North Carolina officials have long wanted to move the traditional season-ending football game between Duke and UNC to an earlier point on the schedule.

The Tar Heels preferred to have N.C. State as the regular-season finale so there would be more drama to the home stretch.

After Steve Spurrier left Durham in 1989, the Blue Devils became less and less a factor in ACC football, and Carolina became accustomed to (and blasé about) defeating Duke.

Mack Brown got UNC's program rolling in Chapel Hill during that period. Any intrigue surrounding the Duke-Carolina game evaporated. Even after Brown left for Texas, UNC continued to defeat Duke regularly.

But things gradually changed through the last 10 years. The once easy victory has become a trial for the Tar Heels.

Even the arrival of Butch Davis has not changed how hard Carolina now must work to earn its annual victory against the Blue Devils.

In 2006, Carolina blocked an extra-point to preserve a 45-44 victory in John Bunting's final game as Carolina's coach.

In 2007, poor place-kicking by Duke and a spectacular TD run in overtime by then-freshman Greg Little of Durham saved the day in Davis' first season at UNC..

A year ago, UNC senior safety Trimane Goddard intercepted a pass in the final seconds to kill a furious Duke rally in a 28-20 UNC win at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham.

UNC school officials got their wish this season to rearrange the schedule, and Carolina's game against Duke will open the month of November rather than finish it. At 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at Kenan Stadium, Carolina will play a Duke team that is nothing like the error-plagued units of the past.

The Blue Devils, a genuinely fine football team, will bring a better record (5-3, 3-1 in the ACC) to the game than do the host Tar Heels (5-3, 1-4).

Duke is riding a three-game conference winning streak with victories against N.C. State, Maryland and Virginia. UNC lost to all three of those schools the last time it played them.

Carolina wanted more drama for this series against Duke. Well, it's going to get it.

A loss to Duke would be the one that eventually could keep Carolina out of the post-season this year, while Duke would pack its bags for a long-awaited holiday trip to a bowl.

The Tar Heels will have to bring their best in preparation, attitude and execution to this game.

Duke coach David Cutcliffe is one of the better football coaches around, and the best to work at Duke since Spurrier.

Cutcliffe left the job as offensive coordinator at Tennessee after helping Phil Fulmer win the national title there and then led Mississippi to four bowl games in six seasons.

The man knows what he is doing.

The Carolina defense had better be ready to attack for all four quarters and consistently pressure Duke quarterback Thaddeus Lewis. Even then, there is no assurance of stopping him.

Lewis went 24-of-40 for 343 yards against Virginia, in spite of being sacked six times. He leads the ACC in passing (383 yards a game) and total offense (392 ypg).

To put this in starker contrast, Duke is No. 1 in the ACC in passing offense. Carolina is fourth in sacking the quarterback.

This game may be as much about attitude as it is about blocking and tackling.

UNC obviously has the physical talent to win this game, but those kids must not prepare to play with images of the old Duke in their minds.

These Blue Devils have a real football coach on their sideline, just as the Tar Heels do. So, Carolina must approach this game with the same respect and effort that it did last Thursday's huge upset at Virginia Tech.

Carolina's 20-17 come-back victory against the Hokies could propel UNC to the kind of season it wants - and needs - to finish strong in recruiting and to build for bigger and better things in the near future.

Of course, this capable Duke team can make same statement as it prepares for its traditional rival.

Carolina must build on everything it's done well in the last two weeks if it wants to win this game and keep the momentum rolling.

That will not be easy.