Never has a ranked football team fallen so far, so fast.

The Tar Heels are six points from being undefeated, and today they find themselves having plunged down the elevator shaft of the national rankings and probably out of the national picture.

That has to be disheartening to a team that knows it is much better than it played at Florida State and Virginia, and frankly it is a bit puzzling that with four impressive victories the pollsters quit on them.

They were No. 5 in the country going to Tallahassee which, even without a limited crowd due to COVID, is always a tough place to play. Of course, historians know how difficult it has been for Carolina and a lot of other teams to win at Virginia.

After roaring back from a 31-7 halftime deficit at FSU, the Heels were a missed field goal from overtime and three dropped passes from maybe completing the greatest comeback in UNC history in regulation. After they arrived home with a 31-28 loss, they sunk nine spots in the next national ranking.

Further auguring for their lack of respect, a domination of 23rd-ranked N.C. State dropped them another spot to No. 15 in the polls. Granted, that was the week the Big Ten reappeared because it was getting ready to play, but still whenever has one ranked team blown out another and lost ground? Sheesh.

Now they go to Virginia, an underrated team better than its 1-4 record, proven through a close loss at Miami the week before. Carolina again stages a stirring rally, overcoming some serious miscues during the game and has a chance to pull off another remarkable comeback before failing to stop a fake punt on fourth down.

So, the rankings came out Sunday and the Tar Heels are gonzo, passed over by the likes of Liberty, Boise State and – get this – Southern Cal and Oregon, both of whom have yet to play a game. You would think Mack Brown’s Hall of Fame pedigree is worth more respect than that.

Then there’s unbeaten mid-major Coastal Carolina, which is 6-0 against mostly a minor schedule, jumping into North Carolina’s last spot at 15. Yes, the same Coastal than wouldn’t play here when invited. Smart move.

 

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