Are you ready for some football?

Really, it's a dumb question that never needs to be asked in football-crazed America. Here, the high school season kicks off this weekend and no team is more ready than the top-ranked Dunbar Poets. The two-time defending Class 1A state champs -- winners of five state crowns overall and led by two-time All-Metro Offensive Player of the Year Tavon Austin -- will get a stern season-opening test tomorrow when they travel to Prince George's County to take on fellow perennial state power Gwynn Park. Game time is set for 2 p.m. in Brandywine.

Dunbar coach Lawrence Smith is excited about the challenge presented by the Yellow Jackets, who won a state title in 2006 and are ranked 15th in the state by MDVarsity.com. It's a chance for Smith to see what his team is made of right out of the gate and prep for league foes like Edmondson, City and Poly.

"We're really excited. Gwynn Park is always one of the better teams in the state, so we'll have to play an error-free game and hope to come out with a victory," Smith said.

That was the case last season when the Poets earned a 27-6 win against Gwynn Park, getting the Poets primed for a 14-0 season that culminated in a 58-34 win over Allegany in the title game.

With the anticipation and excitement of the season opener continuing to build, Smith is trying to keep his Poets grounded, downplaying the hype and keeping them focused on the task at hand. His pre-game message to his squad will be straight to the point: "I'm basically going to tell my guys that everybody is coming at us with their A game and the biggest thing is that it's easier to become a champion than to stay a champion," he said.

-- Glenn Graham