Carolina Football Weekend Kickoff: Week 4

Setting up the biggest games and storylines from around the ACC and points beyond

Welcome to the Friday Kickoff, where we’ll take a quick look at Carolina’s matchup and set up the rest of the college football weekend in the ACC and around the nation.

Carolina (2-1) vs. Appalachian State (2-0)

Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill

3:30 p.m., RSN/ACCNX (PxP: Tom Werme; Analyst: James Bates; Sideline: Lyndsey Rowley)

RSN TV affiliates

Carolina Game Notes | App State Game Notes | UNC leads all-time series 1-0

BetOnline Spread: Carolina -3 | O/U: 58

Carolina Conversation

Is App State a good nonconference opponent for Carolina moving forward? Who else should the Tar Heels schedule?

Friday Newsstand 

Carolina's third-down issues are actually starting on first and second downs, with the Tar Heels facing an average of 7.9 yards to go.

No one really know the how and why of energy's whims, but the Tar Heels know it's better this week.

Here's everything Mack Brown had to say after Wednesday's practice, which he felt was a good one.

The Mountaineers haven't put anything on tape for opponents to pick up on just yet.

The offensive line knows it has to be more physical this week.

What they're saying

(Akeem Davis-Gaither) is really good football player, he’s productive. No. 7 (Josh Thomas) in the back end is really, really good and up front, 48 (Demetrius Taylor) is a physical kid with some twitch. Those are three of the stronger players that we’ve identified at App State. We’ve got to know where they are and we’ve got to be able to handle them.

App is a little blend of a number of the opponents we’ve seen. They’re going to use a good mix of man and zone coverage, they’ll cloud the corner sometime and try to get two over Dyami, I’m sure. They’re going to stack the box and they’re going to try to stop the run and force you to beat them with the throw, at least, that’s what they’ve shown in the first two games. They do a really good job stacking the box and gapping off the run game.

For us to establish the run game that we want and we intend to get established, we’re going to have to do a good job physically and technically early on. — Phil Longo

When you start looking at App State, look at what their seniors accomplished the last few years, it's the best in our state. App State’s good enough they could be in the ACC. They're that talented.

You start looking at 2018 they were 11-2. In 2017, they were 9-4. That was their bad year. 2016 they were 10-3, 2015 they were 11-3.

Coach Woods was there, who’s working for us now. He did a great job and went to South Carolina. Jerry Moore won three national championships while he was there. Scott Satterfield did such a tremendous job that he had those last four seasons and Eliah Drinkwitz is coming in at 2-0 with a week off and fresh and excited about coming in here. This will be the second time that we've ever played Appalachian State.

So what I told the guys is you play South Carolina, Miami, Wake and now you've got App State who will have a lot of energy on Saturday and then you’ve got Clemson in your first five. And that's probably as tough of a schedule as anybody’s got across the country. That's why we’ve got guys banged up and tired and they’ve still got to play. You are who you are on Saturday. And we've done a tremendous job in fourth quarters. We’ve got to do a better job of being more consistent, especially offensively during the game. — Mack Brown

It would behoove Willie Taggart to get a win over Louisville at home / Geoff Burke - USA TODAY Sports

In the Footprint

• It's a much-needed light week around the ACC, where everyone other than Pittsburgh will be favored in nonconference matchups. Prayers up for the Panthers, who get a rematch with the Knights after being trounced 45-14 in Orlando last season. The ACC is 2-7 in nonconference against Power Five opponents this season. Not great!
  
• Florida State (1-2, 1-1 ACC) will be favored against Louisville in Tallahassee, but a loss could be the beginning of the end for Coach Willie Taggart. Or the end of the end.
• Should Wake Forest take care of business against Elon, the Deacons could be in line to become the ACC's third Top 25 team.
• Wake Forest has three national leaders, with receiver Sage Surratt third in in receiving yards with 372 and defensive lineman Boogie Basham fifth with five sacks while linebacker Justin Strnad is fifth with 40 tackles.

