For a school known for Dean Smith, Michael Jordan and four national championships in men's basketball, football is now getting the attention in Chapel Hill.
With its 38-12 victory over previously unbeaten Connecticut, North Carolina has jumped into the CBSSports.com 120, moving up 15 spots to No. 21.
They also cracked the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2001, sliding into the No. 22 ranking. The Tar Heels won eight games that year and beat Auburn in the Peach Bowl.
Being ranked is quite an accomplishment for a team that usually finds itself at the bottom of the ACC, winning a few games a season.
But thanks to second-year coach Butch Davis, two very good offensive weapons in Hakeem Nicks and Brandon Tate, and a defense allowing 19 points a game, the Tar Heels find themselves in position to win double-digit wins for the first time since Mack Brown's team in 1997.
UNC's only loss is a three-point defeat to Virginia Tech. Since the Hokies are in their division, it will be hard for the Tar Heels to get to the ACC title game, but moving up the rankings and improving their bowl standing are definitely possible.
They don't have Wake Forest, Florida State or Clemson on the schedule and it gets Georgia Tech (Nov. 8) and Boston College (Oct. 25) at home.
"This team is headed in the right direction," said quarterback Cam Sexton. "All the pieces are in place. Last year we were just feeling each other out. But we did not come here to win four games. We're not where we want to be. The only thing we have to do as a team is to remain focused. I think this team has a lot of potential, and the leadership needs to keep us focused."
It has one more non-conference game this weekend ... vs. Notre Dame. The Irish moved up to No. 38 this week in the CBSSports.com 120 poll.
The only other ACC team ranked higher than the Tar Heels right now is Virginia Tech, checking in at No. 17. Wake Forest is ranked No. 23.
Oklahoma State (No. 18), Pittsburgh (No. 22) and Northwestern (No. 25) also joined the Tar Heels in the rankings this week.
Other notes
-- Two undefeated schools are just outside the Top 25. Tulsa (5-0) is No. 26 and Ball State (6-0) is No. 27. Strength of schedule is definitely hurting these two schools as Tulsa's is 104th, while Ball State's is 88th.
-- The strange case of Maryland. What can you say about this team? The are up and down every week. After losing to Middle Tennessee State, the Terps fell, but then jumped back up with victories over California and Clemson. Things should have been easy against the worst team in the ACC, but Maryland got shut out 31-0 to Virginia! Maryland fell back to No. 52.
-- Fresno State fell out of the Top 25 and all the way down to No. 43 after losing 32-29 to Hawaii. Every time I pick Fresno to win the WAC, I curse them. Me and every other media member that falls into the preseason hype.
-- The team with the best record ranked the lowest -- Western Michigan (5-1) at No. 58. Despite having five wins, they dont have won impressive victory. The Broncos beat Northern Illinois (No. 99), Idaho (No. 119), Tennessee Tech (FCS), Temple (No. 93) and Ohio (No. 118).
-- Only two winless teams remain -- Washington (No. 103) and North Texas (No. 120).
