ACC mediocrity could be helping Carolina get to Charlotte.
The Tar Heels may have been idle over the weekend, but they benefited from what happened on other football fields. Their path over the second half is further cleared as they go to Blacksburg to begin the “back six” of the season.
Miami defeated Virginia on Friday, and if Carolina can knock off the Cavaliers in Chapel Hill on November 2 it could ultimately result in tie-breakers against those two teams. UNC has already beaten Miami if you remember.
Duke knocking off Georgia Tech only eliminates the hapless Yellow Jackets from Coastal Division contention while Carolina still has the Blue Devils at home on October 26. Duke goes to Virginia Saturday with both teams kicking off at 2-1 in the ACC standings.
Syracuse will be a slight favorite to notch its first ACC win Friday night against Pitt in the Carrier Dome. The 0-3 Orange are way better than that record and beating the Panthers could mean another domino falling for Carolina, which goes to Pitt for a November 14 Thursday night date.
The rest of the ACC Atlantic is in a tailspin behind Clemson, as that wacky division keeps producing wild games, like Louisville’s 62-59 basketball score over Wake Forest. That game might still be going on if the refs ruled the Deacons actually recovered their last on-sides kick.
The Cardinals lost their first conference game to Florida State but have now won the last two and could hang with Clemson for the first half on their home field at noon Saturday. Nobody is giving the Tigers trouble for both halves since the Tar Heels did it the last Saturday in September.
Carolina will be looking to make it two in a row against Coastal opponents at Virginia Tech Saturday at 3:30. The off week could only have helped Mack Brown’s banged-up team, as the Heels will need to play well for 60 minute at Lane Stadium in, what I am guessing, is the Hokies’ Homecoming game. I didn’t even look it up, so if I am wrong please let me know; seems like it’s always Homecoming when the Heels go to VaTech, this time with a better chance than most years.
If Carolina hopes to get another crack at Clemson in the ACC championship game, beating these next four Coastal foes is almost a must. That might not be an enviable reward, but the table sure is set.
Editor’s note: Virginia Tech’s game against UNC this weekend is the Hokies’ homecoming game.
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