UNC Has Clear Advantage Entering Louisville Showdown This Week

The North Carolina Tar Heels were able to grab a big win this past weekend, taking down the UConn Huskies in the process.

North Carolina is now 5-4 on the year, with the team being just one win away from becoming bowl eligible. With head coach Bill Belichick in his second season with the program, this would be a massive improvement from where the team was a year ago.

Last season, the Tar Heels finished the year 4-8, so the program has already grabbed one more win with a few more games to go. But the Tar Heels aren't satisfied with how the season has gone so far, and the players want to keep adding wins.

This week, North Carolina will be taking on the Louisville Cardinals, giving them another chance to earn a win in ACC play. Louisville will be looking for its fifth straight win in the game, with the Tar Heels trying to shut things down for them.

Entering the game, there are a few areas where North Carolina has a clear advantage over Louisville, with one being how disciplined the Tar Heels are. The Tar Heels have only had 40 penalties called against them, compared to the 64 that Louisville has seen take place.

North Carolina has the ninth-fewest in the entire country this season, showing some steady discipline under Belichick. As the team tries to end the year on a high note, this could bode well for them, giving them an edge over a lot of opposing squads.

As the Tar Heels prepare for the game against the Cardinals, the offense is going to have to carry them again. Quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. has looked great over the last few weeks, giving this team a real spark.

Last week against UConn, Edwards threw for 255 yards with three touchdowns and one interception to help his team get the win. Edwards has been pushing the ball down the field more of late, leading to a lot more scoring chances for this North Carolina offense.

If Edwards can put together another strong showing against Louisville, the Tar Heels should be able to do enough to get the win. North Carolina has started to play better lately, even with the losses, and it has allowed this team to play much more freely.

Kickoff for the game between North Carolina and Louisville is set for 4:00 p.m. PT/7:00 p.m. ET.