This Saturday, UNC and Duke square off in a game affecting the postseason for each team, and as has been the case lately, Wolfpack fans are left out of the media hype.

Here’s the twist: It’s a football game.

Several storylines are floating around this week, including Thaddeus Lewis’ stellar play at quarterback, Duke coach David Cutcliffe’s obvious impact on a program that considered a four-win season in 2008 a success, and the possible emergence last Thursday of what some would call an offense (Where the heck has Greg Little been hiding?).

The rivalry game between these two schools has been fierce the past several seasons without much of a higher overall significance looming. But is this what we have to look forward to from now on? An annual Triangle football game with conference and bowl significance?

It’s possible, but it will likely be a long time before the Triangle spits out a team of real national importance. As for now, Saturday’s winner has an inside track to finish the season with high expectations for 2010.

Links follow the jump.

  • Of course Cutcliffe’s job opportunities are going to open up after a season like this and of course journalists are going to feed the fire by writing pieces like Caulton Tudor’s. Cutcliffe strikes me as an extremely loyal guy that will spend a decent amount of time in Durham because of the challenge.
  • Here’s a look at various ACC power rankings. ACCSports.com has UNC No. 8 right behind Duke. ESPN’s ACC blogger ranked the Heels the same.
  • Quick basketball note: Roy Williams’ autobiography was released Tuesday with the aid of Tim Crothers, a UNC School of Journalism and Mass Communication lecturer. Crothers briefly discusses his experience at ACCSports.com and has a nice cliffhanger to catch your attention.
  • UNC kicker Casey Barth told ESPN that he thought the win over the Hokies saved the season. The team went into Blacksburg saying all the right things, but you’d be foolish not to think the coaching staff knew how crucial a win would be in salvaging the terrible start in the ACC.