What are some of the more interesting storylines heading into Saturday's season-opening contest between North Carolina and James Madison? Take a look at some of the facts and figures surrounding UNC's first-ever meeting with the Dukes on the gridiron.

UNC-JMU Facts and Figures

---Saturday's contest between the Tar Heels and Dukes will be the first-ever meeting in football between the two programs. JMU is the third school from the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division 1-AA) in four years to come to Chapel Hill and play the Tar Heels (William and Mary in 2004, Furman in 2006). James Madison is approximately 215 miles north of Chapel Hill.

---This is James Madison's 36th year of football, its 29th year as a "scholarship" football program, and its 28th season in what was formerly known as Division 1-AA, now the Football Championship Subdivision. This will be JMU's fifth all-time game against an ACC opponent. The Dukes lost 79-9 at Virginia in 1979, their first season with scholarships, and then beat the Cavaliers in Charlottesville in 1982, 21-17. The Dukes were beaten by UVA, 21-14, in 1983, and they also were beaten at Maryland in the 1998 season opener, 23-15. JMU has played Virginia Tech six different times over the years, but all before the Hokies became a member of the ACC.

---Since the 1998 season, North Carolina has won just two season openers; a 30-9 triumph over Tulsa in 2000, and a 49-38 win over William and Mary in 2004. Over that period, the Tar Heels lost to Virginia (1999), Oklahoma (2001), Florida State (2003), Georgia Tech (2005), Rutgers (2006), and twice to Miami (OH) (1998 and 2002).

---James Madison and the other 11 former members of the Atlantic 10 football conference are competing in the Colonial Athletic Conference for the first time during the 2007 season. The CAA assumed operational control of the conference during the offseason between the 2006 and 2007 seasons. The CAA was formed as a basketball conference in 1985, and this is its first season of sponsoring football as a league sport.

---North Carolina is opening a season with a new starting quarterback for the fourth consecutive year. The Tar Heels started Darian Durant in 2004, Matt Baker in 2005, Joe Dailey in 2006, and now T.J. Yates in 2007. Durant and Baker were both seniors; Dailey was a junior, and Yates is a redshirt freshman.

---Rodney Landers is the only JMU quarterback with any playing experience heading into this season. Playing in a total of 16 contests over the 2005 and 2006 seasons, all in a backup role, Landers completed nine-of-13 passes (69.2 completion percentage) for 82 yards and one touchdown. He added a total of 49 carries (25 in 2005, 24 in 2006) for a total of 434 yards (8.8 yards per carry) and three touchdowns. Landers' longest plays as a collegiate player include an 84-yard run during the 2005 season, and a 45-yard carry during the 2006 season.

---When North Carolina runs its first rushing play of the 2007 season, there is a realistic chance that the ball will be touched only by natives of Marietta, GA. The Tar Heels have a starting center (Scott Lenahan) and quarterback (T.J. Yates) who are both from Marietta, and Richie Rich, a sophomore who has been competing for the starting job at tailback throughout training camp, is also from the Atlanta suburb. Interestingly, although the three are all from the same hometown, they all went to different high schools and never played against each other at the prep level.

---In James Madison's 15 all-time games against Division 1-A opponents, the Dukes have produced a 3-12 record. JMU defeated Navy twice (1989 and 1990) and Virginia (1982). Six of the 15 Division 1-A contests have been in season openers; 1988 (Navy), 1991, 1992, and 1999 (Virginia Tech), 1997 (Ball State), and 1998 (Maryland). The last time the Dukes played a Division 1-A opponent was in 2004, the year they won the then-Division 1-AA national championship. JMU was trounced by West Virginia, 45-10, in their third game that season.

---Head coach Butch Davis has slightly altered the North Carolina's uniforms for the 2007 season. The Tar Heels now have a blue stripe on their white "home" pants, which starts wide at the waistband and narrows to a point just above the knee. Davis has been in contact with officials at Nike to discuss additional uniform changes for the 2008 season and beyond.

---James Madison is widely regarded as one of the premiere programs in the Football Championship Subdivision heading into the 2007 season. Seven different media outlets have the Dukes ranked among the top eight teams in the country in their classification, including College Sporting News (No. 6), Phil Steele (No. 7), FCS Coaches Poll (No. 7), The Sports Network (No. 8), Athlon (No. 8), AGS (Any Given Saturday) (No. 8), and the Sports Media Entertainment Network (No. 8). Lindy's has JMU ranked No. 16, while Street and Smith's has the Dukes ranked No. 19.

---The Tar Heels will likely have as many as 12 first-time starters in the game on Saturday. They include Kyle Jolly (left tackle), Aaron Stahl or Bryon Bishop (left guard), Richard Quinn (tight end), Ryan Taylor or Zack Pianalto (H-back), Richie Rich, Johnny White, or Anthony Elzy (tailback), T.J. Yates (quarterback), Tavares Brown (defensive tackle), E.J. Wilson or Darrius Massenburg (defensive end), Wesley Flagg (linebacker), Kendrick Williams (cornerback), Kendric Burney (cornerback), and Deunta Williams (safety).

---Two James Madison linebackers; Sean Price and Jonas Rawlins, are on the Dukes roster even though they were not included in the team's preseason promotional literature. Both were true freshmen in 2006. Rawlins saw action in six games, producing four tackles, while Price, who spent the season practicing at tailback, redshirted. He was moved to linebacker during the early part of JMU's training camp earlier this month.

---Approximately half of North Carolina's roster (42 scholarship players) are either true or redshirt freshmen. Davis expects the Tar Heels to play as many as 10-12 true freshmen this season, including Zack Pianalto, Bruce Carter, Marvin Austin, Greg Little, Ryan Houston, Matt Merletti, Da-Norris Searcy, and others. While most will likely get the brunt of their experience on special teams, several of the above players are in the team's two-deep offensive or defensive rotation.

---JMU tailback Eugele Holloman recorded six 100-yard rushing games last season, on his way to a 1,000-yard season and first-team All-Atlantic 10 honors. Some of his best performances included a 171-yard effort against Delaware in November, a 142-yard effort against Rhode Island in October, and a 137-yard performance against Northeastern in September.

---Heading into this year's season opener, the Tar Heels have just one player (Richie Rich) who has taken a carry at tailback. The team's three leading rushers in 2006 were a pair of quarterbacks (Joe Dailey and Cameron Sexton) and, interestingly enough, place kicker Connor Barth. With five carries for 11 yards, sophomore Bobby Rome is the team's most productive returning running back, although he played fullback, not tailback. Rome is projected to start at fullback again for the Tar Heels in 2007.

---The Tar Heels have been using interesting tactics in practice in recent days to prepare for James Madison's two biggest offensive weapons; running back Eugene Holloman, and wide receiver L.C. Baker. Many of the Tar Heel scout team players have been wearing the No. 14 jersey in practice to emulate Holloman, while others have been wearing the No. 3 jersey to emulate Baker.

---Heading into the JMU contest, Kyndraus Guy has the most career starts on the UNC roster, with 20. Joe Dailey is next on the list with 18 career starts, although 11 of those came during his time at Nebraska. Senior Durell Mapp is next on the list with 14 career starts, while Hilee Taylor and Calvin Darity are tied with 12 starts apiece. Other Tar Heels with at least 10 career starts heading into Saturday's game include Scott Lenahan (11), Kentwan Balmer (11), Quinton Person (11), and Hakeem Nicks (10).