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ACC Power Rankings: After Week 7
After a week of upsets across college football, the ACC remains relatively stable. Miami stays atop the power rankings at 6-0 after a 43-35 double‑overtime win over Florida State and faces Pitt this Saturday. Wake Forest (6-1) and SMU (5-1) hold the second and third spots, with Wake beating Cal 41-7 and SMU edging Virginia 23-13. Clemson, North Carolina, and Louisville round out the top six, each riding recent victories. The rankings highlight key matchups ahead, including Miami vs. Pitt, Clemson vs. Virginia Tech, and UNC vs. Syracuse, shaping the conference race as it heads into the final stretch.
The UNC Sports Week Ahead: October 19th-25th
The UNC Sports Week Ahead (Oct. 19‑25) packs a primetime football showdown on Halloween as the Tar Heels host Syracuse at 7:30 PM on ACC Network, followed by a busy back‑to‑back slate across campus and beyond. Women’s tennis heads to the ITA Regionals in Columbia (Oct. 19‑20) then the Rome Tennis Center Collegiate Invite (Oct. 23‑25). Men’s and women’s golf conclude their 2026 schedules in Wilmington’s Williams Cup and Landfall Tradition (Oct. 19‑20, Oct. 23‑25). Men’s tennis competes at the Wake Forest Invite in Winston‑Salem, while women’s diving faces Tulane (Oct. 23) and women’s soccer takes on Stanford (Oct. 23, ACC Network). Field hockey finishes its home regular season Friday, Oct. 23, before a road stretch. Fans must act fast to catch these final home appearances.
AP Top 25: After Week 7
Five of the top seven AP‑ranked teams fell on Saturday, marking the first time in the poll’s 90‑year history that most of the elite dropped in a single week. The upheaval sent every team in the Top 25 to a new spot, with BYU and Houston soaring six places each after BYU’s 28‑24 upset of #2 Notre Dame and Houston’s 35‑32 win over Oklahoma State. Miami claims its first #1 ranking since 2002 after a 43‑25 double‑OT victory over Florida State. Texas slides 12 spots to #19 after losing to Florida, while Alabama and Missouri also tumble. Arizona debuts at #25 and Florida returns at #20, setting the stage for marquee matchups like Ole Miss at Texas and Houston at Utah.
UNC beats Duke — Winners, Losers, & Honorable Mentions
UNC edges Duke 24-20 in a roller‑coaster rivalry showdown on Oct. 17, 2026. After jumping to a 17‑0 lead, the Tar Heels fumbled and allowed Duke back, but a late surge—highlighted by Jaylen McGill’s fourth‑and‑4 rush and a 24‑yard go‑ahead TD—sealed the win and returned the Victory Bell to Chapel Hill. Jordan Shipp recorded his first touchdown of the season, finishing with 75 yards despite an early fumble, while the UNC defense limited Duke to two field goals and forced the decisive turnover on the final play. Turnovers proved the game‑changer, with Duke’s costly fumbles and UNC’s late defensive stand shaping the outcome.
Three takeaways from UNC’s preseason loss to Indiana
UNC’s preseason loss to Indiana highlights three key issues: transfer Neo Avdalas struggled as the primary ballhandler, committing four turnovers and scoring only six points, suggesting he still needs coaching guidance; freshman forward Sayon Keita exceeded expectations with 12 points, nine rebounds, five blocks and solid rim protection, proving he’ll be a vital defensive presence; and the Tar Heels’ perimeter defense proved porous, as Bryce Lindsay’s hot shooting (and other long‑range attempts) exposed gaps, particularly on Matt Able’s ball‑screen coverage. These takeaways signal areas UNC must address before the regular season begins.
UNC vs. Indiana Live Discussion
The Tar Heel Blog previews UNC's upcoming non‑conference showdown against Indiana, set for October 18, 2026. Writer Michael Malone’s second appearance as head coach offers a chance to fine‑tune the roster, especially the backcourt trio of Matt Able, Terrence Brown and Neo Avdalas, who aim to improve on their loss to USC. Spotlight also falls on Jarin Stevenson, who posted a breakout performance against the Trojans, and on Malone’s NBA‑grown coaching style after a solid first‑half against USC. Fans who can’t access the B1G+ broadcast are invited to follow live updates and post‑game analysis.
