ATLANTA - North Carolina quarterback Matt Baker stood in the shotgun, about 12 yards from the goal line and alone in the backfield, flanked by five wideouts.
The snap came, and he paused for a split second, as if preparing to pass. Suddenly, an enormous hole opened smack-dab in the middle of the field, like Baker had become Moses and his offensive line was parting the Red - or in this case, Gold - Sea.
He ran confidently toward the end zone, looking for would-be tacklers from Georgia Tech. None emerged, and Baker had about the easiest path to a touchdown on a first-and-goal run that any quarterback has ever had. All he needed to do was cross the goal line.
But as he broke the plane, Baker launched into a half-twisting dive that can best be described as wholly unnecessary. Reggie Bush he's not, but when you're a redshirt senior starting your first college game, style points don't count.
"Someone was on my back side, so I figured I'd just jump," said a chuckling Baker, whose touchdown cut the UNC deficit from 14-0 to 14-6 late in the second quarter Saturday. "I felt like jumping."
It was that kind of game - effective at some points and ugly at others - but all in all, Coach John Bunting came away pleased.
"I liked what I saw," he said. "You see what kind of arm he had and you see how he can fit balls in there. He had three interceptions - but I like the guts of the kid."
Although a three-interception game would seemingly fall in the 'miserable flop' category - especially when all come in the fourth quarter of a game that's not decided until the final seconds - such wasn't the case.
One pick came on a fourth-and-two when Baker's options were: (a) get sacked and turn the ball over; or (b) attempt a pass and probably turn it over anyway. Another came while trying to drive 81 yards with less than 30 seconds left in the game.
