Why UNC football vs. Virginia isn’t just another game for the Tar Heels

CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina football is undefeated and No. 10 in the AP Top 25 poll.

But Saturday isn’t just another opportunity for the Tar Heels (6-0, 3-0 ACC) to remain atop the ACC standings and continue their chase to compete for a championship in Charlotte.

Ahead of its 6:30 p.m. kickoff against Virginia (1-5, 0-2) at Kenan Stadium, UNC will honor two of its own to spotlight cancer awareness. The Tar Heels also designed custom shoes with patients from the UNC Children's Hospital that will be worn by coaches and auctioned off after Saturday's game.

In the week leading up to the latest meeting in the South’s Oldest Rivalry, the Tar Heels highlighted the journeys of Tylee Craft and Camden Bailey. They will lead UNC out of the tunnel on Saturday and serve as pregame captains for the coin toss.

UNC football’s Tylee Craft provides update on battle against lung cancer 

It didn’t take long for UNC to rally around Craft as #TyleeStrong became a rallying cry for the program. He was diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer in March 2022.

“Tylee means everything to this team,” UNC coach Mack Brown said earlier this week in a social media video posted by the Tar Heels’ football account.

“A year and a half ago, he was told he had stage 4 cancer. He went right to work, he started getting his treatments. He’s done tremendously well in school.”

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In the same video, Craft provided a positive update on his battle.

“My last scans I had, it showed that the cancer had shrunk from 2.6 centimeters to 1.4 centimeters, and that’s because of the clinical trial that I’m on,” said Craft, a senior wide receiver who wears No. 13.

Craft was one of five college athletes named to the Uplifting Athletes Rare Disease Champion Team in 2022. He also earned the Disney Spirit Award on ESPN’s College Football Awards.

“Just everybody who’s been coming to the games or people that just see me in the stands that were saying my name or wearing my number, it just means a lot to know that people are supporting you,” Craft said.

"I've been feeling pretty good. I am starting to work out a little bit more. That's a good thing. Some days, I am tired at practice. Some days, my stomach hurts. But overall, I am doing pretty good."

Lonnie Galloway, UNC’s assistant head coach and Craft’s position group coach, said “if you didn’t know Tylee had cancer, you wouldn’t know,” because Craft has consistently attended classes and practices.

“The way he has fought this awful disease has been a true blessing and learning experience for all of us,” Brown said.

Camden Bailey wants to inspire Tar Heels

UNC football also spotlighted Camden Bailey, a student equipment manager diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer when he was 14.

After treatment, including surgery, Bailey returned to play football at Kennett High School in New Hampshire. He played with a prosthetic left leg.

In a three-minute video on UNC’s social media accounts, Bailey discussed a long journey that brought him to Chapel Hill.

“I’m very grateful for the experience and how I’m able to be such an inspiration – not only for players, but coaching staff,” Bailey said.

“I don’t want to be defined as the kid who had cancer. I want to be seen as an inspiration to people … people inspired by my traits. Not just seen as the kid who had cancer, but rather the kid who had cancer who took the opportunity and turned it into something good.”

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: UNC football vs. Virginia to highlight Tylee Craft, cancer awareness