Aug. 31, 2001

How did you read the tea leaves on Carolina's early season football schedule when you first got your hands on it?

Did you think The Great Buntino was crazy for scheduling OU? Did you say, "Woooo boy, two bookend road games against both Oklahoma and Texas! Look at those babies! Man, if we could just win one of those.....etc., etc, etc."

Or did the Maryland game, that innocent looking little road trip on September 1st, jump out at you as the most significant of those first three road games?

Even though the University of Maryland barely registers on the Panache and Sex Appeal Meter of US Institutions of Higher Learning, this weekend's trip up there could, more than the Oklahoma and Texas games combined, foretell what kind of season is in store for the Tar Heels.

This is the game that determines whether the Oklahoma trip was well-scheduled. Coach Bunting, knowing how important the Maryland game is, wanted a dress rehearsal before his ACC opener. "I expect to see significant improvement Saturday," he said at his Tuesday press conference. "If we don't, the Oklahoma game will have been a waste of time."

This is the game that will determine in what frame of mind the Heels go to Austin next week. Defeat Maryland decisively and you never know, Texas might look pretty beatable to the Tar Heels. A loss and, well, you know the rest of this sentence.

All eyes will be on the Carolina quarterback(s). Naturally the Maryland defense is not as talented as what OU and Texas play with and it might be a good unit for Ronald Curry to get well against. If Ronald is sharp, rights the ship and engineers a victory, as the coaching staff completely expects him to do, then all is back as it should be on the Hill again. If not and if Darian Durant does move the chains, stay tuned for the next thrilling episode of that signal calling soap opera, "As The Offense Turns."

John Bunting returns home, and faces an old nemisis. Coach Bunting grew up on Blick Drive in Silver Spring, Maryland and was recruited heavily by the Terps before deciding to attend Chapel Hill. He also coached against new Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen in the NFL when Bunting was with the Chiefs and Friedgen was with the Chargers. Bunting will let his players know how special this game is to him personally and the Tar Heels figure to be emotionally charged when they take the field. Friedgen, like Bunting, is back at his alma mater and will also have his boys fired up.

The Texas trip next week will be fun and a free shot on a national stage, but this Saturday against Maryland is serious business and a crucial game for the Tar Heels.

So, as the UNC Sports Marketing department says, "Get Your Game Face On" and tune us in on the Tar Heel Sports Network.

The pregame show starts at 11 am.