And so it ends, not with a bang but a whimper. A whimper of 89 points and 847 offensive yards, but a whimper nonetheless. Defense wasn't welcome here. One coach had been fired, and other would have been, if only the Duke athletic department knew it had a football team. It was by far the least important BCS conference game of the year - it won't be broadcast in the Triangle until tomorrow for God's sake - and it's being treated more as relief than rivalry. What more is there to say?
Only this - did anyone not see the second blocked point after coming? It wasn't just me, right? After Wake Forest, and after Miami, it was clear no team on this earth is better at losing games than Duke, and they were going to find a way to do so again.
So UNC gets the win, the two points in the Carlyle Cup, and the Victory Bell. Bunting gets one last victory as the North Carolina football coach. Joe Dailey gets one more interception, Brandon Tate gets an amazing kick return feat - touchdowns off punt and kickoff returns in the same game - and the fans get basketball.