UNC Football Blows 20-0 Lead, Loses to Duke for First Time Since 2018

UNC didn’t give up 70 points, but the Tar Heels will feel just as bad.

After building a 20-0 lead in the third quarter, Carolina gave up 21 unanswered points to Duke and lost 21-20 in Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday night. It’s UNC’s first loss to Duke in Mack Brown’s second tenure, and Brown’s first loss against the Blue Devils since the 1989 season. The Tar Heels finished 1-10 that year.

“It’s awful,” said Brown of the loss. “They fought their guts out. I thought they gave every ounce they could. They had a great week’s practice. And I told them, this is the way Duke’s felt on the three we won in the last second. So give [Duke] credit.”

Carolina led 17-0 at halftime on the strength of two Jacolby Criswell touchdown passes. Defensively, the Tar Heels held the Blue Devil offense to a mere 99 total yards. Duke missed a field goal late in the second quarter, securing a first-half shutout for the UNC defense.

But that performance evaporated in the second half, as Duke running back Star Thomas found wide open spaces to the tune of 30 carries for 166 yards and a touchdown. Fueled by Thomas and a rugged offensive line, the Blue Devils scored three touchdowns in a span of four drives across the third and fourth quarters, taking a 21-20 lead with 5:42 remaining in the game.

“I thought we would come out and take over the game, which we should have to start the third quarter, and we didn’t,” Brown said. “Why did we tackle in the first half and not the second? I don’t know. I thought we would still win the game… We did not play well on either side of the ball in the second half.”

Carolina’s second-half collapse included a blocked punt and several crucial penalties, including two on one play which effectively neutered a UNC drive while the Tar Heels still led 20-14. Duke scored its go-ahead touchdown on the next series.

The Tar Heels had two drives while trailing 21-20, one of which ended in a punt and the second of which ended with a Criswell interception with 25 seconds to go. It was UNC’s only turnover of the night.

“I take it all on me,” Criswell said of the loss. “I feel like, second half, I put it all on me. I didn’t do my job.”

Duke’s win is just its second in the last 20 years when trailing by 20 or more points in the second half. The Blue Devils had been 1-72 in such games. The game is also Duke’s largest comeback in the history of the rivalry.

UNC falls to 3-2 overall and 0-1 in ACC play after a 3-0 start. Carolina will be back in action against Pittsburgh next Saturday at 12 p.m. in Kenan Stadium.

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications

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UNC Football Blows 20-0 Lead, Loses to Duke for First Time Since 2018

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