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North Carolina Beat Duke 24-20 to Take Back the Victory Bell

Jaylen McGill ran 24 yards for the winning touchdown with 1:53 left and Kenton Dopson sealed it with his first career interception as North Carolina beat Duke 24-20 in Durham.

By Orbit Post2 min read
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North Carolina Beat Duke 24-20 to Take Back the Victory Bell
Photo: Jrcla2, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wallace_Wade_Stadium_01.jpg)

Key points

  • North Carolina beat Duke 24-20 at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, taking back the Victory Bell on a 24 yard touchdown run by Jaylen McGill with 1:53 left.
  • North Carolina led 17-0 early.
  • Duke quarterback Walker Eget found Nate Sheppard, who had been a game time decision with an ankle injury, for a 7 yard touchdown pass with 4:39 left.

North Carolina beat Duke 24-20 at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, taking back the Victory Bell on a 24 yard touchdown run by Jaylen McGill with 1:53 left. Duke had taken its first lead of the day with 4:39 to play, and North Carolina answered with an eight play, 78 yard drive.

North Carolina led 17-0 early. The Tar Heels opened with a field goal, then took advantage of a blocked punt deep in Duke territory for a quick touchdown, and Jordan Shipp caught his first touchdown pass of the season in the first quarter. Duke's first points came on a defensive touchdown in the second quarter, and a field goal in the third cut the lead to 17-10.

Duke takes the lead, then loses it

Duke quarterback Walker Eget found Nate Sheppard, who had been a game time decision with an ankle injury, for a 7 yard touchdown pass with 4:39 left. The score capped a short drive set up when North Carolina's punter dropped a snap and was sacked, and it gave Duke a 20-17 lead, its first of the game.

North Carolina had managed 52 yards of offense in the whole second half before the last drive. The Tar Heels converted a fourth down from their own 27 yard line, a 12 yard catch by Jelani Thurman, then marched 78 yards in eight plays. McGill, who took over in the backfield after Benjamin Hall was hurt in the first quarter, scored from 24 yards out with 1:53 left.

Duke drove back into North Carolina territory, but Kenton Dopson intercepted Eget at the 34 yard line with 19 seconds left, the first interception of Dopson's career, to end it.

Numbers and what it means

Billy Edwards Jr. completed 15 of 25 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown for North Carolina. McGill ran 12 times for 75 yards and the winning score. Shipp had seven catches for 75 yards. Peyton Seelman made 16 tackles for the Tar Heels defense.

North Carolina improves to 4-2 and beats Duke for the first time since 2023. Duke falls to 4-2 after its second straight loss. The Tar Heels host Syracuse next Saturday.

Timeline

  1. Oct 17, 2026North Carolina leads Duke 17-0 early at Wallace Wade Stadium, Duke cuts it to 17-10 in the third quarter.
  2. Oct 17, 2026Duke leads 20-17 with 4:39 left, Jaylen McGill answers with a 24 yard touchdown run and North Carolina wins 24-20.

Sources