North Carolina, Auburn to meet in third Chick-fil-A Kickoff game in 2020

By Kevin Kelley -

The Chick-fil-A Kickoff game will have not one, not two, but three games to kick start the 2020 college football season.

The North Carolina Tar Heels will take on the Auburn Tigers in the third of three games in 2020, the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl announced on Thursday.

“These ACC, Big 12 and SEC programs and fans will undoubtedly provide ranked teams, sellout crowds and an unbelievable atmosphere inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium to open the 2020 season,” Peach Bowl, Inc. CEO and President Gary Stokan said.

North Carolina and Auburn will square off in Week 2 on Saturday, Sept. 12 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Previously announced Week 1 games include West Virginia vs. Florida State on Saturday, Sept. 5 and Georgia vs. Virginia on Monday, Sept. 7 (Labor Day).

“We’re thrilled to be part of the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game once again in 2020,” UNC Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham said. “This will give our student-athletes a wonderful opportunity to compete on a national stage in one of the premier events in college football. Atlanta has always been a popular destination for our fans and the move to Mercedes-Benz Stadium should create even more excitement.”

North Carolina and Auburn have met six times on the gridiron. The Tar Heels won the last meeting 16-10 in the 2001 Peach Bowl to extend their lead in the series to 4-2.

“The notoriety and popularity of Auburn continues to rise, and we are excited to once again be a part of the Chick-fil-A Kickoff game in 2020,” Auburn Director of Athletics Allen Greene said. “This nationally televised game puts Auburn front and center of the college football stage. Gary Stokan and his staff do an outstanding job of putting on a first-class event and we look forward to filling Mercedes-Benz Stadium with orange and blue.”

Both teams have now tentatively completed their non-conference schedules for the 2020 season. In addition to Auburn, North Carolina is slated to open the season at UCF on Sept. 5, host Old Dominion on Sept. 26, and host James Madison on Nov. 21.

Auburn’s other three non-conference games scheduled in 2020 include Southern Miss on Sept. 26, UMass on Nov. 14, and Alabama A&M on Nov. 21, all at home.

Future Chick-fil-A Kickoff Games

  • 2018 – Washington vs. Auburn (Sat., Sept. 1)
  • 2019 – Alabama vs. Duke (Sat., Aug. 31)
  • 2020 – West Virginia vs. Florida State (Sat., Sept. 5)
  • 2020 – Georgia vs. Virginia (Mon., Sept. 7)
  • 2020 – North Carolina vs. Auburn (Sat., Sept. 12)
  • 2021 – Louisville vs. Ole Miss (Aug. 28 or Sept. 4-5)
  • 2021 – Alabama vs. Miami, FL (Aug. 28 or Sept. 4-6)

Comments (2)

Let this be the last neutral site game for Auburn. The home and home with Penn State and Cal feel so much better. Looking forward to more of those. Notre Dame, Ucla, Colorado, Arizona. Arizona State, Maryland, Miami….make those happen A.D. Greene.

Thanks for scheduling quality games between good to great teams for us to watch at home. UNC has two years to get back to “good to great” but I think they will.