There were no first-half struggles to work through this week for the UNC football team, as the Tar Heels traveled to Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday and wasted no time running up the score in a 56-24 blowout victory over the Duke Blue Devils. 

Sophomore quarterback Sam Howell threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Javonte Williams to complete the game’s opening drive, which was the first of seven straight touchdown drives for a Tar Heel offense among the most explosive in the country.

Williams accounted for four touchdowns himself in the first half—including a pair of rushing touchdowns longer than 30 yards—on a day where UNC (5-2) took a commanding 42-10 lead into halftime.

On the other side of the ball, the Tar Heels forced a pair of turnovers that turned into touchdowns and largely held Duke (2-6) in check after struggling mightily on defense in last week’s loss at Virginia.

This also marks the second straight year head coach Mack Brown’s team has claimed the Victory Bell and the largest margin of victory the program has posted in the rivalry since 2015. 

“It was an important game for our university and our fanbase,” Brown said. “I’m so proud that our players understood that. And they dominated the game.” 

Despite sitting out for the majority of the fourth quarter, Howell still finished with 235 yards and three scores. On the ground, Williams powered his way to 151 rushing yards on just 12 carries while partner-in-crime Michael Carter added 137 total yards and two touchdowns with his work in both the running and passing games.

It was the type of balanced, clinical performance that coaches dream of when they draw up the game plans each week—with seemingly everything firing on all cylinders. 

“Offensively, we were on fire in the first half,” Brown said. “Messed up a few things in the second half, but glad we got to play so many people. Especially on defense we played so many young ones.  

“That will help us moving forward,” he added. “But really, five out of five touchdowns in the red zone, four out of four on fourth down conversions and you rush the ball for 383 yards. That’s a great day offensively.” 

For the Tar Heels this win was exactly what the doctor ordered as they bounced back from a loss with a dominant rivalry win for the second time this season.

While the team hasn’t played up to expectations on a week-to-week basis in the way many had hoped, impressive showings like the one on Saturday remind everyone why the expectations were so high to begin with. 

“The people that support us, and support us emotionally and financially and come to the games, they’ve got to go to church and work and the grocery store with people that live in this neighborhood,” Brown said. “And it’s really, really important to me and our team that our fans can walk around with their chests stuck out this afternoon and tomorrow and feel really, really good about their team.”

 

Up Next:

The Tar Heels return home to Kenan Stadium next weekend to host Wake Forest in another game set to kick off at noon.

Game Notes:

  • UNC’s 42 points in the first half represented the most the program has scored in a single half since racking up 52 against Duke in a 59-21 win back in 2000.
  • There were 26 different plays in the game where UNC gained at least 10 yards.
  • The Tar Heels lead the all-time series against Duke with a record of 60-40-4.
  • UNC is now 4-0 against Duke and NC State over the last two seasons since Mack Brown returned to the sidelines in Chapel Hill.

 

FINAL STATS

 

Cover photo via Jim Dedmon (USA Today Sports)

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