TAE Top 25 Wk 6!!!

[The Ancient Enemy]

Here are the rules: You win the national title, you stay on top until you lose. I don't care if you lose all 22 starters, your coach goes to the NFL, and your mascot gets raped. I will determine how many spots you fall.

WEEK 6 NOTE: Justifying the Ole Miss ranking and Oregon drop: I have been saying all year that Ole Miss is a very good football team. I dropped Oregon from 18 to unranked because of the loss and also because of the fact that they are going nowhere fast. They have 3 QB's injured right now. When they overcome that extreme deficit, they'll be back in. But I really, honestly believe that even with 2 losses already, Ole Miss can play with any team in the nation.

ON DECK:
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1. Pittsburgh (3-1): Thursday night battle in Tampa against a USF team that lays eggs come conference time every year. I want to see Dave Wannstedt and company put together a complete game and beat a decent opponent. All the stars are aligned for this to be Pitt's game of redemption.
2. California (4-1): Tedford has reopened the QB race. We'll see how it works this week. ASU this week.
3. Fresno (3-1): Have seen this team play for a decade and I am still not sold on Pat Hill or the hype. They're decent, though.





1. LSU (4-0)
WK 1= Beat Appalachian State handily. Thank God Walter noticed how I strayed from my own Top 25 heritage and he slapped some sense into me. =WK 2= Had a bye this week as the battle against Nicholls State was postponed due to people crying over the weather again. Big game against TAE's own Mean Green this week. =WK 4= Finally get a decent opponent this week, key word is decent. Should not have as much trouble with Auburn as many would like to believe. =WK 5= Very gritty performance against Auburn on the road, got a huge conference win. This week its more SEC carnage as they take on an MSU team that always gives people nightmares. =Wk 6= Is this the most underrated team in America right now? LSU is a tough, gritty team who just wins.

2. ALABAMA (5-0) (8)
WK 1= Looked excellent versus Clemson. This week they crush Tulane. =WK 2= Tulane showed signs of life for the first time in years, but the Tide prevailed. Western Kentucky this week. =WK 4= No trouble last week with WKU, this week... oh man. This week Bobby Petrino sees how a real coach does it. =WK 5= Destroyed Arkansas. This week they get a massive test against Georgia on the road. Its hard to bet against Nick Saban, but I think UGA just has too much for Alabama... in 2008. =Wk 6= I didnt think lightning would strike twice for the Tide in 08, but it did. They are 2-0 on the road against top ranked programs, and if they keep this up it will be a colossal 1 vs 2 in the TAE Top 25 in a few weeks, in Baton Rouge. Gotta get past 4-0 UK this week, though.

3. MISSOURI (4-0) (5)
WK 1= Great win against a top 25 school. =WK 2= Big cupcake win. This week they get Nevada. If that Nevada defense learned anything from Texas Tech last week, this could be a great game. =WK 4= Well, it wasnt a great game, or even a good game. Missouri continues to wallop people. They should skate through the North. Poor Buffalo. They really are making progress, but this week they get pounded. =WK 5= Had more trouble with the Bulls than what the score indicated, but ultimately won by 3 TD's. =Wk 6= At Nebraska is never a place you wanna play. But I think this Missouri squad is about to put the hammer down in Lincoln.

4. OKLAHOMA (4-0) (6)
WK 1= Should get a nice test this week against Cincinnati. =WK 2= The Nati hung with them for awhile, but OU covered even a 21 point spread. Washington will probably have something to prove this week, and I am expecting OU to run the score up en route to looking once again like the nation's top team before they lose to someone like Baylor. =WK 4= They look good but Oklahoma always pulls an Oklahoma. =WK 5= Is this the week that OU lives up to their reputation? They get a very tough TCU at home... an opponent from a conference that is pulling many upsets. =Wk 6= Little trouble with a good TCU squad. Should throttle Baylor.

5. TEXAS (4-0) (7)
WK 1= Looked impressive against a good FAU squad. Should murder UTEP. =WK 2= No real trouble in this non-existent rivalry. Still think this team lacks the physicality to do anything other than waste my time. Anything less than a 30-pt win this week against garbage Arkansas would be a disappointment. But... Texas will win close because they are Texas. =WK 4= Arkansas game was postponed, and Arkansas better be glad it was. Texas and Rice have a long and storied rivalry, which is evident in how they schedule eachother every year. UT by 25. =WK 5= Very little trouble with Rice. If Texas doesn't beat Arkansas by 25, them then there's something wrong with them. =Wk 6= I'm worried about the running game, as are a lot of folks. Defensively, secondary must get better in a hurry. They have Colorado this weekend, a team that will give McCoy a nice test.

