THB’s football uniform challenge First Round: No. 4 vs. No. 13

This series will determine the ultimate UNC football uniform combination. Each week, your vote decides which set advances to the next round.

In the first matchup of North Carolina Tar Heels uniforms, there is a battle between monochrome themes. You can check out the bracket here.

No. 4: 2013 all black “Zero Dark Thursday”

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The Tar Heels debuted new uniforms for the 2013 season, and changes included modern numbers and bold stripes and trim. However, the most significant change was the introduction of black as a major color. The black is said to have represented the tar of the Tar Heel. This particular uniform combination was worn just twice, both in night games in Chapel Hill. However, the black helmet, jersey, and pants were worn with other color combinations.

A moment in this uniform

The Zero Dark Thursday promotion was the game debut of the black uniforms and the second Thursday primetime home game in program history. On Thursday, October 17, 2013, Carolina hosted No. 10 Miami Hurricanes at Kenan. UNC was up at the half, 17-13, and stretched the lead to 23-13 after a Thomas Moore field goal in the fourth quarter. However, Miami scored two unanswered touchdowns, the last of which came with just 16 seconds left in the game, and the Tar Heels fell 27-23.

Bryn Renner finished with 297 yards through the air with a touchdown and an interception. Eric Ebron was the top receiver and finished with eight receptions for 199 yards and a touchdown. His 71-yard touchdown reception came from the arm of Marquise Williams. Quinshad Davis had eight receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown. Dominquie Green had two interceptions for the Tar Heels, while Tre Boston and Norkeithus Otis had one pick each.

Here are the highlights, via the ACC Digital Network:

No. 13: 1940s white-on-white

Photo courtesy UNC Athletic Communications

Perhaps the precursor to the current uniform combination known as the “Stormtrooper,” this uniform features a white helmet, white jersey, and white pants. These fresh threads opened the Charlie “Choo Choo” Justice era at UNC.

These uniforms were used for team and individual promotional photographs before the season started. There are great quality scans from the shoots available through the Wilson Library at UNC. Since these were used for marketing purposes, there is also a lot of Carolina memorabilia floating around with these uniforms. Charlie Justice was featured on the cover of Sport wearing this uniform, and there is a great collage from the 1949 Sugar Bowl program.

A moment in this uniform

In what was probably the debut of this particular uniform on September 28, 1946, the Tar Heels hosted the Gobblers of Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech Hokies as they are known today). Charlie Justice rushed for 102 yards that day, a total that remains the UNC record for the most yards gained in an opening game of the season by a freshman. It was the first of 12 100-yard rushing games for Justice in his Carolina career. The game against the Gobblers ended in a 14-14 tie at Kenan Memorial Stadium, one of three ties that year for VPI.

The Tar Heels ended the 1946 regular season as Southern Conference Champions, with a record of 8-1-1, and ninth in the final AP Poll. The season concluded with a 20-10 loss to Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day 1947.

Vote below for your favorite. The poll ends next Wednesday.