OMAHA, Neb. -- Considering it must win at least five games in the College World Series to capture the national championship, North Carolina has adopted a rather fitting theme song for its postseason run: "Going the Distance."

That song is more commonly known as the anthem from the "Rocky" movies.

The Tar Heels first were motivated by the chime-beginning instrumental on May 24, before the second game of the ACC Tournament in Jacksonville, Fla. As the bus approached the stadium, the driver played the tune, turning up the volume -- and lifting the spirits of the players, who had lost their first game to Georgia Tech and feared another early exit from the tourney. Instead, UNC won that game over N.C. State and two more, capturing its first league crown since 1990.

So the bus driver is playing the theme again in Omaha, and North Carolina is hoping for similar results.

"It's really cool, because as you're coming up the highway, you can see Rosenblatt [Stadium], and then he hits [the CD player], and it's like, 'This is Rocky getting ready to go fight the Russian,' " said Nate Yarbrough, the team's equipment and clubhouse manager. "It gives you chills."