6. PENN STATE (5-0) (10)
WK 1= Got a lot of experience all around against helpless Coastal Carolina. Will get a big defensive test this week against Oregon State. =WK 2= No trouble at all with a team that should have given them trouble. This week they beat Syracuse by video-game numbers. =WK 4= It got ugly quickly. This week, Lions take on Temple. Getting a little old. =WK 5= Bowman had a monster game (3 sacks, a fumble, and a pick) and Penn State is going to need those kinds of numbers against this Illinois squad. If Williams is on-target, and he can spread the defense and then make plays with his feet, PSU will be in for a long night. =Wk 6= Liked what I saw from PSU when they were faced with adversity. This team has some really nice depth on both sides of the football. This week, they get what I consider the best test of the season so far. Purdue is a team with WRs who are unknowns outside of West Lafayette, but Painter might be the best QB in the conference. I am anxious to see how the secondary handles a QB who can place the ball where he wants.

7. OHIO STATE (4-1) (9)
WK 1= Not the most impressive win, but they're the best team in the nation on paper. They get Ohio this week. I don't like how they have thrown Pryor out there already just to keep up appearances. =WK 2= They might lose to USC by 40 points. =WK 4= I don't even know what to say. If this is the best team in the Big Ten, this conference doesn't deserve a BCS bid. Flat-footed against USC is an understatement. This week, they take on Troy. They'll beat Troy by 15 meager points. =WK 5= Todd Boekman should never take another snap. Bucks open Big Ten play against a Minnesota team who seems to be getting better every week. =Wk 6= Beat Minnesota in the Big Ten opener, and that's all well and good, but even with Wells and Pryor, this team is still looking sluggish. Wisconsin this week should be a big test of OSU's mettle. So far, I'm not so sure I like what Jim Tressel is cooking.

8. SOUTH FLORIDA (5-0) (13)
WK 1= Looked pretty solid in week 1, should have a battle in week 2 against UCF. =WK 2= Beat UCF in OT. Should be able to finally end all this Kansas nonsense this week. =WK 4= Thank God they beat Kansas. Showed a lot of poise in that comeback, but I am still worried about this team laying a massive egg. Bulls get FIU this week. Haven't seen FIU yet (one of about 3-4 teams I havent seen) but I dont think I'm missing much. =WK 5= Yeah, I didn't miss much. They're going to pummel NC State. =Wk 6= No problem with garbage NCSU, as predicted. This game this week against Pitt is the biggest game of the year so far for the Bulls. Not Kansas, not UCF, it is Pitt. USF has a history of choking mightily come conference time.

9. USC (2-1) (2)
WK 1= Probably the most impressive win of the week, but Virginia sucks. =WK 2= As a Big Ten fan I am dreading this upcoming game against Ohio State. With or without Wells. USC has the best coaching staff in the nation. =WK 4= Probably the best team in the nation. That Ohio State game was over 4-mins into the 2nd quarter. I was very impressed with USC at each position. =WK 5= Was off this week, which gave them an extra 4 days to get ready for this week's Pac-10 opener with Oregon State. =Wk 6= At some point, Pete Carroll has got to become accountable for this team losing games they should win by 30 points. I am speechless as to how a group of kids this talented can become so unmotivated at random points in the conference scheduling. That's coaching, folks. Should be able to rebound against a headless Oregon.

10. GEORGIA (4-1) (3)
WK 1= Something about this team just doesn't sit well with me. =WK 2= Anoth unimpressive win, and for this team being the preseason number 1, they sure dont get much press. Even with this week's game against So. Carolina being a conference battle, I'm not expecting much of a game. =WK 4= They make mistakes and they have weird coverage. This team is in a lot of trouble when they play Florida. This week? Arizona State. Nothing special. =WK 5= Went out to the desert and had little trouble with a very overrated Arizona State squad. Word on the street is that they are wearing the black tops for this Alabama game. They're gonna need all the magic they can get. =Wk 6= I was actually embarrassed for Georgia that they showed up last weekend and played the way they did. Outfoxed by the master. Join the club.

