McGill Touchdown, Dopson Interception Lift UNC Past Duke 24-20 for Victory Bell

DURHAM, N.C. — North Carolina reclaimed the Victory Bell Saturday, surviving a Duke comeback and taking a 24-20 win at Wallace Wade Stadium after a decisive fourth-quarter touchdown and interception.

Jaylen McGill scored on a 24-yard run with 1:53 remaining, putting the Tar Heels back in front after Duke had erased a 17-point deficit. The late scoring drive relied heavily on McGill, who carried three times for 44 yards during the possession.

UNC had controlled the opening stages, building a 17-0 lead in the first 17 minutes. But the Tar Heels then went more than 41 minutes without scoring, allowing Duke to chip away and eventually move ahead 20-17 inside the final five minutes. That set the stage for McGill’s answer.

Duke still had an opportunity to steal the rivalry game. The Blue Devils moved into North Carolina territory on their final drive, reaching inside the UNC 35. But an intentional-grounding penalty with 24 seconds left pushed Duke back to the Carolina 44. On the ensuing play, Kenton Dopson III intercepted quarterback Walker Eget at the UNC 15-yard line with 14 seconds remaining, ending the threat.

The result moved North Carolina to 4-2 overall and 2-1 in ACC play, while Duke dropped to 4-2 and 1-2 in the conference. UNC won its second straight game and halted Duke’s two-game winning streak in the series. It was also Carolina’s first victory in Durham since 2022.

The Tar Heels now lead the all-time rivalry 67-42-4. The loss was Duke’s first at home this season and ended an eight-game winning streak against in-state opponents. For North Carolina, the comeback response on its final meaningful offensive possession turned what could have been a frustrating collapse into a significant conference and rivalry win.

The Victory Bell, awarded to the winner of the annual matchup, returns to Chapel Hill. Both teams will now turn their attention to the remainder of their ACC schedules, with Saturday’s finish underscoring how quickly late-game execution can determine a close conference result.

Source: University of North Carolina Athletics, October 17, 2026.