Ask the North Carolina players, and they know who Mack Brown is. Sure they do, just like they could probably tell you a little about Jimmy Johnson or Tom Landry or George Washington, other well-known men from the history books.

That's about as close as most of these Tar Heels come to actually knowing Brown, much less having played for him -- the history books.

Nix Healthy, Running Wild

Southern Miss tailback Derrick Nix has had two great games against Memphis, and while those came in years when he was healthy -- in the previous century -- there is bad news for visiting Memphis this week: Nix is healthy again. Illinois found out in a bad way this past Saturday, when Nix rolled up 201 yards and two touchdown on 27 carries despite sitting out the second quarter to be treated for dehydration. After vomiting on the field, then retreating to the locker room for intravenous treatment, Nix returned to run for more than 100 yards in the second half and lead the Eagles' rally to a 23-20 victory. "That's what we've missed the last couple years," Southern Miss coach Jeff Bower said. "Derrick really ran hard and tough and it was good to see that. And I think he's still in the process of getting back to that game condition (of 1999). He made a lot of strides Saturday." Only a victory this week against Memphis stands between Southern Miss and a 3-0 record entering its Sept. 21 game at vulnerable Alabama. If the Eagles beat Alabama, watch out. The two most difficult remaining games on their schedule are at home, against Cincinnati and Louisville. Nix has quite a history against Memphis, running for 184 yards and three touchdowns as a freshman in 1998, and then gaining 139 yards against the Tigers in 1999. The following season, on his fifth carry of the game, Nix turned his ankle against Memphis, triggering a chain reaction that essentially cost him the next season and a half. Complications arising from his reaction to medication damaged his kidney, which caused him to miss all of last season. Nix ran for 100 yards in the spring game, looked strong (16 carries, 77 yards) in limited action in a blowout of Jackson State in the opener, and then dominated the Illini. His 201 yards was the sixth-highest total in Southern Miss history, and Nix's No. 2 rushing day. He gained 219 yards as a freshman against Nevada, and although it doesn't need to be said, Illinois ain't Nevada. Nix's return complements the strength of the team, its defense, which produced four sacks, two interceptions, a safety and a blocked field goal against Illinois. "I think they're probably one of the top five defensive teams in the country, as good as anybody, and I sincerely mean that," Memphis coach Tommy West said. -- Gregg Doyel

When Brown returns to Chapel Hill, where he coached from 1988-97, his Texas team will face exactly three players recruited to North Carolina by Brown: tight end Zach Hilton, receiver Chesley Borders and nickel linebacker DeFonte Coleman. None of them actually played for Brown, or even signed a scholarship next to Brown's name. He left the Tar Heels in December 1997, two months before national signing day.

That's why Brown and his North Carolina counterpart, John Bunting, agree: Mack's return to Chapel Hill won't be a distraction for either side.

"This game is not me and Mack. It's North Carolina and Texas," Bunting says. "Texas has tremendous tradition. They're No. 2 in the country. They could be coached by Old Mack-donald."

Says Brown: "When people are talking (this week) about me, it's overplayed because I'm very unimportant in this game."

That's how Brown is approaching it with his players, too. Texas defensive end Cory Redding says the topic of Brown's return to Chapel Hill has been irrelevant in Austin this week.

"That's where Mack coached in the past," Redding says. "That's pretty much it. I really haven't heard anything else about it."

The folks in Chapel Hill have heard plenty. While many UNC fans claim to harbor no ill will toward Brown, who left before the Tar Heels' Gator Bowl appearance in 1997, there is a faction -- big or small, it is a loud faction -- of UNC fans who seem to disapprove of Brown's very existence. One of their major beefs with Brown, and probably the biggest beef, was the way he handled his departure in December 1997 -- telling not only the media but his team, during a private meeting, that he was not going to Texas about 24 hours before he left for Texas.

When Bunting visited with some UNC students this week as they stood in line for tickets to the game, he said Brown's name did come up.

"There were a few people that were wishing bad luck on Mack Brown and the Texas Longhorns, as you'd guess," Bunting says. "They want to win this football game. I don't look at it as much as a knock on Mack. They want to beat Texas. Texas is No. 2 in the country."

Brown believes there will be a fuss Saturday at Kenan Stadium, which is sold out even with an extra 1,500 temporary seats added to the capacity of 60,000. He just hopes he's not the center of it.

"I don't think it's me that would stir up emotions," Brown says. "North Carolina football is really good right now. John (Bunting) turned around their fortunes last year ... and we're rated very high."

Around the ACC

Clemson
Offensive tackle Derrick Brantley (knee) won't play Saturday against Georgia Tech, and could miss the rest of the season, with torn ligaments ... The Tigers could struggle for yardage on the ground in this game; they rank last in the ACC in rushing offense, while Tech is second in rushing defense.

Duke
Outside linebacker Brendan Dewan, who returned an interception for a touchdown in the opener against ECU, didn't play Saturday in the loss to Louisville because of a broken leg and could miss two months ... A bad break for Northwestern could be good news for Duke: Wildcats freshman QB Alexander Webb, who led the team to its first offensive touchdown of the season against TCU, will miss Saturday's game with a lacerated kidney suffered against TCU.

Florida State
Heralded true freshman LB Buster Davis has returned to the team after going AWOL before the Virginia game ... The Seminoles will pit their powerful rushing attack (318 yards per game, third in the nation) against Maryland's rushing defense, which ranks four in the ACC (106 allowed per game) and hasn't given up a rushing touchdown this season.