11. FLORIDA (3-1) (4)
WK 1= Took awhile to crush Hawaii, might be a bit overrated. They have a tough rivalry game against the Canes this week. =WK 2= Were tested by a hated rival, but ultimately won big. =WK 4= Was off in week 3, this week they get a Tennessee team that is terrible. No chance. UF by 30. =WK 5= Blowout win over a Tennessee team that just seems lost. I have a feeling that UF will get a dogfight from Ole Miss. They'll win, but i would not be surprised to see this game end up 17-10. =Wk 6= Statistically, UF did a nice job in this game. But as I said, Ole Miss is a very tough football team, and are being very overlooked nationally. Of course after the game, Meyer whined as usual. I'm getting a little tired of it. It wouldn't hurt Meyer to take in a coaching clinic run by his colleague in Tuscaloosa, so he learns how to toughen up a little bit.

12. BYU (4-0) (16)
WK 1= Nice win over a garbage opponent. Will get a big test versus Washington this week. =WK 2= It was a terrible call in the U-Dub game, but don't hold it against BYU. They blocked the kick when it counted. The BYU Pac-10 tour continues this week against an energized UCLA. =WK 4= Complete annihalation of UCLA. This week the second teamers get in by mid-quarter when BYU scores 90 on a Wyoming squad that almost lost to North Dakota State. =WK 5= Blowout over Wyoming, BYU is firing on all cylinders. =Wk 6= Utah State this week. Yikes.

13. UTAH (5-0) (17)
WK 1= Beat Michigan in the Big House. Will get win 2 versus UNLV as they march ahead to that BYU game. =WK 2= Struggled for awhile with UNLV, but those teams are rivals. Speaking of rivals, Utes get Utah State this week, and even though it seems lopsided, anything can happen in a rivalry game. =WK 4= Nice rivalry win over Utah State. They have Air Force this week, and this will be an awesome game. =WK 5= Showed a lot of poise in that win over AFA. They get their cake game this week against Weber State, who actually gave Hawaii a nice battle. =Wk 6= Took care of Weber State.

14. TEXAS TECH (4-0) (15)
WK 1= Big-time test this week against Nevada, coming off a closer-than-we'd-like win over a I-AA school. I have a feeling this season is going down in flames. =WK 2= Another less than stellar game, but Nevada is better than people think. Big win over SMU this week coming up. =WK 4= This team is going to lose 3 games. Mark it down. 3 regular season games. Big matchup this week against Umass, buddy. =WK 5= How pathetic can you get? Two wins over I-AA teams. I'm embarrassed for not punishing Tech sooner. =Wk 6= These idiots dont play anyone for another month.

15. OKLAHOMA STATE (4-0) (19)
WK 3= oSu is a very dangerous team, especially on offense. Zac Robinson is probably the most underrated QB in the BCS. =WK 4= They're off this week. =WK 5= Had a bye week to prepare for a good Troy team. =Wk 6= Sneaking around the national chickencoop is Oklahoma State. Beat a good Troy team. This week they should crush an A&M team that almost lost to Army.

16. AUBURN (4-1) (20)
WK 1= Can't wait to see Paul Rhodes show his true colors in SEC play. =WK 2= Another yawner. This week they get Miss. State and they will be in a dogfight from start to finish. =WK 4= Beat Mississippi State 3-2 in a very ugly game offensively. They play like that this week against LSU and they'll lose by 20. =WK 5= This offense is a joke. Defense kept it close and will keep all their games close, but there's no reason Auburn was so highly-touted. But even still, they shouldn't have much trouble with Tennessee. =Wk 6= Same colors, some problem. Auburn and the Chicago Bears: awesome defense, offense that couldn't score 25 on a high school team.

17. BOISE STATE (4-0) (22)
=WK 5= They are off this week after a big win over BCS Oregon. =Wk 6= There is a great possibility that this Boise squad will be undefeated going into the last 2 weeks of the season. Nevada and Fresno in those 2 weeks. This weekend, Broncs play host to Louisiana Tech.

