Remembering the Good Times: UNC 45 Duke 20
Remembering the good times is a series Keeping It Heel will run leading up to the 2015 football season recalling last year’s six wins, or, the good times of the season. Today, KIH remembers the win against Duke.
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Going into the battle for the 2014 Victory Bell the North Carolina Tar Heels had a major chip on their collective shoulders, considering they had lost this game to the hated Duke Blue Devils the previous two seasons. On this Thursday Night in Durham, the Heels would send a message early that they were coming to take the Victory Bell, and they did just that. Today we’ll reminisce about Carolina’s most important “W” of the 2014 campaign.
Most of the chatter before this match-up was about how Duke was going to beat UNC for the third straight year – however, the boys from Chapel Hill had something different in mind and they came out throwing haymakers on both sides of the ball. After the Carolina defense forced a fumble, quarterback Marquise Williams kicked off the scoring with a three yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Quinshad Davis. On the Blue Devils next offensive play, quarterback Anthony Boone was sacked and fumbled – UNC defensive back Tim Scott scooped the ball up and took it in for a ten yard score, giving his team a 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
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Duke would respond on the next drive as Anthony Boone threw a ten yard TD pass to cut the Carolina lead in half. The next time the Tar Heels got the ball running back T.J. Logan broke of a long run that set them up inside the five yard line, and on fourth and goal Marquise Williams hooked up with Mack Hollins for a one yard touchdown pass which gave UNC a 21-7 edge at the end of quarter number one. The second quarter didn’t have much action but Williams did manage to add to the Tar Heels lead as he scored on a one yard run, giving his squad a shocking 28-7 lead at the break.
When the third quarter began Duke came out sling the pigskin and UNC took advantage. Anthony Boone went deep and Carolina DB M.J. Stewart picked the ball off, taking away any chance of Duke coming out and getting momentum on their side. Marquise Williams would lead the Heels down the field and once again on fourth down they would cash in, this time the result of T.J. Logan one yard run. UNC would tack on a field goal later in the third and Duke would score a touchdown but the game was pretty much over at the end of three, as the road team led 38-14.
In the fourth quarter Carolina mostly ran the ball trying to eat up the clock. Both teams would score a meaningless touchdown making the final score 45-20. UNC took the bus ride over to Durham and dominated Duke in their own turf.
This blowout had several different meanings, it brought the Victory Bell back home, restored the order in this rivalry and, most importantly it made the Tar Heels bowl eligible.
This was not only a good time but perhaps the best time of the 2014 campaign for the Tar Heels.