University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Take Victory Bell To Franklin Street
November 21, 2004 | Football
Nov. 21, 2004
Victory Bell Hits Franklin Street
North Carolina reclaimed the Victory Bell with a 40-17 win over Duke on Saturday afternoon and celebrated by painting the Bell Carolina blue immediately following the game.
The Tar Heel celebration didn't end there, however. Carolina loaded up the Victory Bell, which first went to the winner of the UNC-Duke game in the 1940s, on the back of a flat-bed truck and paraded down Franklin Street in Chapel Hill on the trip back to the Kenan Football Center.
"It was a lot of fun," said head coach John Bunting. "It was an important win and I'm really proud of this team, especially what our seniors have done."
Sitting on the back of the flatbed, senior center Jason Brown rang the bell as fans and store owners cheered the Tar Heels back home.
The Bell was quickly unloaded and carried back to the Tar Heel locker room where it has resided for 14 of the last 15 years.
Defense Continues To Improve
Carolina's defense has shown marked improvement over the last four weeks of the season.
In Saturday's win over Duke, the Tar Heels allowed a season-low 234 toal yards, including just 53 yards rushing. That is the fewest allowed since Carolina held Auburn to 176 yards in the Peach Bowl in 2001.
"It's obvious that we've gotten better on defense," said Bunting. "We have young players who have become more experienced and have continued to improve."
After allowing a school record 669 yards to Utah, the Tar Heels held Miami to 415 yards, Virginia Tech to 370, Wake Forest 335 and Duke, 234. Over the last three games, Carolina is allowing just 313 yards of offense.
A Week Off
The Tar Heels will not practice this week while awaiting word on a possible bowl game. Carolina players will meet against next Sunday evening and at that time head coach John Bunting hopes to know his team's next opponent.
More Notes From The Duke Game
*North Carolina has now won 14 of the last 15 against Duke. The Tar Heels
won 13 straight from 1990-2002, before losing in 2003.
*Carolina swept its three in-state rivals (NC State, Wake Forest and Duke) for the first time since 1998. Carolina defeated NC State 30-24, Wake Forest 31-24 and Duke 40-17.
*Chad Scott now has 747 yards rushing this season. That is the most rushing yards in a season for a Tar Heel since Jonathan Linton had 1,004 in 1997.
*Kareen Taylor's 64-yard interception return for a touchdown is the first interception for a touchdown since Dexter Reid returned one 67 yards for a score against Virginia in 2001.
*Chad Scott rushed for 144 yards against Duke. It is his third 100-yard rushing game of the season and third in the last four games. He had a career-high 175 yards vs. Miami, 122 vs. Virginia Tech and 145 against Duke. It is the 31st time a UNC tailback has rushed for 100 or more yards against Duke.
*Scott rushed for two touchdowns against Duke. He has seven rushing touchdowns in the last four games (2 vs. Miami, 2 vs. Virginia Tech, 1 vs. Wake Forest.
*Carolina had 486 total yards of offense against the Blue Devils. That is the third-most this season behind 575 vs. William & Mary and 545 vs. Miami.
*Carolina's 23-point victory margin is the most since a 52-17 (35 points) vs. Duke in 2001.
*UNC quarterback Darian Durant improved his career totals to 65 passing touchdowns, 8,496 passing yards, 678 completions and 9,376 total yards of offense. In the ACC record book, Durant ranks tied for third with Joe Hamilton in passing touchdowns, seventh in passing yards and fifth in total offense.
*Durant has now thrown a touchdown pass in 34 of the last 40 games.
*Tailback Ronnie McGill rushed for 95 yards on 18 carries and scored one touchdown. That is the most since rushing for 133 against William & Mary in the season opener. McGill scored his first touchdown since the Georgia Tech game (third game of the season).
