University of North Carolina Athletics
Saturday, October 17
Durham, N.C. (Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium)
3:30 P.M.
North Carolina
at
Duke
Football Travels To Duke Saturday In Battle For The Victory Bell
October 15, 2026 | Football
First And Ten
• Carolina is in its 136th season of football (139th year) in 2026 and the Tar Heels own an all-time record of 758-586-54.
• UNC will make the short trip to Duke on Saturday for the 113th meeting between the programs in the 2026 edition of the Battle for the Victory Bell. Kickoff from Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium is set for 3:30 p.m. on ESPN2 with Lowell Galindo (PxP), Kirk Morrison (Analyst) and Dawn Davenport (Sideline) on the call.
• In their last outing, the Tar Heels earned a 21-17 win against No. 25 Pitt to record the program's first win over a ranked opponent since 2023 and Carolina's first ranked road win since 2020. It was also the first ranked win for second-year head coach Bill Belichick.
• Coach Belichick improved his record as a head coach at Acrisure Stadium to 9-3 with the win.
• The Tar Heel defense excelled against the Panthers and forced three consecutive turnovers on downs by Pitt to close the game in a strong, second-half effort. After Pitt ran for 4.4 yards per carry, UNC clamped down and held the Panthers to just 36 yards on the ground and 2.4 per run in the second half.
• Sophomore Xavier Lewis tallied a career-high 11 tackles and was named the ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week for the second time this season on Monday. His 1.90 tackles for loss per game rank second nationally and lead the ACC, while his 1.30 sacks per game rank fourth nationally and first in the conference.
• Tre Miller turned in his best performance as a Tar Heel in the win at Pitt, recording four tackles, two pass breakups and his first career interception, which he returned for 18 yards. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Miller allowed just two yards on four targets, earning a 91.0 coverage grade and an 89.4 overall defensive grade, both of which were the highest among players on either team.
• The Tar Heels are second in the nation in fewest penalty yards and penalties through five games this season with 137 and 19, respectively.
• Carolina is allowing just 19.0 points per game, fourth best in the ACC and 34th nationally.
• UNC owns the ninth toughest strength of schedule, according to ESPN, having played a pair of ranked teams this season (No. 3 Notre Dame and No. 25 Pitt).
Ranked Road Win
• North Carolina picked up its first win over a ranked opponent in three seasons with its 21-17 win at No. 25 Pitt on Saturday.
• The win marked Carolina's first over a ranked foe since defeating Miami in 2023 and its first road victory over a top-25 opponent since beating No. 9 Miami in 2020.
• It also marked the first ranked win for UNC head coach Bill Belichick.
Miller Named to PFF National Team Of The Week, ACC Defensive Back Of The Week
• Redshirt junior Tre Miller turned in his best performance as a Tar Heel, recording four tackles, two pass breakups and his first career interception, which he returned for 18 yards.
• According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Miller allowed just two yards on four targets, earning a 91.0 coverage grade and an 89.4 overall defensive grade, both of which were the highest among players on either team.
• He played 53 of UNC's 86 defensive snaps and helped the Carolina defense hold Pitt to 0-for-4 on fourth down in the second half and just 2.4 yards per rush.
Lewis Tabbed ACC Defensive Lineman Of The Week For Second Time
• Sophomore Xavier Lewis recorded another standout performance, tallying a career-high 11 tackles and adding a half sack to help lead the Tar Heels to a 21-17 win at No. 25 Pitt on Saturday. His 11 tackles surpassed his previous career high of seven, achieved in the season opener against TCU.
• Through five games, Lewis has totaled 9.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks on the season. His 1.90 tackles for loss per game rank second nationally and lead the ACC, while his 1.30 sacks per game rank fourth nationally and first in the conference.
• The Rolesville, North Carolina, native also earned ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors following the TCU game on Aug. 31.
Big Play Easter
• With the Tar Heels trailing 17-14 in the fourth quarter, tight end Shamar Easter came up with one of the biggest plays of the game, as he reeled in a 25-yard pass from quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. and raced 50 yards down the field for a 75-yard touchdown reception to give Carolina a 21-17 lead.
• It is the longest play of the season for UNC, the longest reception of Easter's career and tied for the longest touchdown pass of Edwards' collegiate career.
• The big play was also the first time Carolina has scored on its first offensive play of a drive.