18. WISCONSIN (3-1) (11)
WK 1= Ran Hill into the ground for some reason. This week they travel to Fresno State for win 2. =WK 2= I lied, they played Marshall. And struggled for awhile, too. They'll run PJ Hill to death this week as they beat Fresno. =WK 4= Another supposed top-notch Big Ten team, and they have just as many problems as everyone else. This team is not good. They beat an average Fresno. =WK 5= The most unimpressive 3-0 team I may have ever seen. They are about to get a big test versus a Michigan team who is definitely going to sneak up on someone this year. It very well could be this Wisconsin team, who I honestly believe is one of the most overrated programs of the past 30 years probably. =Wk 6= Lost to Michigan in the big house. I dont even know what to say. That W on their helmets stands for "Waste of Everyone's Time" because that's exactly what this program really is. Michigan had 5 turnovers in the first half and Wisconsin was only able to lead this game 19-0. It is seriously pathetic how the media loves Wisconsin, even with the worst resume of any highly-touted program. Bielema actually had the stupidity to say, before this game, "There's no way Michigan can stop PJ Hill." Guess what, Coach? Once again, for the tenth straight season, Wisconsin gets exposed. They have Ohio State this week, and I am rooting for Ohio State to win this game by 60 points.

19. TULSA (4-0) (25)]
=WK 5= Probably should have been ranked earlier, being that I picked them to go to the BCS. They have Central Arkansas this week, and if you get a chance, take a look at Central Arkansas's QB. This kid is getting a lot of hype, and might even end up getting drafted. =Wk 6= The job Gus Malzahn has done with this QB (a first-year starter) is remarkable. Rice this week in a game that is closer than Tulsans would like.

20. VIRGINIA TECH (4-1) (NR)
=WK 6= As bad as this ACC really is, you have to give VTech credit for back to back gritty wins over pretty good teams: North Carolina and Nebraska. Taylor is making enough plays to win games. By no means is this team good, but they are a little above average.

21. BALL STATE (5-0) (21)
WK 3= They are Indiana away from an undefeated season. Took care of Akron last week. =WK 4= This is it, Indiana is here. Ball State is getting their Top 25 shot, let's see if this team is for real. I think they are. =WK 5= Crushed Indiana, but the real story was the injury to Dante Love. This is a major loss for the team, but from watching Ball State in 2 games, I honestly believe this is still the best team in the MAC, they have a favorable schedule, and they have players who are extremely talented but not quite AS talented as Love. This team is going undefeated. Shouldn't have much trouble with Kent. =Wk 6= Soaring under the radar still, but here at Team TAE, we love dem Cards.

22. WAKE FOREST (3-1) (14)
WK 1= No trouble with Baylor. I have them losing this week to Ole Miss. =WK 2= Showed alot of character against Ole Miss when they drove down the field, against the momentum, and won that game. Maybe Wake Forest is pretty good after all. =WK 4= Was off in week 3. FSU this week, and I can't wait to see Wake pound them just to show those idiots that beating 2 I-AA teams should NOT get you ranked! =WK 5= They tried very hard to lose that game to FSU, but luckily for Wake, those FSU QB's wanted that loss just a little more than Wake Forest did. They get Navy this week, a matchup problem for any team. =Wk 6= How bad is this ACC? They are "That Bad".

23. VANDERBILT (4-0) (24)
=WK 5= Vandy gets a breather after starting the season 4-0 and pulling out an awesome win over a very good Ole Miss team. =Wk 6= Coming off a bye, they get Auburn. Well, Vandy, you were ranked for a few weeks. Time to go back to Nashville and hang out with George Strait and Young Buck. Look on the bright side, Cutler is having a great season.

24. ILLINOIS (2-2) (12)
WK 1= Are explosive but might be lacking a bit on defense. =WK 2= Got back on track with a win over an FCS school. Playing a La Lafayette team this week from a conference that already pulled off some nice upsets. =WK 4= Almost lost to Lafayette, and once again it looks like another Big Ten team wasn't worth the hype. =WK 5= Had a bye week to prepare for this week's white-out in Happy Valley. It will take a big effort to beat the Lions at home, and Williams is going to have to get space with his fakes to be able to run. If he is on target with his passes, it might be a long day for the Lions. =Wk 6= Two losses, and I still think this team is good enough to finish 2nd in the Big Ten. They put up a good fight against Penn State. Illinois lost to Penn State because Penn State has speed on offense and a lot of weapons on that offense. Ohio State and Wisconsin do not.

