North Carolina moves up multiple spots in ESPN's power rankings after Week 6
North Carolina moved up 5 spots in this week’s updated power rankings from ESPN.
The Tar Heels are now the No. 12 team nationally, per ESPN. Their move up the board comes after a dominant 40-7 win over Syracuse on Saturday afternoon. Carolina is now 5-0 this season and 2-0 in ACC play.
Tez Walker made his season debut against the Orange and played well. Drake Maye connected to 6-of-8 targets with Walker for 43 yards. Maye nearly set a new career high by throwing for 442 yards in the win.
Here’s some analysis from ESPN’s Blake Baumgartner:
Drake Maye and the Tar Heels offense was in perfect harmony from the jump. Maye picked Syracuse’s defense apart, connecting with 10 receivers in the first half alone as the offense racked up 424 total yards, tied for the program’s most in a half over the past four seasons. Nate McCollum led the way with seven receptions for 135 yards (103 in first half). Spurred on by Maye’s precision (33-of-47 passing for 442 yards and three touchdowns), North Carolina finished with a season-high 644 total yards — the third time it has surpassed 500 in a game this season — while controlling the clock for 37:16. Maye’s third career game with at least 400 passing yards has the program off to its best start since 1997, when it began 8-0.
North Carolina is the second highest-ranked ACC team on ESPN’s list behind only Florida State at No. 3. Louisville, Duke and Miami also made the cut this week.
The Tar Heels will have another big test this upcoming weekend as they host Miami.