This Duke-Carolina game takes an early September spin.

The dramatic change in game date makes this renewal look a lot different than most, which have been played traditionally at the end of the season and more lately still in November.

Duke appears to be the stronger team out of the gate, at 3-0, although its schedule so far is highly suspect. Carolina may be better than its 1-2 record, but has yet to prove it with a young offense and leaky defense. The Blue Blood rivalry in any sport does tend to bring out the best in young athletes.

The two quarterbacks are the headliners for different reasons. Daniel Jones almost went to Davidson before he grew in both height and arm strength, subsequently receiving a scholarship from Duke. He wasn’t a good enough prospect to keep David Cutcliffe from then offering Chazz Surratt, who committed to the Blue Devils and two months later switched to the lighter shade.

Even though Jones has emerged as a star and likely future pro, it hasn’t stopped the usually erudite Cutcliffe from taking a verbal slap at Surratt, saying UNC can have a guy who can’t keep his word. Ouch. So Surratt has a chance to use the Duke-Carolina stage to endear himself to Tar Heel fans by engineering a big win and reclaiming the Victory Bell.  And it would be a long term of endearment with so many front line players injured.

The Heels, in toto, can prove they have young talent ready to step up and make their mark, keeping Duke from going back to back against UNC and squaring the rivalry series at 3-3 in the Larry Fedora era. That is why this game is pivotal, while playing in November usually has more finite ramifications, like securing a bowl bid or saving the season.

The uncertainty will create a large, excited and somewhat nervous crowd at Kenan. Tar Heel fans come in hoping for a turn-around game but fearing a blowout loss to the explosive Blue Devils, Cutcliffe’s quickest Duke team. But the rivalry has a way of also bringing out the best competitive instincts in players, some who have yet to become household names.

With a solid game plan, Carolina has already shown it has the horses to turn its season around. That’s what beating Duke in September can do, solidifying Surratt and company as stars and catapulting them to their own identity. Somehow, I suspect they will.