North Carolina Tar Heels

UNC Football: The Heels Continue to Climb in the AP Top 25

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The Tar Heels are quietly sneaking higher in the Associated Press top 25 following a 35-14 victory over the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday in Charlottesville.

Howbeit, it wasn’t as easy of a victory as the score might allude.

The North Carolina offense got passed a sluggish first 2 and a half quarters, in which they coughed up two fumbles, along with a once again solid October week of defense.

The Heels find themselves easing up the AP ranks, moving up to number 21 after the first eight weeks of the 2016-17 season.

They were without doubt more balanced as overall team in the second half.

This marks the second straight week the Heels the have been ranked, and with a week off to tweak, rest, and heal, the Heels will find themselves in the rankings once again next week.

The ACC now has 5 total teams in the top 25 for week nine,including Virginia Tech, who jumped back in the poll after thumping Hurricanes in Blacksburg, 37-16.

Meanwhile, in an Atlantic showdown, Louisville destroyed N.C. State, 54-13 Keeping their hopes alive in the conference race, and making their case for the most explosive team in college football.

Both Clemson and Florida State were idle, and looking forward to their battle in Tallahassee this coming Saturday night at 8pm.

Throughout the rest of the AP poll, there were only two teams that fell to a non-top 25 opponent:

Ohio State was upended by rival Penn State in a stunner, 24-21, along with number eleven Houston losing 31-16 to conference foe SMU.

There were also three meetings involving Top 25 teams:

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

1. Alabama 33

6. Texas A&M 14

17. Arkansas 3

21. Auburn 56

23. Ole MIss 21

25. LSU 38

Here is the AP top 25 for Week 9:

1. Alabama (8-0)

2. Michigan (7-0)

3. Clemson (7-0)

4. Washington (7-0)

5. Louisville (6-1)

6. Ohio State (6-1)

7. Nebraska (7-0)

8. Baylor (6-0)

9 . Texas A&M (6-1)

10. West Virginia (6-0)

11. Wisconsin (5-2)

12. Florida State (5-2)

13. Boise State (7-0)

14. Florida (5-1)

15. Auburn (5-2)

16. Oklahoma (5-2)

17. Utah (7-1)

18. Tennessee (5-2)

19. LSU (5-2)

20. Western Michigan (8-0)

21. North Carolina (6-2)

22. Navy (5-1)

23. Colorado (6-2)

24 . Penn State (5-2)

25. Virginia Tech (5-2)

UNC will host Georgia Tech November 5 at Kenan Stadium, where the Tar Heels will look erase the memory of the loss to Va Tech that ended a previous 8 game home winning streak.

The Coastal race is heading into the home stretch, and every game for North Carolina is critical.