What it means for Carolina

With no Coastal teams playing conference matchups, the Tar Heels will remain one game behind Virginia (3-0, 2-0 ACC) in the win column heading into next week.

Schedule

Saturday
Elon at Wake Forest, 12 p.m. (ACC Network Extra)

Friend of Heels Maven Conor O’Neill calls this one the Peahead Walker Bowl. The Deacs should breeze to 4-0.

Boston College at Rutgers, 12 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
Steve Addazio’s hot seat got even hotter after a home loss to Kansas. A repeat performance at Rutgers and it will be engulfed in flames.

Western Michigan at Syracuse, 12 p.m. (ACC Network)

No. 15 UCF at Pittsburgh, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
A win for Pitt would change how we think about the Coastal, but expect the Knights to win and do it with style. Blowing out Power Five opponents is apparently the only path to respect for UCF.

Louisville at Florida State, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)
One of the premier matchups in the ACC a few years ago, the loser here might be destined for a last-place finish in the Atlantic. Scott Satterfield’s team is better than expected.

Central Michigan at Miami, 4 p.m. (ACC Network)

Old Dominion at No. 21 Virginia, 7 p.m (ESPN2)
The Hoos already have a win over William and Mary, and they should cruise in taking another step toward a state championship. 

Ball State at N.C. State, 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
This is a weird matchup that a motivated Wolfpack should handle quickly and efficiently. 

Charlotte at No. 1 Clemson, 7:30 p.m. (ACC Network)
Coach Will Healy is a rising star, but he’s a long way from having the 49ers ready to compete in Death Valley.

Georgia and Notre Dame delivered a classic two years ago in South Bend / Matt Cashore - USA TODAY Sports

Around the nation

Friday
No. 10 Utah at USC, 9 p.m. (FS1)
Clay Helton is going to need a big night from freshman Kedon Slovis if he aims to continue coaching the Trojans.

Air Force at No. 20 Boise State, 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
The Friday Night Memorial West Coast Points Game takes us back to our roots in Boise, where Air Force should make this one interesting.

Saturday
No. 11 Michigan at No. 13 Wisconsin, 12 p.m. (FOX)
Two of the Big Ten’s best, right where they belong: at noon and out of view. Just kidding. Maybe.

No. 8 Auburn at No. 17 Texas A&M, 3:30 p.m. (CBS)
Things are going entirely too well for Auburn fans to be comfortable with at this point. Bo Nix is the real deal.

No. 22 Washington at BYU, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
This one will be worth checking out just for BYU’s throwback uniforms.

No. 16 Oregon at Stanford, 7 p.m. (ESPN)
The Cardinal is off to a 1-2 start and they could bring the Pac-12’s best team down with them.

No. 7 Notre Dame at No. 3 Georgia, 8 p.m. (CBS)
The best matchup of the young season and a rematch of a classic in South Bend from 2017. Consider it a playoff quarterfinal game.

Saturday Nightcap

Ride the wave of your tailgate into these late-night matchups for guaranteed points.

UCLA at No. 19 Washington State, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Utah State at San Diego State, 10:30 p.m. (CBS Sports)

This has been a common scene for Oklahoma State's Chuba Hubbard this season / Troy Wayrynen - USA TODAY Sports

Here's a guy 

Oklahoma State RB Chuba Hubbard (vs. Texas, 7:30 p.m., ABC)
Three games, two rushing performances of more than 220 yards.

Hubbard, a 6-1, 205-pound sophomore, leads the nation in rushing through three games with 66 caries for 521 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 7.9 yards per attempt. After rushing for 221 yards in the season-opener, Hubbard fell back to earth with a pedestrian eight carries for 44 yards in the Cowboys' second game. Then last week, he exploded for 256 yards and three touchdowns on 32 carries. 

Barry Sanders would be proud.