All Duke needed was two yards.
With 18 seconds remaining in the game and a 1st-and-goal on the 2-yard line, it looked all but certain that North Carolina was going to lose to the Blue Devils for the fourth time in a row.
Then, UNC co-defensive coordinator Jay Bateman remembered a play from his time at Army, also as a defensive coordinator.
“They beat us 13-7 at Duke in 2016, and they beat me on a pop pass,” Bateman said. “So when I saw the formation, I was pretty confident that’s what we were getting. It’s a little bit different structure, but the same kind of deal.”
The Blue Devils came out in the same formation prior to and after a timeout on Saturday, and that was what tipped Bateman off.
“So we saw the formation and called a timeout,” Bateman said. “I said, ‘If they come out in the same formation, I’m pretty confident that’s what it’s going to be ... I think it’s going to be a pop pass. Myles (Dorn), come over and cover that guy.’”
That's exactly what happened. UNC linebacker Chazz Surratt was there to pick off the pass, while Dorn, a safety, was right behind him in the back of the end zone.
Duke wasn’t going to fool Bateman twice. His ability to adapt on the fly helped win the Tar Heels the Victory Bell.
“He's smart, he's tough, he's high energy,” head coach Mack Brown said. “Somebody gets hurt, and he's used to putting somebody else in. So, he doesn't worry about it.”