University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Close Season With Blue Devils
November 23, 2002 | Football
Nov. 23, 2002
With one final opportunity to earn its first league victory, North Carolina closes out the 2002 season at Duke -- a team it has beaten 12 consecutive times -- today at Noon. The game will be televised by JP Sports, and can be heard live on the Tar Heel Sports Network. Live stats are also available online.
Carolina must win on Saturday to avoid its first winless season in the ACC and first 10-loss season since 1989.
Carolina's 12-game win streak over the lue Devils is the longest winning streak in the series. The last time the Tar Heels lost to Duke came in 1989. Carolina has scored 38.6 points per game in the 12-game win streak, winning by an average of 20.3 points per game.
Carolina (2-9, 0-7 ACC) is coming off a 40-14 loss to Florida State last week in Tallahassee. Duke is coming off a 17-2 loss at Georgia Tech. Both Duke and Carolina are searching for its first ACC victory.
The Tar Heels could get a boost from the possible return of QB Darian Durant, who practiced this week for the first time since fracturing the thumb on his throwing hand in a loss at Virginia.
"I think we're 50-50," said head coach John Bunting of Durant's chances to play against Duke. "Each day he's thrown some. Each day he feels like he feels better. He doesn't suffer a great deal of pain. There's still a concern. There's a concern about him being out for a while and being away from the game, but he's a sharp kid. There's no doubt in my mind he wants to play."
Durant led the ACC in passing yards and total offense before the injury at Virginia.
Since the ACC began in 1953, Carolina has closed the season with Duke in 41 of the last 50 years.
BATTLE FOR THE BELL
In addition to earning an ACC victory, the
Carolina-Duke winner will claim the coveted
Victory Bell. The Victory Bell goes annually
to the winner of the Carolina-Duke football
game. A large bell on wheels, this prize to the
winner of the season finale was originated in
the 1940s by Norm Sper, a Tar Heel cheerleader.
The Victory Bell has resided in Chapel
Hill for the last 12 years.
PASSING OFFENSE SETS RECORDS
Carolina leads the ACC and is ranked 23rd in the country in passing offense, averaging 266.9
yards per game. The Tar Heels, who are on pace to set a school record for passing yards per
game, have already set school records for total passing yards (2,936) and passing attempts (398)
and are 11 completions shy of a school record for pass completions.
SERIES NOTES VS. DUKE
AGAINST IN-STATE OPPONENTS
Carolina has been the dominant program in the state, winning 37 of the last 44 games against in-state rivals
Wake Forest, Duke, NC State and ECU. The Tar Heels have a 12-game winning streak over the Blue Devils, have won 10 of the last 13 matchups against the Deacons, have won eight of 10 against the Wolfpack and have won seven of nine
against East Carolina. Carolina is 227-97-17 all-time against in-state opponents.
