By R.L. Bynum
On the strength of North Carolina’s one-sided victory Saturday over Georgia State, the Tar Heels moved up three slots in both national polls.
The Tar Heels (1–1) moved from No. 24 to No. 21 in the AP poll and jumped from No. 22 to No. 19 in the coaches poll after their 59–17 victory in their home opener over the Panthers.
Carolina is a 10-point favorite in its first ACC home game Saturday at 7:30 p.m. (ACC Network) against Virginia (2–0), which no AP poll voter had on their ballot. The Cavaliers got the 52nd-most votes in the coaches poll.
UNC was helped the Texas going from No. 15 to unranked after loss to Arkansas and Utah’s defeat against BYU knocking it out of the poll after the Utes were No. 21.
UNC, which was No. 10 in the AP poll before losing at Virginia Tech in the opener, rebounded better in the poll than last season.
After a loss at Florida State last season when UNC dropped from No. 5 to No. 14 in the AP poll, the Heels dropped another notch to No. 15 after blowing out N.C. State.
That was a strange season, though, with the Big Ten finally playing games at that point.
Ranking UNC the highest at No. 15 was Darren Haynes of WUSA-TV in Washington, D.C., and 13 left the Tar Heels off their ballots, including Ethan Joyce of the Winston-Salem Journal.
Lauren Brownlow of WRALSportFan.com voted Carolina No. 21 and Jonas Pope IV of the News & Observer voted the Heels No. 22.
AP Top 25
Others receiving votes: UCF 111, TCU 103, Liberty 52, Michigan State 44, USC 39, Indiana 34, LSU 31, Kansas State 30, Nevada 28, Oklahoma State 27, Texas 23, Maryland 14, Pittsburgh 13, Kentucky 13, Stanford 10, Utah 9, Boston College 8, Arizona 6, Texas Tech 2, Fresno State 2, Toledo 2, Army 1
Photo of Myles Murphy by Jeffrey A. Camarati/UNC Athletics Communications
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