25. OLE MISS (3-2) (NR)
WK 3= It's hard to justify adding them after beating Samford. But this team is very talented, lost to Wake on a last second 40+ FG, showed tremendous poise to take the lead before that. Very sneaky little team, here. =WK 4= Should get a huge test this week against a deceptive Vanderbilt team. =WK 5= This is the best 2-2 team in the country, and I hope people aren't sleeping on Ole Miss. This team is going to bite someone. I dont think it will be UF this week, but they should be able to make it very interesting none the less. =Wk 6= Without question, Nutt has this team poised for a bright future. Huge, huge win against Florida this past weekend. Need to keep it up though, because they have South Carolina this weekend.


HONORABLE MENTION (in no order):
==================================
Clemson (3-2), Stanford (3-2), Colorado (3-1), Arkansas State (3-2), Florida State (3-1), Nebraska (3-1), Rice (3-2), Arizona (3-1), Fresno State (3-1), Iowa (3-2), Pitt (3-1), Georgia Tech (3-1), UNLV (3-2), Oregon (4-1), TCU (4-1), ECU (3-2), WVU (2-2), UNC (3-1), Cal (4-1), Kansas (3-1), UCLA (1-3), ASU (2-2), South Carolina (2-2), Duke (3-1), UCONN (5-0), Maryland (4-1), Michigan State (4-1), Minnesota (4-1), Kentucky (4-0)



FALLING FROM RANKINGS:
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OREGON (4-1) (18)
WK 1= Showed some nice stuff against UW, keep an eye on this Johnson kid. =WK 2= I wish I could say this team was for real. But in the end, Oregon will pull an Oregon and lose two or three games. Ducks travel to Purdue this week, and I am expecting a blowout win over annually-overrated Purdue. =WK 4= Won a tough squeaker on the road, but lost their QB in the process. Boise this week, and I'm not sure that back-up (who himself is the back-up) can beat Boise. =WK 5= Lost to a very good Boise State squad. Oregon has bigtime QB woes now that those kids are injured. It might be a long year. Should be able to squeak out a win over Washington State. =Wk 6= They beat WAZZOU, but this team has enormous problems behind center. Poor Oregon. This week they get a USC squad that will probably try to run the score up.

TCU (4-1) (23)
=WK 5= This might be the most underrated team in the country. They get Oklahoma this week on the road, and this is a category 3 upset alert. OU has a reputation of laying eggs, and TCU has a reputation of playing up to their level of competition (and also of playing down to it!) so this should be a huge contest. =Wk 6= Not a very good showing in Norman, but conference play will start soon enough.

EAST CAROLINA (3-2)
WK 1= They actually should have never needed a blocked punt to beat Virginia Tech. They're going to push WVU. =WK 2= Exposed WVU like they get exposed every year, but I honestly dont think this team goes undefeated in the regular season. They're good, though. They have Tulane this week, and do not discount ECU when Tulane gives this a nice test. =WK 4= Struggled with a Tulane team that is a lot better than people think they are. Classic trap game this week against NC State. Wouldn't be surprised to see an upset here. =WK 5= NC State played the game of their lives this year, and will now lose 7 more games. ECU now rests into conference play, and should be a little more down to Earth. They will get a big test this week versus Houston, who gives everyone a matchup problem. =Wk 6= Lost to a Houston team that has me scratching my head. Looks like ECU is finally the team everyone had them pegged to be: 4th in the conference.

WEST VIRGINIA (2-2)
WK 1= Did not look great defensively against a poor Villanova squad. Should get tested versus ECU. =WK 2= Was exposed and shut down by ECU. =WK 4= Didn't play this week. For some reason, Stewart was given a 6-yr extension. Jumping the gun a little bit, fellas? Bigtime test this week on the road against Coloradie. =WK 5= Lost in OT to a decent Colorado squad, and finally got the run game going. In-state rivalry this week against a Marshall squad who looks like they have turned a new leaf. Should be a great game, honestly. =Wk 6= Beat Marshall to get back on track.

