It's not that UNC beat Notre Dame, a team that won three games in 2007, it's that the Heels did so without Brandon Tate, their best player.

So they're 5-1 -- and were without quarterback T.J. Yates for three of those wins and without Tate for one.

Oh, and one apology to the Heels: We all should have been writing that Clemson was lucky to avoid UNC this season, not vice versa.

FLORIDA

The grand mystery of what's wrong with Florida State and Miami can be solved with two words: "Urban" and "Meyer."

Like Ricky Ross, Meyer's the biggest boss. Saturday's destruction of LSU, a 30-point win over the defending national champion, was just the latest example of how Meyer owns the state, and possibly the other 49.

ECU

The season is aging poorly for the Pirates, like Shannen Doherty in high definition poorly.

After beating Virginia Tech and West Virginia, the Pirates have posted consecutive losses to N.C. State, Houston and Virginia (really?).

The good news, ECU Fan, is that coach Skip Holtz isn't going anywhere.

The bad news is neither is your football team, at least not in 2008.

CLEMSON

Take it from someone who covered Duke for three seasons -- Clemson's offensive line is as bad as any unit the Blue Devils fielded from 2003 to 2005.

And it's tough to outcoach anyone when you can't perform the most fundamental of functions in the game.

That's not to absolve Tommy Bowden. Whose fault is it that the line is that bad?

SEE YOU IN CHARLOTTE?

If Wake Forest and UNC don't meet in the ACC championship game in Tampa, Fla., Late Hits has another brilliant suggestion: Put the Deacons and Heels together in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte.

The Big East would have to cooperate, i.e. not have enough teams qualify for a bowl or be willing to swap a Charlotte trip for the ACC's spot in the Emerald Bowl.

Tell me a UNC-Wake bowl game wouldn't be gold (and black and blue)?

Given Charlotte's marriage to the banking industry and its tenuous footing in the economy, the game might single-handedly save the city.

All Late Hits asks for in return is a logo on the 50-yard line and that Wake and UNC actually play in the conference in 2009.

COACHSPEAK-TO-ENGLISH TRANSLATION

"We tried everything."

-- Clemson coach Tommy Bowden after the Tigers' 12-7 loss to Wake Forest, which featured just 21 rushing yards by Clemson's offense

TRANSLATION: We tried everything, except teaching anyone how to block.

Get $150+ in coupons in every Sunday N&O. Click here for convenient home delivery.