This may come as a surprise to some, but the Tar Heels were not in the initial college football playoff poll last season despite owning a 7-1 record when the first poll was released. Yet, when the first playoff poll was released Tuesday evening, the two-loss Heels were sitting there at No. 21.
Certainly, winning at Florida State, which is No. 22, helps, but does this mean the Heels still have a chance to make a push at the playoff even though not a single pundit out there has then on their radar? After all, last year’s team debuted in the second poll at No. 23 with an 8-1 record, so it stands to reason this year’s club is ahead.
They are for now, but like last year, will need a ton of help in front to have a chance to make any kind of splash, and that certainly won’t happen if the Heels take care of business. Win out, go 10-2, hope for Virginia Tech to lose an ACC game and then head to the ACC title game against an undefeated Clemson team and who knows what will happen.
The odds are incredibly slim the Heels will find a way into the playoff, but going 11-2 with Florida State winning out (that quality road wins needs to remain a quality road win) and a bunch of teams falling in front of them, and the Tar Heels will at least position themselves for a terrific bowl game and top-10 finish. Who knows, maybe even more, as crazy as that seems at this point.
BTW, UNC's weekly rankings in last year's six playoff polls:
Week 1 - NR
Week 2 - No. 23
Week 3 - No. 17
Week 4 - No. 14
Week 5 - No. 10
Week 6 - No. 10
Certainly, winning at Florida State, which is No. 22, helps, but does this mean the Heels still have a chance to make a push at the playoff even though not a single pundit out there has then on their radar? After all, last year’s team debuted in the second poll at No. 23 with an 8-1 record, so it stands to reason this year’s club is ahead.
They are for now, but like last year, will need a ton of help in front to have a chance to make any kind of splash, and that certainly won’t happen if the Heels take care of business. Win out, go 10-2, hope for Virginia Tech to lose an ACC game and then head to the ACC title game against an undefeated Clemson team and who knows what will happen.
The odds are incredibly slim the Heels will find a way into the playoff, but going 11-2 with Florida State winning out (that quality road wins needs to remain a quality road win) and a bunch of teams falling in front of them, and the Tar Heels will at least position themselves for a terrific bowl game and top-10 finish. Who knows, maybe even more, as crazy as that seems at this point.
BTW, UNC's weekly rankings in last year's six playoff polls:
Week 1 - NR
Week 2 - No. 23
Week 3 - No. 17
Week 4 - No. 14
Week 5 - No. 10
Week 6 - No. 10
