As Duke wide receiver Corey Thomas watched UNC's Octavus Barnes streak down the sidelines for a 71-yard touchdown late in Saturday's game, a wide range of emotions were running through his mind.
Foremost in his mind was disappointment. He was crushed to see the Blue Devils give up the eventual game-winning touchdown in Duke's 41-40 loss to the to the Tar Heels.
Yet for Thomas, the game went beyond simply the Duke-Carolina rivalry. As Barnes headed to the end zone, Thomas saw a childhood friend and rival become the hero in one of the best college football games of 1994.
Thomas and Barnes grew up in Wilson, N.C., only two miles apart from each other. They played football together as kids, but district lines cut between their houses, and they attended different high schools, where they both starred in football and basketball.
They played against each other in both those sports and developed a friendly, yet intense rivalry. They still talk regularly, and now, as redshirt freshmen receivers in their respective programs, each has made a big impact on Atlantic Coast Conference football.
Thomas caught two touchdown passes Saturday, while Barnes threw for one and had the reception that made highlight films across the U.S. On that play, Barnes, who will join the UNC basketball team after the football season, caught a Mike Thomas pass at the UNC 40-yard line. He then outran Duke's defenders down the right side for the score.
"The worst thing about [the loss] is that my boy from home, Octavus, was the last one who had a say in the game," Thomas said. "He got the touchdown. I'm happy for him, but I'm just sad that we lost."
Thomas and Barnes kid each other often, talking "trash" about the other's team. And Barnes will certainly not let Thomas forget about UNC's dramatic win.
"He's going to kill me," Thomas said. "But I'll just be a man about it and take it."
Still, all kidding and trash talking aside, the two have strong feelings for each other, and it showed following the game when they met on the field.
"We hugged each other," Thomas said. "We told each other how much we love each other, and how much we respect each other. I've got a new respect for Octavus -- that boy can play.
"I'd be telling the guys, `Hit Octavus, he won't catch the ball.' But that was all in fun. We just want to show people that athletes come out of Wilson."
For the record, Thomas' alma mater, Benningfield, beat Barnes' Hunt squad Friday night in the high school 3-A playoffs.
"I think all the people in Wilson can be very proud of those two guys today," Duke head coach Fred Goldsmith said. "Very proud."
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