Fast Facts

CONFERENCE: ACC
COACH: Butch Davis (3rd year)
2008 RECORD: 8--5 (4--4 in ACC)
FINAL AP RANK: NR
RETURNING STARTERS: 15
Offense 6, Defense 9

SCHEDULE

SEPTEMBER
5 The Citadel
12 at Connecticut
19 East Carolina
26 at Georgia Tech

OCTOBER
3 Virginia
10 Georgia Southern
22 Florida State
29 at Virginia Tech

NOVEMBER
7 Duke
14 Miami
21 at Boston College
28 at N.C. State

KEY GAME
On the road against one of the teams to beat in the Coastal Division, the Tar Heels' ACC opener should go a long way toward showing whether they are indeed capable of challenging for the division title or they're still a year away.

WORTH NOTING
North Carolina plays consecutive Thursday night games against Florida State and Virginia Tech—two teams against whom the Tar Heels are a combined 1--17 since the two joined the ACC in 1992 and 2004, respectively.