Maryland

ESPN gets the rare Carolina football article in just under the wire - a loss today against Maryland and a bowl becomes a longshot, while a win puts only a Duke team between the Heels and six wins. It's a Bunting era synopsis, with a little too much emphasis on six wins as "progress" and a host of embarassing stats on the team post-Brown.

Oh, and they rub a little more salt in Jarwarski Pollock's wounds.

Maryland's recent owning of the boys in blue with a pair of 59 point performances is a bit unsettling. Part of it is the fluke of not facing them since their 10+ win seasons - after all, last year the Terrapins put up a combined 56 points against their non-Durham ACC foes. They played Florida State close in their last game two weeks ago, although that feat would be a little more impressive in years past. Their offense is well within UNC's ability to stymie, and the defense isn't overly fearful.

So why aren't I confident about a Carolina win?

The week's rest bothers me. So does the crunch of bowl eligibility both teams are facing. The extensive comparison to last year's late-qualifying UNC team makes bowl eligibility seem an easier reach than it actually is, which is never the mentality you want a team entering the game with. It's just too easy for UNC to stumble at this juncture.

Maryland 13, UNC 9