Late score gives UNC victory over rival Duke and possession of the Victory Bell

DURHAM — Bill Belichick and North Carolina matched their win total from all of last season and claimed the Victory Bell with a late rally against rival Duke at Wallace Wade Stadium.

Running back Jaylen McGill scored with less than two minutes remaining to give the Tar Heels a 24-20 lead and the Tar Heels defense thwarted Duke’s final drive when Kenton Dopson III intercepted quarterback Walker Eget. 

It is the second straight conference road victory for UNC (4-2, 2-1 in the ACC).  It is the second consecutive close conference loss for the Blue Devils (4-2, 1-2 in the ACC).

The Blue Devils had scored 20 consecutive points in the game to erase a 17-0 deficit before UNC put together the go-ahead drive that included a fourth-down conversion deep in its own territory.

Duke running back Nate Sheppard, a game-time decision to play with an ankle injury, gave the Blue Devils their first lead with a 7-yard touchdown catch with 4:39 remaining. Sheppard’s touchdown catch gave him 10 receptions for 89 yards in the game.

The Tar Heels had several key miscues, including a fumble deep in Duke territory that cost them points and a dropped snap on a punt before the drive that gave Duke the lead for good.

UNC led 17-0 after scoring on its first three drives. The Tar Heels went 74 yards on 11 plays on their first drive, capped by a 28-yard field goal by Rece Verhoff. 

UNC’s second drive was set up by a blocked punt off a poor Duke snap. Punter Kade Reynoldson tried to get the kick off, but his attempt was blocked by Calvin Thomas and UNC recovered at the Duke 11. Three plays later, quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. found Jordan Shipp in the back of the end zone for a five-yard touchdown.

The Tar Heels went 63 yards in 14 plays on its next possession and scored on a 4-yard touchdown run by Demon June on fourth-and-2.

Duke, which was held without a first down in the first quarter, had plays of 28 yards and 33 yards on back-to-back plays in the subsequent drive. But UNC defensive back Greg Smith III stuffed Duke running back C.J. Campell on fourth-and-1 from the UNC 2 to end the drive.

But on the ensuing possession and with his team backed up, Shipp fumbled while fighting for a first down and Duke’s Andrew Pellicciotta picked up the loose ball and returned it for a 9-yard touchdown.

Duke made it a one-score game with a field goal on its first possession of the second half. The Tar Heels were poised to make it a two-score game again, but Duke’s Patrick Smith-McGill forced and recovered a fumble by running back Jaylen McGill inside its own 10.

Duke added a short field goal to cut it to 17-13 before the muffed punt attempt and Sheppard’s go-ahead touchdown catch.

The Tar Heels (3-2 overall, 1-1 in the ACC) have lost two straight games in the series to Duke (4-1, 1-1). UNC led Duke 20-0 in the third quarter in 2024 before the Blue Devils scored the game’s final 21 points.

UNC finished 4-8 in Belichick’s first season.

Duke entered the game having won nine straight games against in-state opponents.

UNC starters out

UNC is without starting defensive backs Kaleb Cost and Tre Miller and offensive lineman Jordan Hall. Cost and Miller were injured in last week’s win against Pittsburgh.

UNC defensive lineman Isaiah Johnson, defensive back Greg Smith and tight end Jordan Washington are considered game-time decisions. 

Duke starting center Matt Craycraft is out with an injury. Starting kicker Cosme Salas is out for the season.

Strength vs. strength

Duke has won the last two games between the rivals, including a 32-25 victory in Chapel Hill to keep control of the Victory Bell in 2025. The last four meetings have been decided by seven or fewer points.

Duke has allowed just one sack this season, but will face a stiff challenge from the Tar Heels’ defensive front. Xavier Lewis has a team-high six sacks and five other players have recorded at least 0.5 sacks on the year.

“"It’s not ‘might be’ the strength of their team, it is the strength of their team," Duke coach Manny Diaz said. "They are really, really good up front."