NORTH CAROLINA (3-1)
WK 3= They have the horses to make a lot of headway this year. Might be the best WR corps in the nation. =WK 4= We'll see what they are made of this week against a V-Tech squad who still sucks but has a couple nice players. =WK 5= Yates went down with an injury, and everything fell apart. They almost pulled off the win, though. UNC is still a year or so away, but they are doing great. Heels get the Canes this week, in what should be an awesome matchup. Its a little less stellar with Yates on the sideline, but both these programs have something to prove. =Wk 6= Huge play in the endzone to steal the victory from the Canes. Sexton played a nice game in Yates' absence. They get a paper-thin UCONN team at home this week.

CALIFORNIA (4-1)
WK 1= Was surprised by how well Cal did against Michigan State. Should handle Wazzou easily. =WK 2= I wish I could say Cal was for real, but Cal will ultimately pull a Cal and lose 2-3 games. Did I write this before? They should beat Maryland by 80. =WK 4= Seriously, Maryland lost to Middle Tennessee. =WK 5= Were off this week, and they needed it after that egg in College Park. Should get a stiff battle versus a Colorado State team who is showing signs of life after all. =Wk 6= Cal is Cal. They look great, and then lose to Maryland. Then they beat an NFL team, and lose to North Texas. Who knows? They play ASU this weekend, and Lord only knows which Cal team will show up.

KANSAS (3-1)
WK 1= Very, very overrated but they aren't horrible. They'll get a major test against Louisiana Tech this week. =WK 2= If that was a major test, KU is the best team in the nation. They aren't. They aren't even "good". Finally playing a decent team for the first time in 2 seasons this week. =WK 4= Lost to USF after having a huge lead. This program is not mature enough yet. I'm glad they lost, because Kansas makes me sick. Sam Houston State this week. =WK 5= There should be a rule that no Kansas teams are allowed to play I-AA opponents for 10 seasons, since they schedule 4 of them every year. =Wk 6= Another gimme week: Iowa State.

UCLA (1-3)
WK 1= Gritty win over annually-overrated Tennessee. Craft looked excellent in the 2nd half. =WK 2= Were off, played Thursday. Can Neuheisel follow up that Tennessee win by ending the BYU hype? =WK 4= That offensive genius scored zero points against a team who returned 3 defensive starters. They also gave up 59 points. Arizona this week, and its anyone's guess as to which UCLA and which Arizona team will show up. =WK 5= Awesome game this week, guys, getting blown out by Arizona. That offensive war machine of Neuheisel and Chow is really something special. Tell us more about how Dwayne Walker is a defensive genius. This week, it is Fresno's turn to pound UCLA. =Wk 6= Is anyone worse than UCLA?

ARIZONA STATE (2-2)
=WK 2= Beat a good Stanford team handedly. This week they take on a deceptively tough UNLV club. =WK 4= UNLV is better than you think, but there's no excuse. Georgia this week, and it'll be close. =WK 5= They had too much success last year, and now those fans are spoiled. =Wk 6= Cal this week. Both teams need this win.

SOUTH CAROLINA (2-2)
WK 1= The most underwhelming 33-0 win in a long time. This team needs a lot of work if they plan on contending in the SEC. =Wk 2= Is Steve Spurrier the reason why this program can't make any headway? They'll follow up that performance by getting crushed this week by Georgia. =WK 4= Spurrier's insane QB rotation is the sole reason why South Carolina will never make progress until he leaves. =WK 5= How do you barely scrape past Wofford? This offense is a joke. You can blame the Ol' Ball Coach, who needs to take his ball and go the hell home. =Wk 6= They'll lose again this week, to Ole Miss.

[abpk2903]

TAE, why no love for undefeated Northwestern?

[The Ancient Enemy]

Because they are almost as worthless as UCONN.

[abpk2903]

Good point TAE, I have the same view as you do with teams like this. Teams that everyone knows will lose 4-5 games but are lucky enough to come out of the gate with a weak schedule and squeak themselves out a 4-0 or 5-0 record so everyone puts them in the top 25 or even 20. Just wanted to know your reasoning.

[The Ancient Enemy]

UCONN has North Carolina this week, and I am very interested in that game. As for NW, would not be surprised to see them end up 6-6.

Texas Tech is the same as these teams. Tech does not play a real opponent for another MONTH.

[deliverance]

UCONN lost their quarterback, too. So, I really don't think they have a chance against UNC.