North Carolina also has a number of high-profile Division I schools that bettors can wager on.
- Appalachian State Mountaineers
The pride of the Sun Belt, the Mountaineers are best known for winning three straight FCS Championships from 2005 to 2007. They’re the only Division I school in North Carolina to win a National Championship in football, and their 2007 victory over Michigan marked the first time an FCS team defeated a ranked FBS opponent.
The Mountaineers have appeared in three NCAA Tournaments on the hardwood but have yet to win an NCAA Tournament game. They advanced to the semifinals of the CollegeInsider Tournament in 2010.
While the 49ers fielded their first football team in 1946, it only lasted two years before going dormant until 2013. The 49ers recently made it to the Bahamas Bowl in 2019 and have sent five players to the NFL.
On the court, the 49ers have made 11 NCAA Tournament appearances and are best known for producing Cedric Maxwell, who won two NBA Finals with the Boston Celtics.
The Wildcats’ best seasons on the gridiron have come recently with three straight FCS playoff appearances from 2020 to 2022. Their lone bowl appearance came in 1969 when they lost to Toledo in the Tangerine Bowl.
Their best season on the hardwood came in 2008 when future NBA superstar Stephen Curry led the Wildcats to the Elite Eight, where they lost to Kansas. In 2022, he became the first player in school history to have his number retired.
An athletic powerhouse, Duke has been playing football since 1888. The Blue Devils have had a fair amount of success, winning two unclaimed national titles and 17 conference titles. They’re also 8-8 in bowl games and have sent three players to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The Blue Devils are one of the most successful teams in college basketball history, winning five national championships under legendary head coach Mike Krzyzewski. They also rank fourth in wins and have the highest winning percentage in NCAA Tournament history.
A founding member of the ACC, the Wolfpack have won 11 conference titles and 17 bowl games. They play their home games at Carter-Finley Stadium – the state’s largest college football stadium.
The Wolfpack have won a pair of national titles on the hardwood, cutting down the nets in 1974 and 1983. They nearly won another title in 2024, reaching the Final Four as a No. 11 seed.
Perhaps the state’s best-known sports team, the Tar Heels have won numerous championships across a variety of sports and are known for their bitter rivalry with Duke.
The Tar Heels have won eight conference championships and 15 bowl games in football. They’re also credited with creating the forward pass in a game against Georgia in 1895.
The Tar Heels have been phenomenal on the court, ranking third with six NCAA Championships. Their most famous player was Michael Jordan, who is arguably the greatest basketball player of all time.
- Wake Forest Demon Deacons
The smallest school to play in a Power Five conference, the Demon Deacons haven’t had much success on the gridiron. They’ve had more success recently, however, making seven bowl games since 2016.
Wake Forest has done better on the hardwood, producing NBA legends like Tim Duncan and Chris Paul. Despite reaching the Final Four in 1962, the school has never won a national championship in men’s basketball.