Late punt returns caps another UNC-NCSU rivalry game (VIDEO)

Earlier this week, the North Carolina State band hitched a ride to North Carolina's campus and strolled through the quad, playing the NC State fight song. UNC students complained that the noise interfered with their "studies," though that wasn't entirely true. UNC was mad because it was North Carolina State.

UNC doesn't care for NC State. The feeling is mutual.

And it was rivalry week. This year, it was merely the bands that got into the action. Last year, when Everett Withers served as UNC's interim coach, the back-and-forth between the in-state rivals was as heated as you'll find outside of basketball season.

Withers, now the co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State, said that UNC was the "flagship" university in the state. NCSU coach Tom O'Brien replied in kind: "Here is a guy that's on a football staff that ends up in Indianapolis," he said, Indianapolis being the home of the NCAA.

So… bands are nothing. And any fireworks between the Tar Heels and Wolfpack ended once the game began, as NCSU put the clamps down on UNC in a 13-0 victory.

What a difference a year makes. Quiet off the field, yes. But this season's game featured more than enough on-field drama to keep the rivalry afloat for another year.

UNC scored twice to take a 15-0 lead. NCSU made it 15-7. The Tar Heels scored twice more to lead 25-7; it was 25-14 at the end of the first quarter. At the end of third quarter, however, the Wolfpack were ahead 35-25.

Fast-forward to the game's final few minutes. UNC scored a touchdown with 10:52 left to make it 35-32. With roughly two minutes left, UNC capped a 61-yard drive to tie the game at 35-35.

The Wolfpack couldn't respond on the ensuing possession, leading to a punt from fairly deep in its own territory with less than a minute left. Then came this, which is so, so painful:

That's running back Gio Bernard returning a Wolfpack punt 74 yards for a touchdown. How good is Bernard? Very quietly, he's putting together an all-American season.

There are many painful ways to lose a game. Losing on a punt return with less than a minute left is one of the worst, right alongside "getting sacked for a safety during a tie game," "fumbling on a kickoff return and having it returned for six" and "pick-six."

I don't know about you, but I can't wait until these two get back it next fall.