Notre Dame vs North Carolina 11/04/06

Royal vs Powder Blue #2

I've not seen any UNC games this year and, true this is a huge mismatch. North Carolina has a lame duck coach and staff, their offense is horrific, and their defense ain't much better. What it comes down to is this: ND has won two straight games in which they have "underachieved" (i.e., not covered), and both times have been rewarded in the polls by getting jumped by a team that did not even play that weekend.

Sure, ND head coach Charlie Weis claims he doesn't care what others say or think about him and his performance. But he went out of his way in his post-UCLA game press conferenceto say how confused he was that such would happen (re:polls). Normally, it wouldn't seem to be in his character to even address as much, though I sense he feels he has to play the politicking game like every other coach.

Weis does care that his squad is winning games--isn't that the point?--yet is losing respect in the process because they don't win big when (others think) they should. As such, he might unload everything he has short of a few tricks this weekend so that next week he can say, "OK, we won by 42 pts, and didn't move in the polls. Which way do you a-holes want it???"

Don't believe the doomsayers who profess there is a 1% chance the Tar Babies beat the Irish in this year's Upset of the Century. ND will win this game by 5 tds...maybe more.

Notre Dame over North Carolina.