Paul Finebaum puts North Carolina firmly in the race within ACC

North Carolina established itself as a firm ACC contender after the weekend, according to ESPN’s Paul Fineabum.

The Tar Heels took down Miami 41-31 to improve to 6-0 on the season. Not only that, UNC is catching up to Florida State in the latest AP Poll (No. 10 and No. 4, respectively).

With that, Finebaum thinks this year could be different for the Tar Heels.

“Well, I think we were all shy of Mack Brown’s team,” Finebaum said on the Matt Barrie Show. “A couple years ago, they had this big run and they threw it all away, but this looks legit. And you combine a very good defense with one of the best quarterbacks and in a league that is really upside down …

“Every week you’ll get ACC scores and you go ‘what happened to that program?’ (Louisville) and I think NC State lost. I mean, like, Okay, I remember where they were good. And it’s yeah, I still think it’s all about Florida State but Carolina will be around at the end I think and make a difference. It’s so weird that those two, I’m trying to think of some of the matchups we’re not going to see until the ACC Championship Game, and that is the opposite of the Pac-12.”

As it stands, UNC doesn’t get another ranked opponent on the schedule until taking on No. 16 Duke November 11. So it is set up to get to the ACC Championship Game, presumably against Florida State.

Mack Brown calls Tez Walker a ‘game changer’ for North Carolina

If North Carolina is to make a run for the conference title, and maybe even the College Football Playoff, Mack Brown knows who can make a difference.

He knew what his team was getting when Tez Walker was ruled eligible for the season ahead of the team’s game versus Syracuse. But it took another week for the country to fully understand the difference Walker can make for this Tar Heels offense.

In North Carolina’s 41-31 victory Saturday night versus Miami to move to 6-0 on the 2023 season, Walker caught six passes for 132 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran the ball twice for an additional 19 yards.

“Three touchdown passes to Tez Walker,” Brown said in his press conference after the victory. “Really, really proud of him. We were 4-0 without him. Obviously we have a chance to be much better with him. Now that people have seen him, it’s going to change the way people play defense against us. His presence is a game changer. Do you double team him? Do you do move people out and give him more opportunities to run the ball?”