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--> --> F irst-year North Carolina coach John Bunting watches his team stretch. AP Sooners set to open national title defense against Tar Heels By The Associated Press John Bunting ha s a most unenviable task in his coaching debut at North Carolina - trying to beat defending national champion Oklahoma. Making matters worse, the game is in Norman where the SoonerNation will gather 76,000 strong to honor their heroes Saturday night. Bunting, a former Tar Heels linebacker, welcomes the challenge. "It helps you grow up faster," he said. "These guys have got to find out what it's like to play against No. 1. We asked for that extra game to help us learn how to compete at the highest level." The No. 3 Sooners, favored by more than three touchdowns in the Hispanic Fund Classic, return 12 starters and both kickers from last year's 13-0 team. And even though quarterback Nate Hybl is making his first start since his senior year in high school in 1997, coach Bob Stoops is certain there won't be much drop-off from Heisman runner-up Josh Heupel. "Going in, we believe we've got a chance to be better," Stoops said. "And we're hoping we will be." In other Saturday games, it's TCU at No. 4 Nebraska, Virginia at No. 22 Wisconsin and Tulane at BYU. On Sunday, it's Syracuse vs. No. 10 Georgia Tech at East Rutherford, N.J., and Fresno State at Colorado. New Mexico State played Louisville on Thursday night. While Hybl is making his debut - "I think juiced is a good word," he said in describing his emotions - North Carolina's Ronald Curry begins the final season of his so-far-disappointing career. "I wanted to come here and win a national championship, put up big numbers," Curry said. The football/basketball star came to North Carolina in 1998 as the most highly recruited quarterback in the nation. The Heels are 16-18 in his three seasons, Curry is 8-12 as a starter with 20 TD passes and 29 interceptions. He'll get his chance to excel this season. "I'm talking about sprinting him out, I'm talking about bootlegging him, working on some specialized quarterback runs," Bunting said. "I don't think we need to utilize him as a straight drop-back quarterback like they've done here." Look for OU, led by All-American linebacker Rocky Calmus, to blitz early and often. "They are going to come after us," Tar Heels center Adam Metts said. "We've got to be ready to pick it up and show them we're able to play." Hybl, a junior who transferred from Georgia, is settling in nicely now that Stoops officially dubbed him the starter. "He's really digging in and becoming a leader that we thought he would be," offensive coordinator Mark Mangino said. He'll be wise to keep an eye out for defensive end Julius Peppers, who led the nation with 15 sacks last season. What can North Carolina hope for by adding a 12th game to a schedule that also includes September matchups against No. 5 Texas and No. 6 Florida State? "What I am looking for is a renewed spirit, a renewed ability to overcome obstacles, to overcome adversity, to keep playing for 60 minutes no matter what," Bunting said. "That is my No. 1 priority for this year. If you do that you learn how to win." At Nebraska, quarterback Eric Crouch is back for one final fling at a national title and perhaps even the Heisman Trophy. First, the Huskers must overcome a few player suspensions, including kicker Josh Brown, in their game against TCU. The Horned Frogs, meanwhile, not only have a new coach in Gary Patterson but have to replace All-American LaDainian Tomlinson, who ran for 2,158 yards last year. Three will try - Ricky Madison, Andrew Hayes-Stoker and Corey Connally. Patterson, looking for a big season from versatile quarterback Casey Printers, is realistic about playing the Huskers in the Pigskin Classic. "This is an opportunity game for us. We feel like any way you do it, it's a win-win situation for us in a lot of ways," he said. "We have a younger football team, there are no expectations." At Georgia Tech, there's talk of contending not only for the ACC title, but for the national title. "I see Sunday, 2 o'clock, Syracuse University," Tech coach George O'Leary said. "That's what I see." The Yellow Jackets return 17 starters from last year's 9-3 season. Quarterback George Godsey is back for an encore after passing for 2,906 yards and 23 TDs with only six interceptions. And he'll be throwing again to Kelly Campbell, who had 59 catches for 963 yards and 10 TDs. Syracuse, coming off a 6-5, non-bowl season, is expected to start Troy Nunes at quarterback after a four-way fight for the job. Email your... 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