If Larry Fedora is heading into this weekend coaching for his job, then Dave Doeren certainly can relate, having been in pretty much the same position two years ago. The similarities between their situations end there. NC State’s win in this game two years back put State into a bowl game, and there was an easy argument to be made that better results lay ahead.
North Carolina is simply looking to salvage a three-win season, which would make it back-to-back three-win years for the program. It’s difficult to find any program momentum under the circumstances, and the Tar Heels rank 94th in S&P+ for the second consecutive season.