The Victory Bell is going back to Chapel Hill after a two-year residence in Durham. UNC won the rivalry prize back from Duke on Saturday afternoon, earning a 24-20 football victory over the Blue Devils at Wallace Wade Stadium.
Jaylen McGill scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 24-yard run with 1:53 left. Kenton Dopson III then picked off Duke quarterback Walker Eget at the UNC 15 with just seconds to play to seal it.
The Tar Heels (4-2, 2-1 ACC) won for the second week in a row and gave coach Bill Belichick his first victory over a Big Four opponent. UNC lost to the Blue Devils, Wake Forest and NC State last season in Belichick’s debut.
Duke, which started 4-0 after capturing the ACC championship a year ago, has now seen an eight-game win streak turn into a two-game losing skid. The Blue Devils are now 4-2 on the season, 1-2 in the ACC.
UNC held Duke running back Nate Sheppard to a season low in rushing yards – 77 on 20 carries. But Sheppard, who was questionable to play all week due to injury concerns, still did his share of damage, catching 11 passes for 98 yards and a touchdown.
The Tar Heels built a 17-0 lead in the first half, getting touchdowns from Jordan Shipp (5-yard pass from Billy Edwards Jr.) and Demon June (4-yard run). Rece Verhoff also booted a 28-yard field goal.
But Duke rallied, much as it did in 2024 when the Devils erased a 20-0 deficit at Wallace Wade to score a 21-20 triumph.
Andrew Pellicciotta returned a fumble 9 yards for a score. Gavin Strange then kicked two field goals. Sheppard finally found the end zone with 4:39 left, catching a 7-yard scoring pass from Eget.
But the Tar Heels, who let a road game slip away at Clemson a few weeks ago, had an answer this time. UNC’s go-ahead scoring drive covered 78 yards and included a fourth-down conversion in its own territory.
Stats and Notables
- Billy Edwards Jr. (UNC) completed 15-of-25 passes for 191 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. He also rushed nine times for 20 yards.
- McGill had a career day for the Tar Heels, picking up 75 rushing yards on 12 carries and recording the game-winning touchdown. June added 49 yards rushing on 13 totes.
- Peyton Seelman (UNC) had a monster defensive game, logging 16 tackles, including seven solo stops. Teammate Greg Smith III added 10 tackles.
- Duke quarterback Walker Eget completed 24-of-38 passes for 249 yards, one touchdown and the late interception. Sheppard was his top target with 11 catches. No one else had more than three receptions.
- CJ Campbell (Duke) added 61 yards to the rushing attack on nine carries, averaging 6.8 yards per attempt.
- Preston Watson (Duke) led the Blue Devils defensively with eight tackles, a sack and 2.5 tackles-for-loss.
- Duke outgained the Tar Heels 373-326.
- Duke also was better on third down (8-of-18 conversions), while UNC finished 4-of-12. Both teams converted twice on fourth down plays and misfired once.
- North Carolina and Duke have played for the Victory Bell since 1948. UNC had won five in a row before the Blue Devils captured the Bell in both 2024 and 2025. Duke last won three in a row in the series from 2016-2018.
What’s Next for UNC, Duke
The Tar Heels will host Syracuse next Saturday night on ACC Network, looking for its first three-game win streak of the Bill Belichick era.
Duke, meanwhile, will travel to Virginia on Friday night in a rematch of the 2025 ACC championship game.
