Jaylen McGill scored on a 24-yard run with 1:53 remaining as North Carolina recovered from blowing a 17-point lead to defeat host Duke 24-20 on Saturday in Durham, N.C.
Billy Edwards Jr. threw for 191 yards and a touchdown for the Tar Heels (4-2, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), who squandered a 17-0 lead before rallying late.
North Carolina players rushed across the field afterward to reclaim the Victory Bell, awarded annually to the rivalry’s winner.
Duke quarterback Walker Eget completed 24 of 38 passes for 249 yards with a touchdown and an interception on his final throw.
Eget connected with Nate Sheppard with 4:39 left on a 7-yard TD play, giving the Blue Devils (4-2, 1-2) their first lead of the game. Duke took over at the North Carolina 34 with 7:43 remaining after Tar Heels punter Adam McCann-Gibbs dropped the snap and was tackled.
Duke used eight minutes and 19 plays on the first possession of the second half but settled for a 22-yard field goal by Gavin Strange to close the gap to 17-10.
The Tar Heels responded by driving inside the Duke 10 before fumbling. Later, after a North Carolina punt, Strange kicked a 21-yard field goal with 8:47 remaining.
North Carolina drove 74 yards on the game’s opening possession, but settled for Rece Verhoff’s 28-yard field goal.
Calvin Thomas then blocked a Duke punt, with the Tar Heels taking over at the 11-yard line. North Carolina converted on Edwards’ third-down 5-yard pass to Jordan Shipp in the back of the end zone. The lead was 10-0 less than eight minutes into the game.
The margin grew to 17-0 after Demon June’s 4-yard fourth-down run on the third play of the second quarter. That pushed North Carolina’s total yardage advantage to 158-12, with Duke yet to produce a first down.
The Blue Devils then moved inside the 2-yard line but failed to convert on fourth down. Duke capitalized moments later when Shipp fumbled after a third-down reception, and Andrew Pellicciotta returned the ball 9 yards for a touchdown.