Outlook: Butch Davis was hired to revive a program that had become irrelevant in the ACC. In only their second season under Davis, who went 51-20 as the Miami Hurricanes' coach, the Tar Heels appear capable of challenging for the Coastal Division title. But they're still inexperienced. Of Carolina's returning starters, seven are sophomores.

Coach: Butch Davis (4-8 in one season at UNC; 55-28 overall)

2007: 3-5 in ACC (fourth in Coastal), 4-8 overall

Players to watch: T.J. Yates, So. QB, Brandon Tate, Sr. WR, Hakeem Nicks, Jr. WR, Marvin Austin, So., DT, Quan Sturdivant, So. LB, Deunta Williams, So. S.

All eyes on: UNC's corps of receivers, led by Tate, Nicks and senior Brooks Foster, is the ACC's best. Among them, they caught 128 passes for 1,854 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.

Big game: Sept. 20, Virginia Tech. The Heels can't ask for a better opportunity to let the ACC know they deserve to be taken seriously again. Kenan Stadium isn't considered an intimidating venue for visiting teams, but it will be rocking for this one.

Quotable: "There's an awful lot of buzz and excitement about the program." -- Davis Key stat: Of UNC's eight defeats in 2007, six were by seven points or fewer, including two-point losses to Virginia and Georgia Tech.

The bottom line: Second in the Coastal. The games against the ACC's Virginia teams will go a long way in deciding UNC's fate. The Heels host Coastal favorite Virginia Tech and visit U.Va., where they haven't won since 1981.

Date Opponent Time
Aug. 30 McNeese State 6 p.m.
Sept. 11 at Rutgers 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 Virginia Tech TBA
Sept. 27 at Miami (Fla.) TBA
Oct. 4 Connecticut TBA
Oct. 11 Notre Dame TBA
Oct. 18 at Virginia TBA
Oct. 25 Boston College TBA
Nov. 8 Georgia Tech TBA
Nov. 15 at Maryland TBA
Nov. 22 N.C. State TBA
Nov. 29 at Duke TBA