Greg Smith’s Player of the Game performance headlines another solid showing by UNC’s defense
For the second time this season, Carolina ran out to a multi-score lead before allowing their opponent to claw their way back into the game after the offense ground to a halt. Unlike the Clemson game, the Heels managed to put a drive together just in time on Saturday night and down the Blue Devils, […]
How to watch UNC’s preseason matchup against Indiana
The North Carolina Tar Heels face off against Indiana later today in Indianapolis in their second preseason game of the season. Both teams are hoping to work out any kinks that they have with lineup combinations, play calling, and general synergy before the regular season begins in a couple of weeks. This should be a […]
UNC reclaims Victory Bell from Duke thanks to Kenton Dopson’s late-game interception
Carolina fans likely need to meditate after having witnessed such a wild game against Duke. All the high blood pressure and broken objects in Chapel Hill wasn’t for nothing, though, because the Tar Heels are now the owners of the Victory Bell for the first time since 2023 after beating Duke 24-20. Things seemed way […]
UNC vs. Duke Live Discussion
Fresh off a loss to Georgia Tech, the Duke Blue Devils will try to hang onto the Victory Bell when they face off against UNC this afternoon in Wallace Wade Stadium. The Heels are coming off their first ranked victory in the Bill Belichick era, and now they are hoping for another first under the […]
Three reasons to watch UNC’s preseason matchup vs. Indiana
Need to be convinced to watch the University of North Carolina men’s basketball team travel to Indianapolis on Sunday to take on the Indiana Hoosiers in the Tar Heels’ second of three preseason games? I don’t blame you. The game will be broadcast on B1G+, for goodness sake. It won’t be easy to tune in, […]
How to Watch UNC take on Duke for the Victory Bell
It’s funny — Duke has only won two football games in a row over Carolina, but the last Tar Heel win feels like ages ago. Honestly, the context of that last win may make things feel worse. It was November 11th, 2023, in Chapel Hill, a night game on the ACC Network that would be […]
Three keys to UNC’s preseason game against Indiana
The Tar Heels are in Indianapolis preparing to face off against the Indiana Hoosiers in their second preseason game of the season. This will be UNC’s first appearance in Indianapolis since their 2000 national semifinal game against Florida in the NCAA Tournament. There were a number of takeaways from the Heels’ preseason win against USC, […]
UNC vs. Duke: Who you got?
Last week saw a couple of surprising results around ACC football, including two involving teams that will now meet today. Last Saturday, the North Carolina Tar Heels took down previously unbeaten and ranked Pitt, giving UNC their best win of the Bill Belichick era so far. Meanwhile, after entering their game unbeaten, Duke was upended […]
Jump Around: Quick thoughts on UNC football so far this season
UNC beat Pitt in the third quarter, making the right halftime adjustments The following chart shows the number of plays each team’s offense ran in that quarter. The height of each bar is the success rate for those plays; successful plays keep offenses “ahead of the chains” or “on schedule” or “avoiding 3rd and long,” […]
UNC to face off against Duke in the battle for the Victory Bell
Ring. Ring. Ring. Do you hear that sound? That is the sound of the Victory Bell and that can only mean one thing, rivalry week this weekend in Durham as the Tar Heels look to end a two game losing streak in the series and bring the bell back home to Chapel Hill where it […]
UNC reportedly a top target for SEC if realignment occurs
There are certain teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference that would love an opportunity for a fresh start, and among those teams is the North Carolina Tar Heels. There have been rumblings for the last few weeks that they are involved in trying to modify the current version of the Protect College Sports Act that […]
ACC Basketball: Top Transfers for 26-27
Basketball season continues to creep closer and with preseason games already happening, there should be even more excitement for the upcoming season (North Carolina tips off in just 18 days!). Since the previous post focused on guys who played in the ACC last season, whether for the same school or not, this one will be […]
Three things to watch when UNC goes to Duke
UNC versus Duke in anything ups the ante. On top of that, Bill Belichick will seek to build on the momentum of winning at Pittsburgh last weekend. Manny Diaz will try to go 2-0 against the NFL’s GOAT. Both teams hope to move to 2-1 in conference play, keeping alive distant hopes of challenging for […]
Which Walker Eget will UNC face Saturday?
It’s Duke Week, and it’s time to start breaking down all the ways the Tar Heels can reclaim the Victory Bell this Saturday. Let’s start with Duke’s QB, Walker Eget. Duke’s quarterback this season was going to be Darian Mensah. At the last minute, Miami swooped in to steal Mensah, buying him out of his […]
UNC women’s basketball gets commitment from five-star guard
Courtney Banghart added another five-star recruit to her 2027 class on Monday as six-foot guard Ryan Carter announced her commitment to Carolina. Carter, who attends Friends’ Central School in the suburbs of Philadelphia, is the 13th-ranked 2027 prospect in the SC Next 100 and won a gold medal with Team USA at the FIBA U18 […]
How does KenPom see the UNC basketball season going?
KenPom has long been the standard for advanced college basketball metrics. Ever since the site started tracking possession metrics in the early 2000’s they’ve been one of the go-to sites for college basketball aficionados and stat geeks. In recent years, EvanMiya and BartTorvik have also risen to prominence in the advanced metrics world and also […]
ACC Power Rankings: After Week 6
I have no idea what to make of the ACC anymore. I feel like I have a good grasp at the top of the conference and the bottom of it, but in the middle it seems like anyone could beat anyone. Even in the era in which the ACC has gotten rid of divisions, the […]
How surprised are you by Willie Lampkin’s NFL rise?
Willie Lampkin is 5’11” and 290 pounds. The average NFL defensive tackle is 6’3” and 310 pounds. The average NFL guard comes in at 6’4” and 315. A favorite phrase of football coaches along the line of scrimmage is, “Mass kicks ass.” By all rights, Willie Lampkin should not be a NFL starting guard. Sunday […]
The UNC Sports Week Ahead: October 12th-18th
The schedule is heating up as the spring sports continue to get work in before their winter’s nap, fall sports are nearing their championships, and winter sports are getting their exhibitions in as their season is just a couple of weeks from starting. In the midst of all this, Fall Break at UNC starts on […]
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