Was this one of the best UNC-Duke football games ever?
North Carolina and Duke just played in another nail-biter. Similar to last year’s game in Durham, it took late-game heroics to win this one. It was a back-and-forth game that UNC had control of early in the fourth quarter.
First Half
- First Quarter- Omarion Hampton couldn’t be stopped. The Tar Heels used him over and over to get down the field. A Drake Maye run and Noah Burnette field goal gave UNC a 10-0 lead after the first.
- Second Quarter- North Carolina kicked another field goal to take a 13-0 lead. After that, multiple mistakes got Duke back into it. Leaning on their running backs, the Blue Devils marched down the field and scored. On the ensuing kickoff, UNC downed the ball on the one-yard line. Drake Maye threw a pick on the next play. That led to a short field score for Duke to take a 14-13 lead. Luckily, Maye is the best quarterback in college football, and he led the Heels to a field goal right before half for a 16-14 lead.
Second Half
- Third Quarter- Not much happened here, as UNC kicked another field goal to go up 19-14.
- Fourth Quarter- Now things get crazy. The two teams combined for 39 points in the final 15 minutes. Maye and the offense had to keep scoring as the defense couldn’t get a stop and special teams gave up an onside kick. UNC took the lead with under two minutes left in the game. It was too much time. Duke got to the 30-yard line, where the Tar Heels defense held them to a fourth and seven. On that fourth down, North Carolina sent the house on a blitz, and a Duke wide receiver got free for a touchdown. Again, luckily for the Tar Heels, they have Drake Maye. With 41 seconds left, he led a drive to the 25-yard line to set Noah Burnette up for a field goal that would send the game to overtime. Burnette hit it!
First Overtime
- Both teams traded a field goal to go to double overtime.
Second Overtime
- UNC started with the ball. They scored a rushing touchdown and were able to get the two-point conversion.
- Duke got their chance. They scored a touchdown as well. Needing the two-point try to keep the game alive, their pass was incomplete in the back of the endzone.
When that pass fell to the ground, pandamonium followed. Carolina fans rushed the field to celebrate the win over bitter rival Duke. It was senior day, and the Tar Heels had won another classic over that school eight miles away. What a way for the seniors to go out!
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