The Tar Heels were led by sixth-year head coach Carl Snavely and played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium.
The team finished the regular season undefeated with a record of 9–0–1, and outscored their opponents 261–94.
[2] They were invited to the 1949 Sugar Bowl, where they lost to Big 7 Conference champion Oklahoma.
Halfback Charlie Justice was a consensus first-team All-American, and finished second in the voting for the Heisman Trophy.
[3] End Art Weiner was also named an All-American, including first-team by the Football Writers Association of America and the New York Sun.