Tight End Takeover
• North Carolina's tight ends have been a weapon for the offense throughout the season, but the group has been stellar in the last two games against ranked opponents.
• The group has tallied 15 receptions for 184 yards and five touchdowns across the Notre Dame and Pitt games.
• Redshirt junior Jelani Thurman has found the end zone three times in the last two games, while Easter has scored once in the Tar Heels' two most recent contests.
• For the season, Thurman has 22 catches for 262 yards with four touchdowns and Easter has compiled six receptions for 122 yards and two scores.
• Collectively, the tight ends have accounted for 395 yards this season, including freshman Carson Sneed's 11-yard reception.
McDonald Making An Impact
• Graduate student Derek McDonald is making the most of his first season in Chapel Hill, as the linebacker leads the ACC in tackles per game with 9.80.
• Overall, McDonald has tallied 49 tackles, the second most in the conference, despite several teams having played six games to UNC's five.
• McDonald has recorded double-digit tackles in four of the Tar Heels five games this season, headlined by a season-high 13 against third-ranked Notre Dame.
Forcing Turnovers
• Carolina's defense has forced at least one turnover in four of its five games this season and the Tar Heels have recorded two turnovers in three games.
• UNC has tallied four interceptions and three fumble recoveries this year.
First Career Start For Thomas
• Outside linebacker Calvin Thomas made his first career start at Pitt, tallying a pair of tackles, including a crucial third-down stop that led to a turnover on downs for the Panthers on the following play.
First In A Tar Heel Uniform
• Graduate student Donovan Hoilette Jr. recorded his first sack in a Tar Heel uniform on Saturday, bringing down the Pitt quarterback for a loss of nine yards on third down to force a punt.
• The West Palm Beach, Florida, native now has 13.5 career sacks and his first of the season.
Last Time Versus Duke
• One or two plays usually decide the outcome of rivalry games, and that was the case last year when Duke made a few more plays to slip past North Carolina, 32-25, at Kenan Stadium.
• After taking a 25-24 lead with 13:13 remaining in the fourth quarter and forcing a fourth-down stop, the Tar Heels seemed to have grabbed the momentum in the game, but Duke wouldn't go away.
• Facing a fourth-and-3 on the UNC 27-yard line, the Blue Devils executed a perfect fake field goal, as kicker Todd Pelino took the pitch from holder Kade Reynoldson and picked up 26 yards before he was pushed out of bounds at the 1-yard line. Running back Anderson Castle scored on the next play to make it 32-25 after the two-point conversion, and that proved to be the difference.
Last Time at Duke
• Duke overcame a 20-0, third-quarter deficit and edged North Carolina, 21-20 on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024 at Wallace Wade Stadium in the ACC opener for both teams.
• The loss snapped UNC's five-game winning streak in the series.
• Jacolby Criswell completed 21 of 39 passing attempts for 251 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for UNC. Omarion Hampton ran 29 times for 103 yards while also posting a career-high 50 receiving yards on four catches. J.J. Jones caught five passes for 89 yards and a score.
Smart Football
• Carolina has committed just 19 penalties for 137 yards through five games this season, which is the second fewest in the nation for total penalties and penalty yardage.
• The Tar Heels had only three in their season-opening win against TCU, five penalties against ETSU, five at Clemson, three against Notre Dame and three at Pitt.
• UNC's 19 penalties are the fewest by an ACC team and second fewest nationally behind Notre Dame with 18.
Dominant Defense
• North Carolina has allowed just 19.0 points per game to opponent, which is the fourth best in the conference and 34th nationally.
• The Tar Heels have held three of their five opponents to 17 points or fewer.
Red Zone Defense
• The Tar Heels rank 12th nationally and second in the ACC in red zone defense, allowing opponents to score on just 73.3% of their trips to the red zone.
• UNC has yielded just seven touchdowns in the red zone and only four field goals, while forcing three turnovers on downs and a missed field goal.
Red Zone Offense
• Carolina's offense has been really good in the red zone this season, as the Tar Heels rank 21st nationally and third in the ACC with a 93.8% success rate.
• UNC has 15 red zone scores in 16 trips with 11 touchdowns and four field goals.
Converting On Fourth Down
• UNC leads the ACC and ranks 11th nationally in fourth-down conversion percentage, as the Tar Heels have elected to go for it four times on fourth down and have been successful three times.
