College Football Preseason Top 25: No. 21 North Carolina Tar Heels

The One Great Season College Football Countdown continues Friday. We'll be counting down the preseason Top 25 teams in 2010. Today's article features No. 21 North Carolina.

Continuity. Consistency. Experience. Whatever you want to call it, North Carolina's got it in 2010.

At least on defense.

That's where six NFL-ready players return from a stellar unit that was among the nation's best in 2009. A total of nine defensive starters return and are expected to dominate the ACC and again be one of the finest in the country.

But there are questions about the offense, particularly quarterback T.J. Yates. He'll be starting for the fourth season, but it's still possible you might not have heard of him because of other big-name quarterbacks in the ACC. Also, Yates just hasn't developed the way fourth-year coach Butch Davis expected.

Helping Yates's cause in 2010 will be future NFL wideout Greg Little on the edge. But the running game will need a solid season in 2010 if the Heels are going to improve their average of just 20 points per game against FBS teams. With seniors Shaun Draughn and Ryan Houston leading the way, UNC should get that done.

Who's back? QB T.J. Yates, WR Greg Little, too many defensive studs to name

Who's gone? No one of note. The Heels return a total of 19 starters.

Why they'll win: UNC's offense will make the leap and finally reach its potential.

Why they'll lose: Yates will continue to make mistakes and the Heels will again be too reliant on the defense.

Get your tickets: vs. LSU (at Atlanta, Sept. 4), vs. Georgia Tech (Sept. 18), at Miami (Oct. 23)

Prediction: 8-4 (5-3, fourth place ACC Coastal)