An old UNC – Duke tradition is alive after all.

The Victory Bell will in fact be just one shade of blue after UNC and Duke square off in Durham on Thursday night after fans and players were given a scare earlier in the week.

Lee Pace, Tar Heel Sports Network sideline reporter for UNC football, started the firestorm when he tweeted a picture of the base of the Victory Bell painted both Carolina and Duke blue, with each team’s logo on the corresponding side.

That is a change from the traditional coloring of the rivalry trophy, which has been painted the shade of the winning side in the annual showdown for decades.

Just ahead of the Carolina – Duke showdown on Thursday night, UNC athletics director Bubba Cunningham brought relief to the fanbase by releasing a statement on Wednesday.

“After talking to our football team and hearing from many of our fans, we have decided to maintain the tradition of the winning team painting the stand for the Victory Bell in its school colors. We are glad to see the passion and support for the game and the Victory Bell and await an exciting and entertaining contest tomorrow evening. We will continue to share with people the history of the rivalry and the Victory Bell, while preserving the winning team’s enthusiasm for displaying their triumphant shade of blue.”

The last time the two teams played in Durham, UNC came away with a victory and a big bill, which came after spray painting the Victory Bell in the visiting locker room at Duke resulted in thousands of dollars in damage.

UNC and Duke will renew the fight for the Victory Bell at 7:30 on Thursday night. UNC enters the game 7-2 and ranked No. 17 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings.

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