The 11th-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels (10-1, 7-0 in ACC) are a longshot for the College Football Playoff at No. 14 in the most recent rankings, but there's still a path forward with some help from other teams, plus an upset over No. 1 Clemson in the ACC Championship Game.
How to watch North Carolina vs. NC State on TV or online, plus 3 things to know
A Tobacco Road rivalry with possible playoff implications.
But first, they have to get by their season-ending, rivalry week tilt with the North Carolina State Wolfpack (7-4, 3-4 in ACC).
The Wolfpack don’t have the gaudy record of their Tobacco Road rivals, but they’re actually slightly ahead in the S&P+ rankings at the moment. NC State struggles to generate big plays (51st in IsoPPP) like the Heels (4th), but they’re remarkably consistent, ranking solidly in the top-65 in rushing and passing success rate on offense and defense.
The Tar Heels average more than 40 points per game on offense and have won 10 straight since an ugly season-opening loss to South Carolina.
How to watch, stream and listen
TV: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC or ESPN2
Radio: North Carolina, NC State
Online streaming: WatchESPN Link
Spread: North Carolina is a 6-point favorite.
Make friends: Fans of the Tar Heels can chat it up over at Tar Heel Blog, while the Wolfpack gathers over at Backing the Pack.
Three big things to know
UNC’s quarterback is one of the better dual-threat players in the country. His 3,164 yards of total offense rank 21st nationally, with 733 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns and another 17 passing scores along with 2,431 yards. So with a big day, he could join the elite 2,000 yards passing/1,000 yards rushing quarterback club.
2. Rose garden
NC State's defense contains really well, and that could set up plenty of opportunities for junior defensive end Mike Rose, who has 10.5 sacks on the season. If Rose and Co. can bottle up Williams, that gives the Wolfpack offense a chance.
3. Too much to cover
The Wolfpack’s pass defense is a fairly pedestrian sixth in the ACC in efficiency, and North Carolina does a pretty solid job of spreading the ball around. Four wide receivers have at least 400 yards receiving on the season. That’s a lot of targets to cover, and it means that Williams knows how to find the open man if his primary is covered.
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