CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- North Carolina coach Larry Fedora spent the past two seasons saying it was time for his Tar Heels to compete for an Atlantic Coast Conference division title.Now that his Tar Heels have won one, the next step is winning an ACC championship and topping a season in which his team matched a program record for wins.You cant do it every once in a while, Fedora said of winning the Coastal Division and reaching the ACC title game. You need to be there. We need to get back in that game and play whoevers going to be in it. . We need to be there to keep progressing the way we want.High expectations follow an 11-win season that included an 8-0 run through the ACC behind a high-scoring offense that provided enough cover for a bend-but-dont-break defense. North Carolina (11-3) lost two shootouts to end the season, first against then-No. 1 Clemson in the ACC title game and against Baylor in the Russell Athletic Bowl.Along the way, the Tar Heels reached the top 10 for the first time since 1997.They enter this year as the preseason division favorite.We worked extremely hard last year and I think guys finally understand how that translates into success on the field, returning all-ACC tailback Elijah Hood said. Everyones trying to do a little bit more, trying to push themselves to be a little bit better. If everyone does that the team as a whole is just going to be better.Here are things to know about North Carolina for the 2016 season:BIG NUMBERSThe Tar Heels averaged school records of 40.7 points and 486.9 yards last year, highlighted by scoring 125 points combined against Miami and Duke in blowout division wins. The fast-paced attack has been the calling card for the Tar Heels first four seasons under Fedora, and the return of Hood along with receivers Ryan Switzer and Mack Hollins give new starting quarterback Mitch Trubisky plenty of weapons.I believe we have the talent to be better than our numbers said we were last year, Fedora said.TRENDING UPWARD?The defense went from record-setting bad in 2014 to adequate in its first season under defensive coordinator and former Auburn head coach Gene Chizik. And thats really all it took for the Tar Heels to make a leap. North Carolina allowed 24.5 points and 435.9 yards last year, an improvement of about 15 points and 60 yards per game. It loses linebacker leaders Jeff Schoettmer and Shakeel Rashad, but boasts a strong back end with cornerbacks Des Lawrence and M.J. Stewart.SEASON OPENERThe Tar Heels have a measuring-stick opener when they travel to Atlanta to face Georgia in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game on Sept. 3. Georgia has a new coach in Kirby Smart, so Fedoras staff will be guessing on exactly what to expect. North Carolina is looking for its first win against a Southeastern Conference opponent since beating Tennessee in the Music City Bowl to end the 2010 season. Winning that game would be a big credibility boost nationally for Fedoras program.KEY GAMESThe Tar Heels have two big ACC road games that stand out: at Atlantic Division power Florida State on Oct. 1 followed two weeks later by a trip to preseason Coastal No. 2 pick Miami, led by new coach Mark Richt and quarterback Brad Kaaya.PREDICTIONThe Coastal Division hasnt had a repeat champion since 2011. The Tar Heels appear positioned to buck that trend and look strong for nine or 10 wins.---Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap and the APs college football site at http://collegefootball.ap.org Cheap NCAA Jerseys Authentic . PETERSBURG, Fla. Wholesale NCAA Jerseys . 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Fake NCAA Jerseys . -- Ryan Blaney provided more evidence that Penske Racings No. WASHINGTON -- Cy Young candidate Stephen Strasburg looks to rebound from a rare loss when the Washington Nationals open a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.Strasburg (15-2, 2.80 ERA) turned in his shortest outing of the season Saturday, leaving after 4 2/3 innings of a 7-1 loss to the Giants. He allowed four runs on eight hits.Hell face a Braves team that found itself on the wrong side of history Thursday when they lost 11-3 to Milwaukee. The Brewers became the eighth team in baseballs expansion era to score in every inning as they earned a split of the four-game series at Miller Park.It wasnt our best day out there, Atlanta catcher Anthony Recker said. We just werent able to get guys out when we needed to. They did a good job of putting some good pitches in play.Strasburg is 8-7 with a 3.55 ERA in 21 starts versus the Braves. That includes 4-4 with a 2.94 ERA in 11 games at Nationals Park.Right hander Mike Foltynewicz (5-5, 4.37) makes his first start against Washington. He held the Cardinals to a run on six hits on Sunday to even his record.Foltynewicz faces a first-place Washington team that hopes to have Bryce Harper back in the lineup. Harper has missed three straight games with neck stiffness. Manager Dusty Baker was hopeful the day-and-a-half from Wednesday afternoon to Friday night might make the difference.The Nationals (67-46), who were also missing infielders Ryan Zimmerman (left wrist contusion) and Stephen Drew (vertigo-like symptoms), were held to one run in back-to-back games before busting out for seven runs and 11 hits -- including four doubles -- against the Indians on Wednesday.We had been deepending on the home run quite a bit, Baker said.dddddddddddd We like to have some offensive balance. You know, keep the line moving, first to third. Thats contagious.Jayson Werth homered for the second straight game and added a double. The 37-year-old left fielder has reached base in 40 consecutive games.I wouldnt trade him for the world, Gio Gonzalez said. Hes the guy you want in that lineup. Its something thats always exciting to see when hes up in the batters box. Hes going to fight you to the end.Atlantas Nick Markakis arrives in Washington on a hot streak. After two hits Thursday, hes batting .351 with nine runs, six doubles, two homers, 15 RBI and 12 walks since the All-Star Break.Erick Aybar had three hits Thursday, finishing a triple short of the cycle.Matt Kemp was out of the starting lineup Thursday for the first time since joining the Braves, but flied out as a pinch hitter. Kemp his hitting .200 with two doubles and a homer since his trade from San Diego.In his career, Kemp is 2-for-10 versus Strasburg. Freddie Freeman, on the other hand, is 12 for 31 with three homers and nine RBI, and Nick Markakis is 5 for 15.The Nationals own a 7 1/2-game lead over second-place Miami. The last-place Braves (43-72) are 4-3 on a 10-game trip as they work to avoid 100 losses.I think were doing a pretty good job of hanging in there right now with all the injuries and stretching the organization as thin as we have, manager Brian Snitker said Thursday, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Were doing okay. ' ' '
