"Everybody has their own opinions and they judge you however they feel, but I really don't care what they think," said Cowsette. "I'm a Maryland Terrapin, and deep in my heart, I think we're better than ninth. That really doesn't bother me, what they think, because I know that my teammates and I are going to do what it takes to win."

Cowsette said some of his teammates may use the poll for bulletin-board motivation, but he will simply choose to ignore it.

"It can be a motivating factor, like 'I'll show them,'" said Cowsette. "But personally, I blow it off, because I really don't even listen to what the press says because I don't go by opinion."

In addition to wanting to go to a bowl game, Cowsette has set personal goals for his senior season.

"I want to make first team All-ACC and I want to get over 100 tackles for the season," said Cowsette.

"I think we're moving along," said Cowsette. "Each year we get better and better. I really do think that this year, we have a chance to make something happen. Our main focus is to go to a bowl game. We want to win at least seven games. Since (Coach Vanderlinden) has been here, we've had two losing seasons, and that's hard to deal with. I think now it's time to buckle down, win some games and go to a bowl game."

On Monday, Coach Vanderlinden spoke about a "cultural change" in the program, in which the players have embraced academics and responsible conduct off the field. Cowsette said this attitude has created stronger team chemistry.

"It's true, if you hang around with positive people, you do positive things," said Cowsette. "If you work together, you get closer and you start taking on other people's traits, and it's like a domino effect."

"No doubt, Ogle and Barton were two great linebackers," said Cowsette. "We have some younger guys at that position, but we have older guys on the line now and a lot of older guys behind the linebackers. So whatever slack there is, I'm sure we can pick it up. Plus, our younger guys playing linebacker are pretty good. They're very talented. It's going to take them a while to get into the system, but once they do, we'll be fine."

BRANDON SPOON, UNC

"The way I look at it, it's similar to a few years ago, when Brian (Simmons), K (Mays), Greg (Ellis) and all of them came in and they first became starters as sophomores," said Spoon, who is the ACC's top returning tackler.

"Our young guys are athletic and they're hungry and they're working hard. Both teams at this point had unknowns. But these guys are going to try to prove themselves to everybody this year.

"On the front seven, we have Sherrod (Peace) and Ryan Sims. I saw Sherrod the other day, and he is unbelievable. He's a physical specimen. And Ryan Sims is so athletic. At defensive end, Julius Peppers is going to be one who will step up and surprise people. Billy Dee Greenwood is our free safety, and I like him a lot. I think he's a great player. He started at the end of last season, and I think he's going to make a big impact this year."

"I don't think it was the coaching change," said Spoon. "There were a lot of bad things that happened, with Oscar (Davenport) getting hurt and Ronald Curry being thrown in there. That's pretty tough, to ask a true freshman to learn the offense in three weeks and lead the team.

"But I think the big thing was that we didn't play as a team. We didn't play together. We were too busy hoping for good things to happen and expecting good things to happen, like they did in the past."

"Since his death, I became a whole lot more aggressive," said Spoon. "It took me a while to learn how to translate that specifically to the field, as opposed to just being mad all the time. But I'm more focused with my aggression now, and it keeps me driven on and off the field. I can take out all of my anger, all of my aggression, all of my sadness on the field. It helps me. It keeps my motor running."

Spoon's motor seemed to be running all the time last season, when he racked up 138 tackles, including five sacks.

"I think I played well," said Spoon. "I've just recently started watching film again, getting ready for the opener. I see a lot of things I can improve on and that I should have improved on last year. I guess the big thing is the conditioning and intensity. I think this offseason is going to help me improve a lot, because I don't think I was in my best shape last year. I made a lot of tackles, but I could have made a whole lot more."

JAMIE BARNETTE, NC STATE

"Of course, I'd love to be 6-5," said Barnette, laughing at the thought of it. "Wow, who wouldn't love to be 6-5? Six-five would be great. But I'll make do with what I've got, that's all I can do."

Barnette said his relative lack of height hasn't hurt his career on the collegiate level.

"Being a quarterback is all about throwing lanes -- between your guard and your tackle or between your guard and your center, either the A, B or C gap, whichever one you choose to throw through," said Barnette. "If I feel pressure from my right, I slide left. If it's coming from the left, I slide right. That's what it's all about."

Indeed, Barnette and another diminutive passer, Georgia Tech's Joe Hamilton, have an excellent chance to finish their careers as 1-2 on the ACC's career total offense list.

"Joe might be a better runner than me, and I feel like I might be a better passer, but he's pretty accurate too, so I think we're pretty even," said Barnette.

