Historic Reunion on Tobacco Road
The University of North Carolina and North Carolina State will square off in a non‑conference basketball contest on December 15, 2023, at the Greensboro Coliseum, reviving a rivalry that has defined the Tar Heel State for more than a century.
It marks the first time since 1919 that the two programs have met only once in a season, ending a stretch of frequent matchups that once characterized their historic rivalry.
The Atlantic Coast Conference will feature just a single conference meeting between the Tar Heels and the Wolfpack this year, prompting both athletic departments to schedule a non‑conference clash to keep the series alive.
The game is officially titled the Tobacco Road Classic and is sponsored by Old Dominion Freight Line, adding a commercial partnership to the historic encounter.
A second edition of the Classic is slated for the 2027‑28 season, promising to extend the renewed rivalry into the future and giving fans another chance to experience this storied matchup.