CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – It took two months for the offseason hype and expectation to finally separate from the reality that is North Carolina football. The potential remains, but the gap between the current level of play and that lofty threshold is quite substantial. As a result, the Tar Heels travel to South Bend this weekend as an underdog for the first time in 2021.
Mack Brown is not only aware of the difficult road ahead, but the Hall of Fame head coach seems, well, happy about it.
“Five games left, four ranked teams, three on the road,” Brown said. “We haven't played well on the road. And we'll be underdogs in four of those games, so we’ve got a fun, challenging schedule ahead. It'll really make our program show continued growth to play well during this stretch because it's a tough one.”
UNC (4-3, 3-3 ACC) will play the 15th-toughest schedule over the final month of the regular season, according to ESPN FPI. The Fighting Irish, ranked No. 11 in the AP Poll, represent the first road test, followed by No. 17 Pittsburgh and N.C. State. The Tar Heels host No. 13 Wake Forest next weekend and then close their home slate against FCS opponent Wofford on Nov. 20.
UNC’s seven FBS opponents to date have a combined 24-26 record. Only Virginia (6-2, 4-2 ACC) has a winning record out of that group of teams. Its four remaining FBS opponents have combined for a 24-4 record, which highlights the drastic elevation in competition that awaits.
The preseason Coastal Division favorites have not been mathematically eliminated from the race, although ESPN FPI gives the Tar Heels a 0.4% chance of playing for the ACC title in Charlotte on Dec. 4. More importantly, UNC needs to win two of its remaining five games to secure postseason eligibility.
“I've talked to [the players] about the last five games and I've said you could still win the last five or you could lose four of those five pretty easily,” Brown said. “We will be a heavy favorite over Wofford, but the other four we will be an underdog. You could walk out of here, win nine games, and make people who are disappointed in you really happy and come out of this thing really, really well, or you could lose them all. So that's who you are. And what we've got to do is keep building as a program because obviously our goals have changed.”
UNC’s season thus far has been defined by inconsistency. The returning talent and depth that propelled the Tar Heels into the Top-10 in preseason polls is still on hand, which explains the consternation by fans and the bewilderment by media.
“Look, it's about winning football games, but on any given night this team puts it together, they're as good as any team we've played this year,” Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly said this week. “That's not just coming up with a statement to get everybody's attention. It's a talented football team.”
In order for the Tar Heels to live up to their potential, and thereby shake the narrative of being underachievers, their execution has to sharpen, their mistakes reduced. At some point a team is simply what it appears to be, although the coaching staff is adamant a breakthrough is on the horizon.
“As the second half of the season goes, I'm excited for these guys because I think probably some of their best football is yet to come,” offensive coordinator Phil Longo said. “And we're going to need it because we have a hell of a schedule on this back half.”
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October 28, 2021 at 09:07PM
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