If preseason prognostications can be believed, North Carolina’s seven FBS football teams could be on the outside looking in at the top 25 this season.
NC Football News surveyed five media outlets that rank all 133 FBS teams – Phil Steele, Lindy’s Sports, Athlon Sports, CBS Sports and College Football News – and only NC State and North Carolina received any consideration for the top 25.
College Football News lists the Wolfpack at No. 21 in its “2023 College Football Rankings 1 to 133 Offseason First Look,” published in early May. Phil Steele puts the Tar Heels at No. 22 in his Power Poll Top 133, while Athlon Sports has UNC at No. 25.
North Carolina has the best overall composite ranking, 26.4, when averaging all five of the rankings lists. Duke’s composite score is 32.6, while State is third at 33.8. Charlotte is the lowest at 125.2. The FBS grows by two teams this season to 133 with the addition of Sam Houston State and Jacksonville State.
Duke is considered the best team in the state of North Carolina by CBS Sports – whose rankings were updated June 19 – coming in at No. 26. UNC follows at 27, NCSU 28 and Wake Forest 33.
There wasn’t much consensus among the preseason pickers with regards to Wake, East Carolina and Appalachian State.
CBS Sports is high on the 2023 Demon Deacons (33rd), while Phil Steele lists the Deacs at 67th. ECU is listed as the 48th best team by Lindy’s but is only 105th in CBS Sports’ rankings. Appalachian ranges from 62 to 98.
Charlotte, who will debut in the American Athletic Conference this season under new coach Biff Poggi, is ranked between 119 and 128 by the five outlets.
Five of North Carolina’s FBS teams made bowl games a year ago. UNC and Duke captured nine victories apiece, while NC State, Wake and ECU were each eight-game winners. App State (6-6) upset Texas A&M in College Station and nearly beat UNC before falling 63-61 in a wild early September game in Boone. Charlotte was 3-9.
