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The last time Florida State's Christian Ponder and North Carolina's T.J. Yates were together was at the Atlantic Coast Conference's annual kickoff festivities in July, when Ponder was the runaway preseason pick for ACC player of the year honors.
When the fifth-year quarterbacks hook up again Saturday, it's Yates who has put together a season that may be worthy of all-conference honors.
''It's a couple of guys who have been around a long while and hopefully there will be some good quarterback play on both sides,'' Yates said.
Yates has calmly guided the Tar Heels (5-3, 2-2 ACC) to a winning record in the face of a horde of off-field distractions. Ponder is striving to salvage a disappointing year with a strong stretch drive that gets the 24th-ranked Seminoles into the ACC title game next month.
Florida State (6-2, 4-1 ACC) starts a difficult three-game stretch in league play Saturday against the Tar Heels, needing a win to keep pace with North Carolina State and Maryland in the hunt for the Atlantic Division title and a place in the league's championship game next month.
It's their first game since a stinging 28-24 loss at North Carolina State that left the Seminoles needing help to win the division.
''Athletes are wired differently because we deal with failure and have to fix failure,'' Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said. ''We never want it to happen again. We never want to feel those feelings again.''
Fisher was so exasperated earlier in the week that he called out his wide receivers to start making some plays to help Ponder.
Yates, meanwhile, is enjoying a superb final season, passing for 1,873 yards and 12 TDs with only four interceptions. He's second in the ACC in passing efficiency, and his career numbers of 7,832 yards and 51 TDs are within range of finishing in the ACC's top 10 in both categories.
Ponder isn't far behind in career numbers, but injuries and an inconsistent receiving corps have resulted in a big drop-off from a year ago. Ponder scorched the Tar Heels in 2009, throwing for 395 yards and three touchdowns to lead Florida State to a 30-27 come-from-behind win. Yates threw for only 64 yards and was intercepted once in that game.
But the North Carolina quarterback is a better player this season, and Florida State linebacker Nigel Bradham isn't surprised.
''He's reading the defenses a lot better,'' Bradham said. ''He's not really trying to force anything.''
Senior linebacker Kendall Smith, the Seminoles' leading tackler, chalks it up to maturity.
''It comes with the role of him becoming a leader on offense,'' Smith said.
Despite not having big numbers this season, Ponder creates plenty of worry for North Carolina coach Butch Davis.
''The thing that probably makes him the most dangerous is his ability to keep plays alive,'' Davis said. ''His ability to move around in the pocket.''
Ponder's maneuverability could come in handy Saturday because Florida State's offensive line will be going with a third different player at right guard this season.
Rhonne Sanderson takes over for Bryan Stork, who is out for a few weeks with mononucleosis. Stork replaced starter David Spurlock, who has been unable to pay since suffering a second concussion this season.
