Blue Devil Country

Duke Football Pretends to Report UNC for Fraudulent Behavior

The Duke football program refused to bow down to North Carolina's flagship university.

Matt Giles

Duke football versus UNC
Duke football versus UNC / Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images
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Manny Diaz and his first Duke football squad appeared dead in the water at halftime of their home bout against rival UNC in Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday. At the time, the Blue Devils trailed, 17-0, to a Tar Heel team that allowed 70 points in a home loss to James Madison the previous week.

And Duke's deficit grew to 20-0 early in the third quarter.

But as it turns out, the Blue Devils' uninspiring start simply set the stage for the second-biggest comeback in program history, as Duke (5-0, 1-0 ACC) bounced back via three unanswered touchdowns and a win-sealing interception to defeat UNC (3-2, 0-1 ACC), 21-20.

It marked Duke's first victory over UNC since 2018 and first over Mack Brown since 1989 — also, the Blue Devils' first 5-0 start in 30 years — leading to a stormed field and aggressive recapture of the rivalry's Victory Bell.

Speaking of aggressive, the Duke football social media team was not at all concerned with sparing the feelings of Tar Heels afterward.

The celebration at UNC's expense began with the posting of a Duke blue screen:

Then came the following "Silence of the Lambs" graphic to immortalize "the terrifying events of Sept. 28, 2024":

Two hours later, Duke social media decided it wasn't finished rubbing it in, as the account proceeded to pretend as though it had reported UNC football's Instagram account for impersonating "a good football team":

Before calling it a night on the taunting, Duke capped it off by poking fun at the size of Carolina's recently installed deck, which pales in comparison to the first-year Devils Deck in Wallace Wade:

Harsh. Yet that's what makes the Duke-UNC rivalry stand out from all the rest.

Diaz's energized Blue Devils, who now boast the ACC's longest active winning streak at seven games dating back to last season, must guard against a letdown when they travel to Atlanta for a showdown against Georgia Tech at 8 p.m. Saturday (ACC Network).

Stay tuned to Duke Blue Devils On SI for more Duke football and basketball news.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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