PHOTO: North Carolina has argyle end zones for home opener

North Carolina basketball has incorporated argyle into the uniforms since 1991. Kenan Stadium will have a similar design in the end zone for the home opener Saturday against Middle Tennessee State.

North Carolina's argyle end zones getting painted for the home opener. (UNC Athletics/Twitter.com)

After kicking off the 2013 season with a 27-10 loss at South Carolina last Thursday, North Carolina returns home to the comforts of Kenan Stadium to prepare for its home opener Saturday against Middle Tennessee. 

According to the team's official Twitter account, North Carolina's end zones will include a blue-and-white argyle pattern in the letters of "Carolina" and "Tar Heels." The association of argyle with North Carolina athletics goes back more than two decades, to a request from then-basketball coach Dean Smith. 

Smith asked Chapel Hill fashion designer Alexander Julian to come up with new uniforms for the basketball team before the 1991-92 season. Julian added the argyle -- allegedly with the guidance and approval of Michael Jordan -- and it has remained a part of the basketball program ever since. 

Check out the gridiron version of North Carolina's argyle below, courtesy of UNC Athletics.

Another look at the argyle end zones. pic.twitter.com/LOF4ttxr6u

— Carolina Football (@TarHeelFootball) September 5, 2013