CHAPEL HILL – Heart rates, sweat glands and fingernails got a break Saturday throughout Tar Heel Nation.

After spending nearly three months stressing its fan base to the gills with one nail biter after another, North Carolina went on a picnic at Kenan Stadium at the expense of the Mercer Bears.

On the menu: Big running plays, big passing plays, a noteworthy record, game reps for everyone and smiles, hugs and high fives for all.

UNC 56, Mercer 7.

This was a laugher from the get-go, and it was about time.

For a bunch kids who spent the previous two seasons limping (literally) to five total wins, leading to the termination of the head coach who brought them to Chapel Hill, this would have been prescribed if Mack Brown wore a white long coat with a stethoscope around his neck.

“I thought the night, or the afternoon and night, was exactly what we needed,” Brown said.

Fun times have been had in the 361 days since Brown was hired as Carolina’s coach. The culture has changed, players enjoy being at the Kenan Football Center, they believe the future is not just bright but limitless, and they feel respected.

On the field, the Tar Heels have been oh-so close in every game they’ve lost – all six of them by a total of 26 points - but they haven’t had any flex-your-muscles games like what took place here in week 11. They were due for one and it was time.

“It is a huge relief and it was just everything that we practiced coming into one complete game,” senior offensive tackle Charlie Heck said. “One day we will have a great first half, other games we will have a great second half or fourth quarter. We were able to do four great quarters. No stress. It was awesome.”

The stress meter will pick up a lot following Sunday’s practice when it officially becomes N.C. State week. The four-course meal going to Raleigh will include ending a three-game skid versus the Wolfpack, attaining bowl eligibility, sweeping the Research Triangle and kicking their rival when its down, especially on its own turf.

This day, however, is about the Tar Heels dominating with five rushing plays that went for 31 or more yards, a 66-yard touchdown pass, freshman QB Sam Howell setting a single-season UNC record for touchdown passes and 77 players getting into the game.

Sixteen scholarship Tar Heels walked out of the tunnel onto the field here for the final time and the ones who were healthy enough to dress got into the game.

The Heels faced FCS member Western Carolina the Saturday before Thanksgiving each of the last two seasons and won lopsided affairs, but the relief gained from those performances was temporary because neither win changed the trajectory of the downward-spiraling program.

This win does, though. At 5-6, the Tar Heels need to defeat N.C. State next week to qualify for a bowl. And right now, any bowl will be plenty good enough. That’s why this was a great win for the program.

It was electric, entertaining, relieving, and it was emotional.

And it was just what these guys needed. Every last one of them and every fan that has gritted their teeth with this bunch all season.

On this day, they leaned back, soaked it all in, had some laughs and felt really darn good about themselves.

And it was time.