Asheville roots music duo Zoe & Cloyd combines collective family musical legacies for a unique, blended experience on their latest album.

Photo by Nicholas Faulkner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images NC lawmakers seek to force Carolina to play NC State every year, and even App State, ECU, and UNC-Charlotte A curious bill has hit the floor of the North Carolina State Assembly. House Bill 965, titled “UNC Intrastate Athletic Competition” would require Carolina to play NC State in football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball at least once per season. Additionally, both UNC and NC State would be required to play one of East Carolina, App State, or UNC-Charlotte in said sports every season, and would have to play them home and away every six years. This would essentially force the Tar Heels to play one of these schools every season, and increase the number of true road non-conference games they schedule. There’s several layers of subtext here. The first is that this bill seems to be a hedge in case UNC and NC State end up in different conferences should the ACC implode. As a free agent, UNC would become a hot commodity between the B1G and SEC, while NC State seeks refuge in Conference-USA or something like that. North Carolina lawmakers don’t want the Tar Heel vs Wolfpack rivalry to disappear like Texas vs A&M did when the Aggies bolted for the SEC. Additionally, North Carolina lawmakers want sports tourism dollars to remain in North Carolina, preferring Tar Heels and Wolfpack alike to spend their hotel money in Boone and Greenville, rather than Berkley and Palo Alto. Lost in all of this hullabaloo is the preferences of UNC and NC State. These two schools already play their in-state rivals more than they probably care to, especially given how dangerous ECU and App State can be. While it may be kind and gracious to play their neighbors (especially away!), it can present a no-win situation. If UNC beats App State, it’s half-expected and doesn’t give the team a bump. If Carolina loses to the Mountaineers, they’ll be mocked from pillar to post. If Mack Brown, Hubert Davis, or Courtney Banghart wants to take the risk, so be it, but why have the state government legislate an important part of the non-conference schedule? The coaches know how strong their teams will be, and they’ll make the best choices for UNC’s non-conference schedule. Does that mean ECU gets the nod versus a cupcake? Who knows? But I don’t see how that’s for the NC State Assembly to decide? What do you think? Should UNC be required to play North Carolina public schools every year? Let us know in the comments.