CHARLOTTE, N.C. — After a very trying week on the campus of the University of North Carolina, what better than to kick off the college football season than to bring fans and students together?
A moment of silence was held before kickoff showing solidarity for the University of North Carolina —after an on-campus shooting killed a physics professor last week.
"I'm glad Carolina can come together and try to get this one and pull this one out for them," one fan said.
The Tar Heels traveled to Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte to take on the University of South Carolina in the Duke's Mayo Classic.
Not only was this the first game of the college football season, it was the first game following the deadly shooting.
"I went into a building I had never been in before. I was locked down with these two girls I've never met before, years ahead of me and we were like you've got this, we're gonna be OK," UNC freshman Riley Mcelreath shared.
Mcelreath is a UNC freshman and was on her way to her first Spanish class when Monday's alert went out to campus.
"I think Carolina Strong is really real. We have each other. It's really hard. I was in my dorm room when it happened and my heart goes out to the victim's family because that's most important. Our hearts are with them and we're grieving with them. It's uniting our community, and all I can say is Carolina strong," Mcelreath said.
Thousands showed up to support their favorite shade of blue.
While healing from a tragedy that impacted Tar Heels, past and present.
"Being able to come here, stick together, and have an opportunity to at least take their mind off of it for a little while, I think that is tremendous for them. That's going to be huge and we're here to support them," another fan said.
UNC was not the only university taking the field for the first time since the tragedy.
On Saturday, the University of Virginia players also took the field in Charlottesville, Virginia for the first time since four football players were shot last year, killing three of them.
UNC won Saturday's season opener against USC, 31-17.