After posting strong performances in his first two games, the North Carolina cornerback had earned a chance to go head-to-head with perhaps the best receiver in the nation -- Texas' Roy Williams.
But it was Williams, not Waddell, who made a statement in Saturday's 52-21 Longhorn victory.
Facing man coverage from Waddell all night long, Williams hauled in five passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns.
North Carolina coach John Bunting said his plan going in was to be aggressive with his safeties and trust Waddell to handle Williams mostly on his own.
"We were going to have (Waddell) stick with Williams a lot, and we were going to have him get up and bump him around," Bunting said. "We were going to play different coverages, and we were going to blitz.
"He was going to be faced with some man-to-man coverages, and Michael Waddell is extremely talented, and we thought that he could handle it."
In the first quarter, Waddell did handle it, as Williams was held without a catch. But a play that Williams almost made dazzled the crowd and served as a sign of things to come.
At the end of the first quarter, with Texas leading 10-0, the Tar Heels jumped off sides on a second down and six.
Texas quarterback Chris Simms recognized the free play and lofted a ball down the left sideline for Williams, who was being blanketed by Waddell.