UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham and head football coach Larry Fedora have officially apologized to Duke University after the Tar Heel football team did at least $10,000 worth of damage to Duke’s visiting locker room after Thursday night’s football game.

The Tar Heels won that game 45-20, and as per tradition, they got to spray-paint the Victory Bell with the team colors. But the players reportedly took the spray paint with them into the locker room – and proceeded to spray paint the walls and carpets as well.

UNC officials have said they’ll pay for repairs; estimates of the damage have run as high as $25,000.

Fedora and Cunningham issued an official statement of apology which reads:

“We would like to apologize to the Duke Football program and Duke University for some inappropriate actions after last Thursday night’s game in Durham. Our team took the celebration too far when they were painting the bell, resulting in damage to some of the facilities at Duke. We take full responsibility for our actions and will be paying for all costs associated with the cleanup. We view this as a rivalry built on mutual respect and we expect our players to behave better in a way that is more befitting of the rivalry.”

Larry Fedora also reportedly called Duke head coach David Cutcliffe to apologize personally.

Related Stories
‹
100 Years of Kenan Stadium: 'A Tsunami of Scoring and Defense'
Chapelboro's very own Kenny Dike remembers a stunning UNC blowout win against No. 5 Florida State in Kenan Stadium in 2001.
2026 UNC Football Opponent Preview: Duke
UNC and Duke will write another chapter in the Battle for the Victory Bell Saturday in Durham. The Blue Devils are 4-1 overall and 1-1 in ACC play on the season, having suffered their first loss of the year at Georgia Tech last Saturday. Duke fell 28-25 after missing a short field goal in the […]
UNC's Xavier Lewis, Tre Miller Each Earn ACC Player of the Week Nods
Following UNC’s 21-17 win at No. 25 Pitt Saturday, Tar Heel defensive lineman Xavier Lewis and cornerback Tre Miller were each named ACC Players of the Week at their positions. 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞: Week 6 🔗 https://t.co/zIbMJdc9Kf pic.twitter.com/BK1OK9st13 — ACC Football (@ACCFootball) October 12, 2026 Lewis recorded a career-high 11 tackles against the Panthers, […]
UNC Football Holds on to Beat No. 25 Pitt, Earn Belichick's First Ranked Win
Billy Edwards and Shamar Easter connected on a 75-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter to give the Tar Heels a lead they wouldn’t relinquish, helping UNC beat No. 25 Pitt on the road Saturday afternoon. It’s Carolina’s first ranked win under head coach Bill Belichick, and the program’s first ranked win on the […]
UNC Football at Pittsburgh (2026): How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Kickoff Time
UNC will head up to the Steel City Saturday to face No. 25 Pitt, which enters the game with a 5-0 record. The Tar Heels have won 8 of 11 meetings with the Panthers since they joined the ACC. If you aren’t traveling north with the team, here’s how you can follow along at home: […]
Against Wounded Pitt, UNC Football Seeks More Consistency — And a Win
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: UNC has a chance for a key road win against a team which is making a quarterback change.
100 Years of Kenan Stadium: Swamping the Gators
The term "football weather" doesn't usually mean a rainstorm, but a memorable Kenan Stadium win for UNC came on just that kind of day.
100 Years of Kenan Stadium: Dress for Success
UNC alumnus Hal Fischer recalls his surprise at seeing Tar Heel fans at Kenan Stadium dressed in coats and ties.
2026 UNC Football Opponent Preview: Pittsburgh
UNC will make the trip up north to face No. 25 Pittsburgh Saturday. The Panthers are making their debut in the AP Top 25 this week after beginning the season 5-0. Pitt is coming off a thrilling 35-33 win at Virginia Tech which saw the Hokies miss a potential game-winning field goal as time expired. […]
With a Long Stretch Ahead, UNC Football Can't Afford to Look Backward
Instead of taking any sort of moral victory from Saturday's loss to No. 3 Notre Dame, UNC is focusing on its long road ahead.
›