However, Barnette realizes that he and Hamilton will be hard-pressed to make it to the NFL, even at a time in which Doug Flutie is enjoying a renaissance.

"We would love a shot at the next level, but we also know that our height is playing a big factor," said Barnette.

If the NFL doesn't come calling, Barnette said he may consider NFL Europe or the CFL.

"Really, I can't even worry about that right now," said Barnette. "I'm planning on graduating in May, so when the time comes, that's when I'll make that decision."

"He and I have talked many times," said Barnette. "I try to tell him not to worry about things, and if you do get a chance to play because I might go down at any given time, don't try to put a lot of pressure on yourself, because that's not doing anything but making it worse."

Barnette said that Sanders needs to learn quickly -- or rather, learn about quickness.

"The college level is very different because it's all built on timing," said Barnette. "The speed of the game is so much faster. That's pretty much all I can tell him. If he does get to play, hopefully everything will work out.

"Right now, I can say that he does have a great arm. I feel like he has decent agility. That's pretty much all I can say, because I haven't seen him in action that much."

"You have to have a game plan and stick to it," said Barnette. "You have to be consistent and stay focused the whole game. You just have to stay confident in yourself. They're going to have big plays. You have to realize that and just try to answer it.

"Anything can happen. The ACC has gotten better every year. You have to believe that you can play Florida State, go in with your game plan and stay with it."

THOMAS JONES, VIRGINIA

"I feel good about it," said Jones. "It's going to be an exciting game. Basically, this is what college football is all about. It's going to give us a chance to test ourselves early and see where we stand in the conference and as a team.

"It's a crucial game for both teams. First of all, it's the first game of the year. Plus it's a conference game, and conference losses hurt worse. But we're going in with confidence that we can do everything we need to do to win the game, and I'm sure Carolina is thinking the same thing."

"Sometimes I do (feel he's snubbed)," said Jones. "I think I put up some pretty decent numbers last year, considering I was sharing time with Antwoine (Womack), and both of us had good years. But I'll let things fall into place. If I just go out and play the best I can, hopefully good things will happen for me."

This year, though, Jones may have to carry more of the load if Womack does not return from his suspension.

"It's going to hurt us," said Jones. "Antwoine is a great running back. Whenever I come out and he comes in, I know we're not going to skip a beat and he's going to make a play. But I'm used to getting the ball however many times I need to get it for us to win. If I have to get the ball 25 or 35 times a game for us to win, that's what I'll do. I think I get better as the game goes along, anyway."

"I think his freshman year, he had a couple of carries but basically should have redshirted, and so should I," said Jones. "Then he had a breakout year his junior year, and last year I had a good year. Then his senior year he went out and dominated most of the games, and I think I can, too."

However, Jones did not give serious consideration to joining Barber in the NFL.

"I thought about it a little bit, but then I thought, 'Why?,'" said Jones. "I've got one more year left to play college football, and that's something I've wanted to do ever since I was little. I just wanted to play my last year and have fun."

DALAWN PARRISH, WAKE FOREST

"It definitely is a motivator," said Parrish. "They all say we're back to status quo. Face it, teams know we have good players, but teams always question whether Wake Forest is going to play as a team and pull it out. For the last three years, we've been close but just not there. We're tired of hearing it and tired of saying it.

"We're going to be remembered as Wake Forest football players. That's our legacy. I want to go out with a lot of wins, and I feel we have the team to do that. If we don't get us done this year, crucify us. But we still have a year to go, and we feel this is the year for us. I'm sure everybody is tired of hearing, 'This is Wake's year, this is Wake's year,' but that's how we feel, and as a person and a competitor, you never stop saying that."

"I think the defense is still frustrated about (the Air Force game)," said Parrish. "We felt like we let our team down that day, and we vowed never to let it happen again. And we get another test this first game against Army, running the same type of offense, the same type of personnel.

"We know now what they're going to try to do. They're going to try to cut you, they're going to try to chop-block you. It's wild playing that type of team. The stats say that they're physical and they're running the ball, but there's so much trickery in their game. I think their coaches do a very good job with the type of players they have to make what they do very effective. We're just going to go out there and try to stop it this year. We know what to expect now."

"I think C.J. has to beat him out fairly," said Parrish. "I think it's too much pressure to put on any freshman coming in, especially at a position like quarterback where every defense in our conference is going to be coming after you. There's no defense that just sits on its heels and plays a base 4-3 package and says, 'Do what you want.' They come at you and try to take you out.

"So for him deal with that, I think it's hard, but that's the situation he wanted to be in. From what I've heard, he wanted to be in a situation where he could play."