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Heels Aren't Taking Western Carolina Lightly

UNC routed Western last season by 55 points, but the 1-8 Tar Heels are taking the Catamounts seriously.
UNC routed Western last season by 55 points, but the 1-8 Tar Heels are taking the Catamounts seriously. (THI)

CHAPEL HILL – Human nature suggests that North Carolina, in spite of its 1-8 record and six-game losing streak, will take Western Carolina lightly when the Catamounts visit Kenan Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Western is an FCS program mired in a seven-game losing streak in which it’s average losing score has been 45-29. At 3-7 overall, WCU opened the season with a narrow win over Division II Newberry College, a game the Catamounts had to come from behind in the fourth quarter to win.

More than that, other than WCU’s record, is the fact that the Tar Heels waxed Western 65-10 last fall in Chapel Hill. It was UNC’s third and final victory of the season, so the players remember it well, but they aren’t giving in to temptation.

“We can’t take this for granted,” UNC junior cornerback Patrice Rene said. “Western Carolina, it’s their last game of the year, they’re going to come in here the stadium’s going to be packed, they’re going to be juiced up. They have nothing to lose, we have nothing to lose. It’s going to be like their Super Bowl, so we’ve got to come to work, be focused, locked in and take it as any other game.”

Nathan Elliott started at quarterback for the Tar Heels in last year's matchup, passing for 240 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. It was UNC’s second win in a row and second in as many starts for Elliott, who has started all but one of UNC’s games this season.

Elliott had a big day versus WCU a year ago.
Elliott had a big day versus WCU a year ago. (THI)

He’s remained pretty even keeled this fall despite a roller coaster ride that has seen him at his lowest performing on the field in losses at California and at home to Georgia Tech, but also throw for 300 yards in a win over Pittsburgh and loss at now-No. 12 Syracuse.

Being measured and focused for an opponent won’t be a problem for Elliott, but might the less grizzled Tar Heels have a little more difficult taking the Catamounts seriously?

“Maybe some of the younger guys, but every week you see teams get beat by teams they shouldn’t get beat by, it’s college football,” Elliott said. “We’ve seen a lot of things happen this year – you can’t ever expect to win, you have to have that in the back of your head that you’re going to have to prepare like they’re any other team.”

Western, which is 1-6 in the Southern Conference, has also defeated Gardner-Webb 28-20 and VMI 52-50. Its losses have come against the likes of Furman by 8 points, Samford by 38 (allowed 66 points), Chattanooga by 20, Mercer by 13 (allowed 59), East Tennessee State in overtime and Wofford by 15.

But, WCU is the next team up, and as far as junior wide receiver Anthony Ratliff-Williams is concerned, that’s more than enough to have his attention.

“It’s respect for your opponent,” he said. “It’s every single team that you’re going to play. We’ve got scholarship athletes, they’ve got scholarship athletes… We prepare for them like we prepare for anyone else."

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