• Carolina is in its 136th season of football (139th year) in 2026 and the Tar Heels own an all-time record of 758-586-54.
• UNC will make the short trip to Duke on Saturday for the 113th meeting between the programs in the 2026 edition of the Battle for the Victory Bell. Kickoff from Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium is set for 3:30 p.m. on ESPN2 with Lowell Galindo (PxP), Kirk Morrison (Analyst) and Dawn Davenport (Sideline) on the call.
• In their last outing, the Tar Heels earned a 21-17 win against No. 25 Pitt to record the program's first win over a ranked opponent since 2023 and Carolina's first ranked road win since 2020. It was also the first ranked win for second-year head coach Bill Belichick.
• Coach Belichick improved his record as a head coach at Acrisure Stadium to 9-3 with the win.
• The Tar Heel defense excelled against the Panthers and forced three consecutive turnovers on downs by Pitt to close the game in a strong, second-half effort. After Pitt ran for 4.4 yards per carry, UNC clamped down and held the Panthers to just 36 yards on the ground and 2.4 per run in the second half.
• Sophomore Xavier Lewis tallied a career-high 11 tackles and was named the ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week for the second time this season on Monday. His 1.90 tackles for loss per game rank second nationally and lead the ACC, while his 1.30 sacks per game rank fourth nationally and first in the conference.
• Tre Miller turned in his best performance as a Tar Heel in the win at Pitt, recording four tackles, two pass breakups and his first career interception, which he returned for 18 yards. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Miller allowed just two yards on four targets, earning a 91.0 coverage grade and an 89.4 overall defensive grade, both of which were the highest among players on either team.
• The Tar Heels are second in the nation in fewest penalty yards and penalties through five games this season with 137 and 19, respectively.
• Carolina is allowing just 19.0 points per game, fourth best in the ACC and 34th nationally.
• UNC owns the ninth toughest strength of schedule, according to ESPN, having played a pair of ranked teams this season (No. 3 Notre Dame and No. 25 Pitt).
Ranked Road Win
• North Carolina picked up its first win over a ranked opponent in three seasons with its 21-17 win at No. 25 Pitt on Saturday.
• The win marked Carolina's first over a ranked foe since defeating Miami in 2023 and its first road victory over a top-25 opponent since beating No. 9 Miami in 2020.
• It also marked the first ranked win for UNC head coach Bill Belichick.
Miller Named to PFF National Team Of The Week, ACC Defensive Back Of The Week
• Redshirt junior Tre Miller turned in his best performance as a Tar Heel, recording four tackles, two pass breakups and his first career interception, which he returned for 18 yards.
• According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Miller allowed just two yards on four targets, earning a 91.0 coverage grade and an 89.4 overall defensive grade, both of which were the highest among players on either team.
• He played 53 of UNC's 86 defensive snaps and helped the Carolina defense hold Pitt to 0-for-4 on fourth down in the second half and just 2.4 yards per rush.
Lewis Tabbed ACC Defensive Lineman Of The Week For Second Time
• Sophomore Xavier Lewis recorded another standout performance, tallying a career-high 11 tackles and adding a half sack to help lead the Tar Heels to a 21-17 win at No. 25 Pitt on Saturday. His 11 tackles surpassed his previous career high of seven, achieved in the season opener against TCU.
• Through five games, Lewis has totaled 9.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks on the season. His 1.90 tackles for loss per game rank second nationally and lead the ACC, while his 1.30 sacks per game rank fourth nationally and first in the conference.
• The Rolesville, North Carolina, native also earned ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors following the TCU game on Aug. 31.
Big Play Easter
• With the Tar Heels trailing 17-14 in the fourth quarter, tight end Shamar Easter came up with one of the biggest plays of the game, as he reeled in a 25-yard pass from quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. and raced 50 yards down the field for a 75-yard touchdown reception to give Carolina a 21-17 lead.
• It is the longest play of the season for UNC, the longest reception of Easter's career and tied for the longest touchdown pass of Edwards' collegiate career.
• The big play was also the first time Carolina has scored on its first offensive play of a drive.
Tight End Takeover
• North Carolina's tight ends have been a weapon for the offense throughout the season, but the group has been stellar in the last two games against ranked opponents.
• The group has tallied 15 receptions for 184 yards and five touchdowns across the Notre Dame and Pitt games.
• Redshirt junior Jelani Thurman has found the end zone three times in the last two games, while Easter has scored once in the Tar Heels' two most recent contests.
