PEMBROKE — While some football teams spend the bye week re-evaluating starters and regrouping from previous losses, the Braves are enjoying The University of North Carolina at Pembroke's fall break with a 6-1 record and a No. 17 national ranking.

UNCP continued to steamroll the competition last weekend with a 38-7 waxing of Fairmont State in West Virginia and the win impressed voters enough to move the Braves up eight spots to No. 17 in the most recent American Football Coaches Association Division II poll. Head coach Pete Shinnick says the bye week gives his team a chance to recover from nagging injuries and take a short break.

"We've got three or four linebackers and two offensive linemen with banged-up ankles," Shinnick said. "Not playing is never any fun, but this couldn't have came at a better time for us."

Since a Sept. 19 loss to No. 25 Carson-Newman, the Braves have dominated defensively. In its last three games, all 25-plus point wins‚ UNCP has allowed 201 yards per game and a paltry 4.3 points per contest. For the season, the Braves are allowing 258.9 yards per game, good for eighth nationally. Against Fairmont State, the defense registered a pair of goal-line stands and didn't allow an offensive touchdown.

"The defense has played well all season," Shinnick said. "Sometimes it takes a game like the one against Carson-Newman for guys to realize and understand that they can still get better."

A primary focus during this week's practices has been special teams play. Shinnick said the Braves need to keep improving in kickoff coverage and kickoff return, but he was impressed by his team's lack of punts through seven games.

"We actually have more kickoffs (42) than punts (23) this season," Shinnick said.

The spread offense continues to gives opposing defenses problems, as the Braves have ran off 43, 30 and 38 points in their last three outings. The offense is most noticeably impressive in the first and fourth quarters, outscoring opponents 125-31.

After throwing a career-high two interceptions against Lane Sept. 29, quarterback Cory Smith has completed 41-of-56 passes for 367 yards and four touchdowns in the last two games and ranks 35th in the country in pass efficiency.

"Moving the ball consistently has been key for us," Shinnick said. "We are scoring 50 points a game but we are holding the ball a long time. Long drives create a nice atmosphere for us. Our offense is holding the ball almost 35 minutes a game."

The Braves have three road games remaining before a possible playoff berth in November.

Next Saturday, UNCP travels to Concord (4-3), then faces Frostburg State (0-6) and finishes against North Greenville (1-6).