BY BRIANA GORMAN

bgorman@heraldsun.com; 419-6668

CHAPEL HILL -- Earlier in the week, North Carolina coach Butch Davis likened Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder to Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre.

While Ponder doesn't have the Super Bowl rings or MVP trophies that Favre has, Davis said the Seminoles' junior has the accuracy and mobility to make plays on the run, much like the NFL star.

And when the Seminoles visit the Tar Heels tonight for the first-ever Thursday night game in Chapel Hill (8 p.m., ESPN), the biggest task for UNC's defense will be shutting down the ACC's top passer.

"The thing that you see with him is that he's just as dangerous when he gets out of the pocket and his ability to make big plays," Davis said. "You've got to stay in coverage. You've got to stay plastered to the guys [downfield], because if you lose your guy in coverage, and all of sudden [Ponder's] scrambling around, he can find them deep down the field."

Ponder leads the ACC with 296.8 passing yards per game and also is the third-leading rusher for the Seminoles (2-4, 0-3 ACC). He has thrown nine touchdown passes this season and just one interception. His favorite targets are Bert Reed and Richard Goodman, who are averaging 60.7 and 59.2 yards per game, respectively.

But against UNC (4-2, 0-2), Ponder will also be going against the ACC's top defense and the third-ranked defense in the country.

"He's very accurate throwing the football, and he's got an awful lot of poise," Davis said. "He plays with a real presence out there that he clearly knows what he wants to try to do."

Junior cornerback Kendric Burney said Ponder will be the best quarterback the Tar Heels have faced since beating Jimmy Clausen and Notre Dame a year ago. Clausen currently is ranked second in the nation in pass efficiency. Davis also said Ponder is the best quarterback the Tar Heels will have faced this season.

"[He's] just able to throw the ball wherever he wants and put it, in spots that no other quarterback can put it in," Burney said. "We definitely know, in the secondary, that we've got our work cut out for us."

But even though Ponder has been able to put up impressive numbers this season, his team enters tonight's game on a three-game losing streak and winless in three ACC games. Most of the problems are on the other side of the ball, as the Seminoles are ranked last in the ACC in total defense (426.7 ypg), last in rush defense (172.8 ypg) and last in passing defense (253.8 ypg).

"Defensively, they've caught some criticism, but the biggest culprit that we see defensively is that they've, unfortunately like a lot of teams, given up some big plays at bad times," Davis said.

The Tar Heels' offense, which also has caught some criticism, is hoping a rout of Georgia Southern and a bye week helped them regroup and regain some confidence. While FSU is ranked first in the conference in total offense (426 ypg), UNC is ranked last (282.2 ypg).

And as the ACC's best offense prepares to face the best defense and the ACC's worst offense prepares for the worst defense, FSU coach Bobby Bowden said he was anxious to see how it would all play out tonight.

"They're defense is number one in the league -- they are good," Bowden said. "When you go out there, you better execute, you better protect your passer because they'll eat you up. ...

"They're good, but we think we are, too."