• For the season, Thurman has 22 catches for 262 yards with four touchdowns and Easter has compiled six receptions for 122 yards and two scores.
• Collectively, the tight ends have accounted for 395 yards this season, including freshman Carson Sneed's 11-yard reception.
McDonald Making An Impact
• Graduate student Derek McDonald is making the most of his first season in Chapel Hill, as the linebacker leads the ACC in tackles per game with 9.80.
• Overall, McDonald has tallied 49 tackles, the second most in the conference, despite several teams having played six games to UNC's five.
• McDonald has recorded double-digit tackles in four of the Tar Heels five games this season, headlined by a season-high 13 against third-ranked Notre Dame.
Forcing Turnovers
• Carolina's defense has forced at least one turnover in four of its five games this season and the Tar Heels have recorded two turnovers in three games.
• UNC has tallied four interceptions and three fumble recoveries this year.
First Career Start For Thomas
• Outside linebacker Calvin Thomas made his first career start at Pitt, tallying a pair of tackles, including a crucial third-down stop that led to a turnover on downs for the Panthers on the following play.
First In A Tar Heel Uniform
• Graduate student Donovan Hoilette Jr. recorded his first sack in a Tar Heel uniform on Saturday, bringing down the Pitt quarterback for a loss of nine yards on third down to force a punt.
• The West Palm Beach, Florida, native now has 13.5 career sacks and his first of the season.
Last Time Versus Duke
• One or two plays usually decide the outcome of rivalry games, and that was the case last year when Duke made a few more plays to slip past North Carolina, 32-25, at Kenan Stadium.
• After taking a 25-24 lead with 13:13 remaining in the fourth quarter and forcing a fourth-down stop, the Tar Heels seemed to have grabbed the momentum in the game, but Duke wouldn't go away.
• Facing a fourth-and-3 on the UNC 27-yard line, the Blue Devils executed a perfect fake field goal, as kicker Todd Pelino took the pitch from holder Kade Reynoldson and picked up 26 yards before he was pushed out of bounds at the 1-yard line. Running back Anderson Castle scored on the next play to make it 32-25 after the two-point conversion, and that proved to be the difference.
Last Time at Duke
• Duke overcame a 20-0, third-quarter deficit and edged North Carolina, 21-20 on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024 at Wallace Wade Stadium in the ACC opener for both teams.
• The loss snapped UNC's five-game winning streak in the series.
• Jacolby Criswell completed 21 of 39 passing attempts for 251 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for UNC. Omarion Hampton ran 29 times for 103 yards while also posting a career-high 50 receiving yards on four catches. J.J. Jones caught five passes for 89 yards and a score.
Smart Football
• Carolina has committed just 19 penalties for 137 yards through five games this season, which is the second fewest in the nation for total penalties and penalty yardage.
• The Tar Heels had only three in their season-opening win against TCU, five penalties against ETSU, five at Clemson, three against Notre Dame and three at Pitt.
• UNC's 19 penalties are the fewest by an ACC team and second fewest nationally behind Notre Dame with 18.
Dominant Defense
• North Carolina has allowed just 19.0 points per game to opponent, which is the fourth best in the conference and 34th nationally.
• The Tar Heels have held three of their five opponents to 17 points or fewer.
Red Zone Defense
• The Tar Heels rank 12th nationally and second in the ACC in red zone defense, allowing opponents to score on just 73.3% of their trips to the red zone.
• UNC has yielded just seven touchdowns in the red zone and only four field goals, while forcing three turnovers on downs and a missed field goal.
Red Zone Offense
• Carolina's offense has been really good in the red zone this season, as the Tar Heels rank 21st nationally and third in the ACC with a 93.8% success rate.
• UNC has 15 red zone scores in 16 trips with 11 touchdowns and four field goals.
Converting On Fourth Down
• UNC leads the ACC and ranks 11th nationally in fourth-down conversion percentage, as the Tar Heels have elected to go for it four times on fourth down and have been successful three times.
Players Mentioned
Tight End
/ Football
Quarterback
/ Football
Defensive Line
/ Football
Defensive Line
/ Football
Linebacker
/ Football
Defensive Back
/ Football
Tight End
/ Football
Linebacker
/ Football
Tight End
/ FootballThursday, October 15
Wednesday, October 14
Tuesday, October 13
Monday, October 12