Inside the game
Tar Heels safety Deunta Williams said he can't remember having such a fun bus ride home - and for good reason. UNC's 20-17 upset of then-No. 14 Virginia Tech on Thursday put Carolina back in the bowl hunt. With home games against Duke and Miami, and road games at Boston College and N.C. State, the Tar Heels must win two of their last four to become bowl eligible. "Our kids gained confidence," coach Butch Davis said.
Great call
Making use of backup tailback Ryan Houston. The Tar Heels had trouble gaining anything until their fourth offensive series, when Houston entered and rushed up the middle for 17 yards. Meanwhile, kicker Casey Barth said he was sure to thank his junior teammate after the winning field goal, because Houston rushed for 20 yards on UNC's final possession to put Barth just 21 yards away.
Game balls
DL Tydreke Powell: Caused Virginia Tech's Ryan Williams to fumble with 2:02 left.
K Casey Barth: Booted his first winner, a 21-yarder as time ran out.
Looking ahead
When was the last time a Duke-Carolina game meant so much? Like the Tar Heels, the Blue Devils - who haven't played in a bowl since the mid 1990s - need two victories to become bowl eligible.
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For 39 minutes Wednesday night, almost everything broke Tyler Zeller's way. But at game's end, Zeller had the most miserable single minute of his athletic career. 
While he watched the final moments between Duke and North Carolina unfold in front of him Wednesday night, North Carolina coach Roy Williams crouched in front of the bench. 
As Austin Rivers comes down from his adrenaline rush of Wednesday night, the person who may have the best idea of how Rivers' one shot will affect his Duke legacy is Jeff Capel. 
Austin Rivers' final shot in Duke's remarkable 85-84 comeback victory over UNC on Wednesday night was supposed to be a two-pointer. Not a three. That was the plan. 
There have been some wild, crazy endings to North Carolina-Duke games over the 233-game history of the rivalry, and Duke's 85-84 victory Wednesday night at the Smith Center will take its place as one of the craziest and most memorable of all - if not the most. 
Watch more from Duke's 85-84 win over North Carolina at the Smith Center on Wednesday night. Keep up with the latest sports stories with our free e-mail newsletters, delivered to your inbox!
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Photo Gallery
Oct. 29, 2009: UNC 20, Virginia Tech 17 (0 images)
Barth's FG wins it for Heels
Photo Gallery
First Look: UNC @ Virginia Tech (0 images)
See 80 raw images from the game
