Here's why you want to pay particular attention to Maryland Terps basketball this season: the ACC is about as stable as Afghanistan is right now.

Look what happened last night. N.C. State upsets No. 7 Duke in Raleigh. Tracy Smith scores 23, Dennis Horner scores 20, red-clad fans mob the floor and practically carry coach Sidney Lowe off for a coronation.

It was a wonderful moment for college hoops as the Wolfpack climb to 13-6 (2-3 in the ACC) and the Blue Devils fall to 15-3 (3-2).

Down the road in Chapel Hill, more instability: Wake Forest beats North Carolina, 82-69. Sure, the defending national champion Tar Heels aren't what they used to be. This was their third loss in a row and their first three-game losing streak under Roy Williams. And Wake is pretty good, 13-4 (3-2).

But, still. Tar Heels fans aren't used to this. Carolina's record falls to 12-7 (1-3). Three losses in a row -- that's post-traumatic stress for Carolina fans.

Which brings us to the Terps, who play N.C. State on Saturday in a big game at the Comcast Center. If you can't get there, you might want to tune in.

It's January in the ACC, it's wide open, and crazy things are happening.