CHAPEL HILL – Mack Brown had a great reason to get emotional after his team snuck out of Kenan Stadium with a 47-45 double-overtime win over rival Duke on Saturday night.

It was a thrilling win for a team that has found it difficult beating ACC foes of late, though it appeared this was taking on the same pattern as the two disturbing league losses to close October.

This game had so much to offer that tug at fans’ heart strings, pushes to the brink stress meters of those who cared, and rewards the victor as it just as easily could have gone the other way.

It was Senior Night, and those are always tear-jerkers, especially for sappy old guys like Brown. And please take that as a compliment, we could all uses some of that soul within us.