadel Bulldogs football team.
See also: 2016 NC State Wolfpack football team and North Carolina–NC State football rivalry.
See also: 2016 Stanford Cardinal football team and 2016 Sun Bowl.