North Carolina Tar Heels no strangers to Final Four appearance

The North Carolina Tar Heels football program is seemingly just a win away from a CFB playoff appearance. They are no strangers to the Final Four…

North Carolina is an athletic program known for greatness…on the hardwood.

Typically associated with postseason athletics in March during the madness of college basketball season, it’s the football team at UNC right now that is drawing attention for its incredible run since an opening weekend loss to the (now) lowly South Carolina Gamecocks.

Quarterback Marquise Williams has 28 total touchdowns on the season while running back Elijah Hood has added 1,280 yards and another 16 touchdowns, and the Tar Heels are absolutely rolling.

With a win against Clemson, many would expect the Heels to be cementing their spot in the CFB playoff picture. They have one loss on the season — the aforementioned opening weekend loss to South Carolina — but a win against top ranked Clemson would put them in a position to play for a national title, and it would be hard to argue with the success that they have had.

They are averaging a three touchdown margin of victory this season. They are averaging nearly six touchdowns per game and almost 500 yards of total offense. This is a team that can put up points in bunches, and they can also play some defense. UNC is giving up just 20 points per game this season despite their high scoring, high octane offense.

Clemson, of course, has answers to all that UNC could throw at them, starting with Heisman candidate DeShaun Watson at the QB position. Watson has accounted for 36 touchdowns this season himself (27 passing, 9 rushing) and is one of the best overall players in the country.

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Oh yeah, he’s also just a sophomore.

It’s going to take more than just a little bit of flash to beat the current #1 team in the country, but if anyone in the land can do it, it would be North Carolina. They aren’t getting the type of national hype they deserve along with teams like Oklahoma, which has ascended into the top three of the playoff rankings after a monster month.

But like Oklahoma, it’s that early season loss that is holding back the Tar Heels right now, and they have a chance to right that ship and prove to the committee that every game since that South Carolina game wasn’t a fluke. They can beat you through the air, they can beat you on the ground, and the shifty Ryan Switzer is always a problem for opposing teams in the return game.

This ACC title game could prove to be a classic, and don’t be surprised if North Carolina makes another final four appearance, only this time, on the gridiron.

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