Week 11: Ranking the Carolinas

1. North Carolina

Record: 7-2 Last week: Won vs. Georgia Tech, 28-7

UNC defeated its second-ranked opponent of the season last weekend-No. 19 Georgia Tech-and now finds itself ranked No. 17 and has secured its first winning season in seven years. It was supposed to take Butch Davis some time to turn this thing around, but look at what he has done in only his second year with the program. Against Georgia Tech, UNC forced three turnovers and scored three touchdowns in the final quarter-but the most important stat was T.J. Yates completing his first pass since going down with an injury almost two months ago. Watch out Cam Sexton, there was a reason why you were Yates' backup before the injury.

2. South Carolina

Record: 7-3 Last week: Won vs. Arkansas, 34-21

The only reason why the Gamecocks aren't ranked ahead of UNC is because they lack a win against a ranked opponent. USC has played a much tougher schedule and has certainly lost to better teams-Georgia, LSU, Vanderbilt-but USC's best win is at Ole Miss. All of that can change this weekend when USC heads to Gainesville to play third-ranked Florida. The Gamecocks, winners of six of their last seven games, are starving for a win over a ranked team. They have the defense to do it, but UF is clearly playing like the best team in the nation right now and will be tough to beat at home.

3. Wake Forest

Record: 6-3 Last week: Won vs. Virginia, 28-17

Wake Forest has suddenly salvaged its season with two-straight quality wins. Coming off an overtime win against Duke, Wake beat Virginia last week-vaulting itself back to the top of the ACC standings. The Deacons are tied with Florida State atop the Atlantic Division, but Wake's win in Tallahassee earlier this season gives it the tiebreaker advantage over FSU. Donning gold jerseys, Wake seized conference supremacy last week by forcing four turnovers and holding UVA to 28 rushing yards. With three very winnable games left to play, Wake has an inside track to the ACC title game.

4. N.C. State

Record: 3-6 Last week: Won vs. Duke, 27-17

You might be wondering how a team with three wins can be ranked this high. The answer is simple: One of N.C. State's wins was against ECU, which was ranked No. 14 at the time, and the other was against Duke last week. The Wolfpack has beaten both of the teams that could make a claim for the fourth spot in these rankings. One thing is for sure, however, the Wolfpack will not be ranked No. 4 next week, or the week after that. N.C. State plays Wake Forest this week and UNC next week, so we will definitely find out if last week was simply N.C. State's Super Bowl or if it really is a good team with Russell Wilson fully healthy.

5. ECU

Record: 6-3 Last week: Won vs. Marshall, 19-16

The Pirates won a very important game last week, beating Conference USA rival Marshall at home. ECU now appears to be a shoe-in for representing the East in the C-USA championship game and going to a bowl game for the third year in a row. The next two games-at Southern Miss and at UAB-will be hard to win, however, as these road trips have haunted ECU in the past. With the win over Marshall, ECU now controls its destiny for the C-USA championship game. The Pirates couldn't handle that situation in each of the past two years, but it will be hard for that to happen again-even with the upcoming road trips.

This writer can be contacted at sports@theeastcarolinian.com.