The North Carolina football team's upcoming game against Duke is not just a regular matchup — it's a personal one.
With three consecutive wins against the Blue Devils, the Tar Heels believe giving up the Victory Bell is not an option.
“That bell [has] been here for a while,” junior defensive back Tony Grimes said in Tuesday's press conference. “We can't lose that bell. I can’t personally watch that bell walk out of this locker room.”
Winning this rivalry game is something whose importance is magnified to each player that enters the program. First-year defensive back Will Hardy shared how, each day on the way to practice, he walks past pictures taken of previous senior classes after they defeated Duke and highlighted the significance of adding this year's class photo to the wall.
“I know a lot of seniors are motivated, but even as a freshman, you gotta be motivated to win it for the seniors and for the entire program,” he said.
Going into Saturday's game in Durham, the Tar Heels sit just one win away from securing bowl eligibility and are 2-0 in conference play. Although the Blue Devils have struggled in recent seasons, they have put up a formidable record of 4-2 this fall under new head coach Mike Elko's guidance.
“We know they’re much better,” junior wide receiver Josh Downs said. “They're not the same Duke team as the past three years, but we didn't take those Duke teams lightly either.”
The Blue Devils have been especially successful in their ability to run the ball, averaging 190 rushing yards per game. Additionally, they have a weapon in quarterback Riley Leonard, who has been able to capitalize on his own running skills to move the ball down the field.
However, North Carolina is confident in its capacity to limit Duke's offensive abilities. In the aftermath of a 45-32 loss to Notre Dame three weeks ago, the defense has stepped up in a major way.
