For the second straight year, the Battle for the Victory Bell came down to the final possession. But this time, it was the UNC defense, not Drake Maye and the offense, which made the winning play. Alijah Huzzie broke up Duke quarterback Grayson Loftis’ two-point pass in double overtime, clinching Carolina’s fifth straight win over the Blue Devils in a 47-45 thriller at Kenan Stadium.
𝐑𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐥.#CarolinaFootball🏈 x #UNCommon x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/jk12wYIntn
— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) November 12, 2023
“I’m just really, really proud that these guys didn’t get their head down and hung in there and found a way to win” said head coach Mack Brown after the game. “That was a very difficult game to stay positive.”
In a contest ultimately decided by a defensive stand, Duke and Carolina combined for more than 900 yards of total offense in a game featuring three lead changes in the fourth quarter alone. The Tar Heels led by 13 points in the first quarter and 12 in the fourth, before allowing Blue Devil scoring runs to erase each one. Carolina’s 26-14 advantage early in the final quarter was turned around in a stunning Duke rally, spearheaded by two Jordan Waters runs sandwiched around an onside kick recovery.
Special teams proved to be solidly in favor of the Blue Devils all night, as Duke successfully ran a fake punt and a botched kickoff return pinned the Tar Heels at their own 1-yard line. That last mishap was followed by a Drake Maye interception one snap later, which led to a Duke touchdown and a 14-13 lead late in the second quarter. The Tar Heels answered that with a field goal in the dying seconds of the half. It proved to be a harbinger of things to come.
Amid a helter-skelter final 15 minutes, the Blue Devils thought they had a potentially game-ending interception on a 15-yard pass to tight end Bryson Nesbit. Nesbit and the Duke defensive back both fought for the ball as they were coming down, and after discussion by the officials it was ruled to be UNC’s ball. Two plays later, it was Nesbit fighting through pass interference to haul in the go-ahead touchdown. Carolina led, 33-29, with 1:55 remaining.
On Duke’s next drive, the Tar Heels had the game in their grasp: the Blue Devils faced a 4th and 7 on the Carolina 30-yard line with 46 seconds left. But as UNC brought an all-out blitz, Loftis lofted a perfect pass over the head of cornerback Marcus Allen and into the waiting arms of Jordan Moore. Duke took the lead again, 36-33, with 41 seconds left. UNC had two timeouts at its disposal to try to tie or win the game.
“I thought we’d have a chance to score a touchdown,” Brown said.
Despite that confidence, UNC had to stake its chances on the right foot of kicker Noah Burnette. Burnette had made his previous four field goal tries on the night, though this was the longest: 42 yards. And with the game on the line, Burnette stayed perfect, giving a delirious Kenan Stadium crowd free football.
The teams traded more field goals in the first overtime before UNC scored a touchdown and added a two-point conversion on its possession of double overtime. The Tar Heels appeared to have an ineligible man downfield on the two-point play, but no call was made.
On its ensuing possession, Duke scored on Loftis’ third touchdown pass of the night. Once again, the game would come down to one play. If the Blue Devils scored on their two-point play, the game would blaze deeper into the night (and morning). If they didn’t, the Victory Bell would stay a lighter shade of blue.
Loftis dropped back and zipped a pass to the end zone, but just out of the reach of his receiver. It set off a wild celebration inside Kenan, with fans storming the field and Tar Heel players sprinting toward the bell in the opposite end zone.
“I ran straight to the bell,” said linebacker Cedric Gray, who was among a host of Carolina players celebrating their Senior Night. “Kinda hopped on it. I didn’t even know they let the fans onto the field. Fans were crowding me. It was a crazy moment.”
Surrounded by 50,000 of his closest friends, Brown was moved to tears during a postgame interview.
“I’m so proud of ‘em.”
Mack Brown was overcome with emotion after @UNCFootball’s 2OT victory over Duke 🥹 pic.twitter.com/2DsTyqQYiT
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) November 12, 2023
“Why was I emotional?” Brown said. “Jesus Christ! When you win a football game like this… you are so proud of those kids,” Brown said. “These kids won a game down by three with 41 seconds left. That doesn’t happen.”
Stat Round-Up
Burnette finished the game a perfect 6-6 on field goals. He’s only the second Tar Heel ever to make at least five field goals in a single game. Running back Omarion Hampton posted another outstanding statline, rushing 31 times for 169 yards and a touchdown. It’s Hampton’s fifth straight 100-yard game, making him the first UNC player to accomplish this feat since Giovani Bernard in 2011. The school record is six.
Receiver Tez Walker didn’t catch a touchdown pass, but he did post a season-high in receiving yards with 162. No other Tar Heel had more than 68.
This is the first time Carolina has played multiple overtime games in a single season, and it’s only the second-ever overtime game in the history of the UNC-Duke series.
At 8-2, Carolina’s slim ACC title hopes are still alive. The team will be back in action next Saturday at Clemson at 3:30 p.m.
Featured image via Associated Press/Chris Seward
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