Tag: Victory bell

Watch the Duke Blue Devils reclaim the Victory Bell after UNC victory

After Duke’s stunning 21-20 comeback victory over North Carolina, the Blue Devils reclaimed the Victory Bell for the first time since 2018.

After five long years, the Victory Bell belongs to the Duke Blue Devils again at last.

The Blue Devils beat the North Carolina Tar Heels 21-20 on Saturday, a stunning comeback powered by 211 yards of offense from senior running back [autotag]Star Thomas[/autotag]. Duke trailed by 20 points midway through the third quarter, but three unanswered touchdowns and a late interception by linebacker Tre Freeman sealed the rivalry win.

Not only did first-year head coach [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag] secure Duke’s first 5-0 start since 1994, but he also helped the Blue Devils reclaim the Victory Bell for the first time since 2018. The trophy, which remains with the winning team between Duke and UNC, has lived in Chapel Hill thanks to five straight Tar Heels victories.

Duke came within inches of reclaiming the trophy on the road last year, losing 47-45 after two overtime possessions, but the close call only made this year’s triumph sweeter. The social media team captured the moment that North Carolina needed to hand the signature bell back to the Blue Devils.

https://twitter.com/DukeFOOTBALL/status/1840176246140879107

The bell now gets to stay in Durham for the next year as Duke finally gets the bragging rights on Tobacco Road.

5 things to watch for in UNC football vs Duke matchup

As North Carolina set to hit the road against Duke, we take a look at a few key things you should know before you watch.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are preparing to battle rival Duke Blue Devils in a critical Atlantic Coast Conference meeting.

Unlike years prior, both teams head into the matchup with more to play for than just the Victory Bell, as UNC holds a one-game lead over Duke in the ACC standings. The timing couldn’t be better for North Carolina, with their defense finding its identity as of late, dominating Virginia Tech 41-10 and containing the Hurricanes in Miami 27-24 in back-to-back weeks.

Neither team has cracked the Associated Press Poll top 25, but UNC is knocking on the door after receiving the most votes this past weekend to be the next team in. A win to gain distance in the race for a shot at the ACC championship game is the key; bringing the Victory Bell back to UNC is just the icing on the cake.

We look at five things to watch for in this Atlantic Coast Conference showdown.