Wednesday links

With Virginia Tech's 28-23 loss to Georgia Tech a few days old, let's look to next Thursday's opponent, North Carolina. There are some links below.

ESPN.com has a midseason report on the Tar Heels to help bring you up to speed.

And for a glimpse at North Carolina, tune in Thursday when the Tar Heels take on Florida State. It will be the first time North Carolina has hosted a Thursday night game, and people in Chapel Hill are excited about it. Coach Butch Davis said the television exposure would be "a four-hour infomercial that you get a chance to talk about Chapel Hill, talk about the University of North Carolina."

But while it could be a nice advertisement for the university, a win will do even more to help the football program's presence. And one reason for optimism would be the Tar Heels' stingy defense, which ranks third nationally (237.67 yards per game). Florida State's offensive coordinator, Jimbo Fisher, said North Carolina's defense would be the toughest the Seminoles face all year.