By trick or treat, the Tar Heels could be No. 1 by Halloween.

Well, coronavirus has hit Carolina football without a single player or coach testing positive. We don’t know for sure why Charlotte bailed on its game Saturday, maybe because the 49ers lost their starting QB. But, without even strapping on the pads, the Heels climbed one more spot in the AP poll, from No. 12 to No. 11. And their next four games are against teams that have also been affected, if not infected, by COVID 19. So that has to put their appearances in question, too.

Unless some AD calls UNC today and says his team will come to Kenan Saturday, whoever is in charge of scheduling needs to take that 15-day furlough mandated of all employees. That person picked an opponent that opted out two days before the game and then couldn’t find anyone to visit the ghost town named Chapel Hill this week.

Anyway, Boston College looked great in winning at Duke, but the Eagles host Texas State this week, and the Lone Star state is still a hot spot with Houston already postponing three games, so no telling what the Bobcats will bring to Chestnut Hill. UNC is supposed to go there on October 3.

If that one is canceled or changed, the Heels will slip into the top 10. After that is a visit from No. 20 Virginia Tech, where there have been outbreaks over the last month that called off games with N.C. State and Virginia. If another occurs, Kenan will be idle again but our team might have gained its highest ranking since 2015.

Next is the October 17 visit to Florida State. That one is already debatable with Seminoles new coach Mike Norvell testing positive after his team opened at home with a loss to Georgia Tech and fans in the stands. Then comes N.C. State, which finally debuted with a win over Wake Forest Saturday night. You know the Wolfpack won’t want to visit here to play a team that has had six weeks off to prepare.

By the time Halloween Saturday arrives, the schedule will be clear for those well-rested Tar Heels to visit Virginia, and by then the virus will have wreaked enough havoc that teams will be allowed to rank themselves.

So we’re No. 1. Seriously? Why not in this football season marred by a flu that is no hoax.

 

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