The Heels vs. The Panthers

Coming into this weekend versus Pitt, I was skeptical if Carolina could continue this positive momentum they have going for them and walk away from Acrisure Stadium 4-0. Pitt consistently gives Carolina a run for their money. Not quite like Appalachian State, but still a pretty good run. 

After this game, I can confidently say the offensive line is the most significant weakness facing the Tar Heels today. There is no reason why Drake should be sacked five times, and we end the day with less than 100 rushing yards with a running back like Omarion Hampton. On 39 carries, we averaged 2 yards per carry. This season, the Heels have averaged 4.2 yards per carry. So, if you ask me, the one thing that needs improvement is the offensive line and the run game.  

Speaking of Drake Maye, he had a solid day! If he were on my fantasy team, he would've scored 18.3 points, which isn't great, but it's enough to stay on the roster. After his performance against Minnesota last weekend, I expected him to break 300 passing yards, which he almost did, and I also expected more than one passing touchdown. But, I'm not going to complain too much because he can look at the film from this game, improve upon it, rest up during this bye week, and show up against Syracuse ready to dominate. 

The following two games are pretty tough as we host a 4-0 Syracuse and a 4-0 #18 Miami squad (as of September 25, 2023, at 1:30 PM). Syracuse has maintained solid defense this season, and will be a good test for our offense before the Hurricanes come to Chapel Hill. Before Miami comes to town, they will host Georgia Tech, and we will likely see two undefeated Top-15 teams face off against one another on October 14. 

I agree with where the Heels are currently ranked in the AP Poll. It is slightly higher than where I have them (#17), but #15 is reasonable. Carolina could and should be a Top-10 team, but they haven't necessarily dominated anybody this season. This worries me when we play teams like Miami, a good Duke team, and even Clemson. 

On paper, Carolina should win out this season. If there is one thing I know about Carolina Football, they are like Bubba Wallace and cannot close out the season strong. They will find a way to lose to a team like Virginia or Georgia Tech. They'll beat Miami, Duke, and Clemson, but heaven forbid a mediocre-at-best team is on their schedule when the Tar Heels are in the running for an undefeated season. 

We will have to see how the rest of the season pans out. The Tar-Heels are in a really good spot, and how they want their season to go lies in their own hands. The ACC is wide open. Can the Heels come out on top?