UNC or USC

[yosef13]

"The Carolina sweep! The boys from Boone do it again"

[mbnc]

Both were important. But if I have to pick one, I'm saying UNC was the bigger win. They patted us on the head, we punched them in the mouth. It was a more emotionally charged game and a much more gratifying win.

That being said, the South Carolina game does more for us on a national scale because they're SEC. Just look at the difference in votes between the Week 11 and Week 12 polls. It doesn't matter that they aren't in the conference's upper echelon in most years, or that this season has fallen apart at the seams for them. To the media, the fact that they breathe the same air as five of the CFP's top 11 teams is enough to lend this win some credibility. Personally, I saw this as the much tougher game in August. It still wasn't a walk in the park, but by the time gameday rolled around, I didn't think they were any better than UNC.

The media pitched both games as giants vs. giant killers, David vs. Goliath, yatta yatta yatta. I think most of us are sick of hearing it, but we needed both wins to make the case that it's become a lazy and tired narrative.

[EastHallApp]

The media pitched both games as giants vs. giant killers, David vs. Goliath, yatta yatta yatta. I think most of us are sick of hearing it, but we needed both wins to make the case that it's become a lazy and tired narrative.

This is really true. I feel like even when people are trying to be complimentary toward us, they'll say a lot of "this is a good team and a strong program," they'll list all the bowl wins and conference titles... but then they can't help adding "I mean, if [insert power conference team] plays up to their ability, they should win." I definitely heard that repeatedly from the radio guys for both UNC and South Carolina. And then of course you get the "I don't know that much about App State's program, but..." followed by a strongly held opinion about App State's program.

In the stadium, from SC fans, I heard "where in West Virginia is Appalachian State?" and "If you guys can keep hanging around until the fourth quarter..."

It's like no matter how many times we go blow-for-blow with these teams, they can't *quite* wrap their heads around it. It's always that they weren't focused, or they had too many injuries, or they just played a bad game, or the coach should be fired. It's very tough for them to acknowledge that App is just a good team - not a good *Sun Belt* team. Maybe even - gasp! - a better team than certain power conference flagship schools.

[Rick83]

For me, and I was at both the UNC and USC games, it felt way more special to sit in that SEC stadium Saturday night and to feel like we didn't just have a shot at winning, but that we "belonged" there. Chapel Hill just didn't have the same football culture so I would rate the USC win as the most special.
Also, remember that when we had the huge win against USC in '75, they were an independent and not in the SEC yet, so this was our first SEC win.

[NattyBumppo'sRevenge]

USC, because I will never pick UNC.

[fjblair]

Both were important. But if I have to pick one, I'm saying UNC was the bigger win. They patted us on the head, we punched them in the mouth. It was a more emotionally charged game and a much more gratifying win.

That being said, the South Carolina game does more for us on a national scale because they're SEC. Just look at the difference in votes between the Week 11 and Week 12 polls. It doesn't matter that they aren't in the conference's upper echelon in most years, or that this season has fallen apart at the seams for them. To the media, the fact that they breathe the same air as five of the CFP's top 11 teams is enough to lend this win some credibility. Personally, I saw this as the much tougher game in August. It still wasn't a walk in the park, but by the time gameday rolled around, I didn't think they were any better than UNC.

The media pitched both games as giants vs. giant killers, David vs. Goliath, yatta yatta yatta. I think most of us are sick of hearing it, but we needed both wins to make the case that it's become a lazy and tired narrative.

My sentiments exactly. From the outside looking in the SC probably carries more weight nationally, but the dynamic from an in=state perspective the UNC win was bigger.

[JMappfan5]

Being in Chapel Hill and watching us fulfill a lifelong dream (started at APP in '75) by beating the Heels was AWESOME, but being back in SC and beating them again was more memorable for me!

[appchicago]

I was curious about which game might carry more weight for our players, so I checked out our roster to see where our players are from. I was actually surprised by the details.
NC: 58 players
Florida: 21 players
Georgia: 17 players
SC: 10 players
Alabama: 4 players
Tennessee: 3 players
Other states (VA, NJ, AZ, CA, IL, KS... and Australia): 1 player each

So despite heavy regional recruiting, we are still far and away an NC team. And I knew we had a lot of Georgia and Florida players, but I didn't realize they outnumbered SC, and especially didn't realize that Florida was our #2 feeder state.

All of that is to say that UNC likely carried a little more weight for our players, personally, though I am positive that winning in a big SEC stadium like Williams Brice was a cool experience for all of them.

['75App]

Pretty sure the Clemson Tigers have beaten the Gamecocks and Tar Heels in the same season on numerous occasions!!

GO APPS!