Georgia Tech
Get this: Each of the Jackets' last six games with Clemson have been decided by exactly three points. Five of them saw the winning points scored in the final two minutes, while the sixth (in 1999) ended with Clemson throwing unsuccessfully into the end zone ... Tech PK has an ACC-record streak of 141 extra points. The NCAA record is 161.

Maryland
TB Bruce Perry (groin) had hoped to return this week against Florida State, but coach Ralph Friedgen said he will "err on the side of caution" and hold out the reigning ACC Offensive Player of the Year until next week's game against Eastern Michigan ... WR Rich Parson (ankle), tied for third on the team with two catches, is doubtful to play Saturday, as is DE Landon Jones (ankle) ... The Terps won the ACC title last season, but the only team they didn't defeat was Florida State.

North Carolina
Former Michigan State kicker Dan Orner's first three field goals as a Tar Heel were from beyond 50 yards against Syracuse, tying an NCAA single-game record, including a school-record 55-yarder ... Another transfer, tight end Bobby Blizzard from Kentucky, caught a fourth-quarter touchdown pass in the 30-22 victory ... True freshman Kendall High is starting at DT now.

NC State
The Wolfpack will play walk-on sophomore Brandon Sanders at center against Wake Forest, thanks to Jed Paulsen's knee sprain suffered against Navy. Paulsen's status for the Sept. 21 game at Texas Tech hasn't been determined ... The defensive front also could be weakened by injury, no small concern against a Wake Forest team that likes to pound the ball on the ground. Starting DT Jerrick Hall (neck) and his backup, Alan Holloway (knee), probably will play but might not practice all week.

Virginia
Two years after signing with the Cavaliers, Heath Miller threw his first collegiate touchdown pass - as a tight end. The throw came during the Cavs' victory Saturday against South Carolina. Miller was shifted to that position and has earned significant playing time, with nine catches (second on the team) ... After an off week, Virginia returns to action Sept. 21 against Akron.

Wake Forest
Two starters, NT Montique Sharpe (knee) and WR Jason Anderson (shoulder), will miss the N.C. State game with injury ... TB Tarence Williams (foot), who had two carries against ECU in his first action of the season, should be 100 percent against N.C. State. Williams ran for 1,018 yards last season ... Junior Daryl Shaw is playing at cornerback, but could return to safety later this season.

Around Conference USA
Three Army players had standout games in its 30-21 loss to Holy Cross: RB Josh Holden ran for a career-best 152 yards, versatile William White produced 242 all-purpose yards (Army's highest total in three years), and reserve quarterback Zac Dahman, a freshman, came off the bench to throw for 172 yards. ... Army and Rutgers have played 31 times dating to 1891, but this will be just their fourth game in Piscataway, N.J. ... West Virginia, Cincinnati's opponent Saturday, is the only team the Bearcats have played at least 10 times without a victory. The Mountaineers lead the series 10-0-1. ... WR LaDaris Vann needs one catch to become the school's record-holder at 34 straight games with at least one reception. ... Cincinnati is 3-3 in its last six games against the Big East. ... Senior PK Kevin Miller of East Carolina has made his last 13 field goals, including a 50-yarder in last week's loss to Wake Forest. ... Without a win against Tulane, ECU would start a season 0-3 for the first time under coach Steve Logan, and the first time since 1986. ... WR Richard Alston (mononucleosis) is expected to miss the game, but Logan expects OT Phoenix Evans (ankle) to play. ... Houston Barrick Nealy was one of five redshirt freshmen QBs nationally to start his team's season opener. ... Safety Hanik Milligan has a streak of 15 consecutive games with at least 10 tackles. ... Houston's Saturday foe, Louisiana-Lafayette, is coached by former Virginia Tech offensive coordinator Rickey Bustle. ... Louisville plays Colorado State for the third consecutive year, having lost 22-17 to the Rams in the 2000 Liberty Bowl, and then beating them by the unusual score of 7-2 last season in Louisville. ... After holding Duke and bruising TB Alex Wade to just 26 yards on 22 carries, the Cardinals face an even sterner test in Rams TB Cecil Sapp. ... Freshman Memphis safety O.C. Collins has moved into the starting lineup ... The Tigers' victory last season against Saturday foe Southern Miss was their first in eight years against the Golden Eagles. ... CB Lynaris Elpheage has picked off two passes in each of Tulane's first two games, putting him tied for first in the country in that statistic. ... He also returned an onsides kick 42 yards for a touchdown against Houston. ... Southern Miss has beaten Memphis the last eight times the Tigers have come to Hattiesburg, Miss., and seven of the last eight times overall. At 53 games, this is the most-played series in C-USA. ... A victory would give Southern Miss its second consecutive 3-0 start to a season. ... TCU linebacker LaMarcus McDonald has forced and recovered fumbles in each of the first two games. He has 32 1/2 tackles for losses in just 13 career starts. ... The Horned Frogs have won the last three Iron Skillet games with SMU, by an average of 26 points. ... UAB will look to avenge last season's 24-6 loss to Pittsburgh. ... That game saw UAB QB Thomas Cox suffer his first loss in seven career starts. ... DT Marvin Nickson (knee) will miss the rest of the season after his injury in the victory against Troy State. ... QB Darrell Hackney (knee), who was 11-for-15 for 139 yards before being hurt in that game, is questionable this week. So is S Thurman Pearson (ankle).

Gregg Doyel covers college football for The Charlotte Observer and can be reached at gdoyel@charlotteobserver.com.