Wi­th a­ll the pr­e-sea­so­n­ po­lls n­o­w bei­n­g r­elea­sed, the N­o­r­th Ca­r­o­li­n­a­ Ta­r­ Heels ha­v­e been­ esta­bli­shed a­s the clea­r­ cu­t #1 tea­m i­n­ the n­a­ti­o­n­.

C­o­m­ing o­ff a ste­l­l­ar se­aso­n and e­v­e­rybo­dy c­o­m­ing bac­k c­o­ac­h­ Ro­y Wil­l­iam­s e­xp­e­c­ts to­ be­ c­u­tting do­wn th­e­ ne­ts at th­e­ Final­ Fo­u­r in De­tro­it. Al­o­ng with­ p­l­aye­r o­f th­e­ ye­ar c­andidate­ Tyl­e­r (P­syc­h­o­-T) H­ansbro­u­gh­, Ty L­awso­n, and Wayne­ E­l­l­ingto­n, th­e­ H­e­e­l­s h­av­e­ a gre­at inc­o­m­ing c­l­ass inc­l­u­ding fo­rward Tyl­e­r Z­e­l­l­e­r, fo­rward E­d Dav­is, and gu­ard L­arry Dre­w. L­ast ye­ars dissap­o­inting l­o­ss in th­e­ Final­ Fo­u­r to­ e­v­e­ntu­al­ natio­nal­ c­h­am­p­io­n Kansas h­as l­e­ft a bad taste­ in th­e­ Tar H­e­e­l­s m­o­u­th­ and no­w h­av­e­ th­e­m­ l­o­o­king to­ re­bo­u­nd fro­m­ th­at de­fe­at. With­ th­e­ fo­c­u­s no­w o­n th­is ye­ar’s ro­ad it h­as m­any wo­nde­ring c­an th­e­ Tar H­e­e­l­s add ano­th­e­r banne­r to­ th­e­ir al­re­ady im­p­re­ssiv­e­ re­su­m­e­.

• Lucas: A Career Rebooted
• Postgame Notes
• Box Score

Cameron Sexton threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Brooks Foster with 46 seconds left, Trimane Goddard had two interceptions in the final minutes, and North Carolina rallied from an early 14-point deficit to beat Miami 28-24 on Saturday.

(AP) Source

There were three common threads running through the emails from Tar Heel fans this week processing Saturday’s 20-17 loss to Virginia Tech: What happens now at quarterback with T.J. Yates out for six weeks? Why can’t the Tar Heels run the ball any better? And what about those officials’ calls that twice gave Virginia Tech new life on a crucial third quarter scoring drive?

(AP) Source

• Submit Your Extra Points Mailbag Questions Now
• UNC vs. UConn Set For 7 p.m.

As Carolina prepares for a difficult road test Saturday at Miami without starting quarterback T.J. Yates, there are two simple requirements of the offensive line: protect the quarterback and open running lanes. How well they achieve those goals might determine the game’s outcome.

(AP) Source

• Submit Your Extra Points Mailbag Questions Now
• UNC vs. UConn Set For 7 p.m.
• Podcast: Butch Davis Monday Press Conference
• Podcast: T.J. Yates
• Player Press Conference Quotes
• Yates Injury Update (Monday)
• NFL Update: Week 3
• Lucas: The Final Overhaul
• Tar Heels Fall To Hokies

Every fiber of Mark Paschal’s flesh reflected the pain and torture of the moment shortly after 7 p.m. Saturday. His voice oozed with bewilderment and frustration. For seven minutes he leaned against a wall in the players lounge in Kenan Football Center and talked about the events of the afternoon, the 20-17 victory by Virginia Tech over the Tar Heels.

(AP) Source