Sophomore tailback Jordon Brown carried the ball 17 times for 125 yards and two touchdowns against Old Dominion. (Jason Hirschfield/ Associated Press)
Guess we’ll find out how good Duke is on Saturday.
Carolina went to Old Dominion seeking a must-win against a team I incorrectly said was still in the FCS, or Football Championship sub-division. ODU moved up to Conference USA and the FBS, Football Bowl Sub-division, three years ago. But truth is, if you’re not in one of the Power 5 conferences, it makes little difference. While Conference USA can put teams into bowls, they are games played in Nassau and Shreveport.
Anyway, the Tar Heels did get their first win of the season but accomplished little else heading into the earliest Duke game of the modern era Saturday at Kenan Stadium. Power 5 schools have players who are bigger, stronger and faster, and Carolina bowled over the Monarchs on offense and outmatched them on defense. It wasn’t a 60-point win like in 2013, only 53-23.
So what did Larry Fedora learn that will help him against the unbeaten Blue Devils? Not much except he won’t have another three or four players on a squad already decimated by injuries. If Duke is half as good as its fans are crowing, it will be their second straight win over Carolina – and probably a blowout.
But even at 3-0, the Blue Devils are in the running for the worst undefeated team in America. They have beaten FCS N.C. Central 60-7 and also whipped a very average Northwestern team, which has yet to beat another Power 5 school. And Baylor? I cannot believe that is the same program that ran up more than 700 yards against the Tar Heels in 2015.
That’s what a sexual assault scandal will do, players being booted off the team and others leaving on their own. Coach Art Briles got fired, and former Wake Forest winner Jim Grobe coached the Bears last season. This year it’s some guy I never heard off, and Baylor actually had a chance to beat Duke.
The Tar Heels showed an improved running game behind sophomore Jordan Brown and freshman Michael Carter, and Chazz Surratt played his best college game. But can they do that against Duke’s best defensive front since the days of Mike McGee? Can the Heels contain quarterback Daniel Jones and some speedy running backs and receivers?
I thought we’d have a better idea after the ODU game. But, sadly, we don’t.
(NOTE: This column has been edited to correct a previous error by the author)
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Nccu beat shaw. You got it backwards
Exactly, you entire point just fell apart there with that ridiculous error. NCCU beat Shaw 41 to 0.
Art, how do you still have a job? NCCU 41, Shaw 0
I know you don’t like the Blue Devils, but do a little fact checking and your notebook will have some validity. UNC is the best 1-2 team in the country and Duke is in the “running for the worst undefeated team in America.” My prediction is it should be a good game.
Good grief! How can someone who never heard of Matt Rhule be allowed to write about college football? As far as the game this Saturday, Duke’s biggest strength (D-line) matches up against what has become one of our biggest weaknesses (O-line), due to injury. Football is generally won in the trenches, and our patchwork O-line will lack experience and depth on Saturday. Clearly Duke will have the advantage on offense against our swisscheese D, but now it seems less likely we’ll be able to run the ball either, making our offense one dimensional. I have visions of our QB’s running for their lives all afternoon. Much as I hate it, I anticipate a long day for the UNC faithful.
Where’s the mystery in that, Art?
The story of the game is about Chazz Surratt backing out on his word and being a little punk. The good thing for Duke is that we got Daniel Jones who not only out classes Surat but will be a whole lot better quarterback in the long run. So I just wanted to reach out to him and thank him for being classless and given the opening for Daniel Jones to start for Duke at quarterback.
Umm what does one have to do with the other? Jones is a RS Soph and Surratt a RS Freshman. If Surratt has gone to d00k and redshirted, and IF Sirk had still been injured last season, Jones would still be your starting QB and Surratt would be on the bench.
Yet he is the starter at Carolina, so how can you blame the kid for doing what was best for him?
BTW, do you also consider Dhantay Jones, Rodney Hood, and Seth Curry “classless” for backing out on their commitments by transferring and K “classless” for accepting them and d00k administration for letting them enroll?
Didn’t think so.
Pretty embarrassing, if unsurprising, error. Are you even trying anymore, or just trying to shill for us while bashing them?
Do you have to correct an error in every article? Time to hang up the hate-filled pen!
“little” Shaw!?
“worst undefeated team in America.” but with one of the best defenses?
I hate having to defend d00k, but you are “certifiable” if you think that a team that has played three games, with two coming against Power 5 schools, and is giving up only 47 yards per game on the ground and 223 ypg total on defense is one of the worst teams in the country.
Like an earlier comment asked… How do you still have a job?
And to boot, NCCU has put together nice FCS program. Hats off to them.
You’re ready to retire, Art. I read your book years ago, Blue Blood, about the Duke/UNC basketball rivalry where you at least attempted to be impartial. At this point, your errors and homerism proves you’re just a hack. Do some research before you prove you don’t know anything.
-George
Thanks for the bulletin board material, Art! Can’t wait to see Duke rack up more yards against that worthless UNCheat defense than your “student-athletes” did in Fats Thomas’ rental cars.
Payback’s a ***** Art … thanks for the motivational material. If Duke’s the worst 4-0 team in the country where does that leave your boys at 1-3? Next up? Death penalty for the 18-year scandal that started under St. Dean and will result in the loss of your tainted 2005 banner.