UNC Football at Duke: Preview, info, prediction and more
The Battle for the Victory Bell is renewed, as the UNC football program will look to keep its winning streak alive against Duke on Saturday night.
There is a big battle in the ACC Coastal Division on Saturday evening, as the UNC football program will keep its current three-game win streak alive against the Duke Blue Devils.
In the latest edition of the Battle for the Victory Bell, there’s a lot on the line for both programs. The Tar Heels, who currently lead the division, look to improve to 3-0 in ACC play, while the Blue Devils look to give their rival from down the road their first conference loss of the season.
North Carolina comes in riding a two-game winning streak, as they are coming off a 27-24 victory against the Miami Hurricanes. After winning their first two contests, Duke has struggled, losing two of its last three, including an overtime loss to Georgia Tech just a week ago.
What’s in store for the Tar Heels on Saturday night? Let’s take a closer look at this rivalry matchup.
Key to Victory for North Carolina
When Duke has run the ball well, it has led to success this season.
In their four victories, the Blue Devils have rushed for more than 172 yards in each of those contests.
On the contrary, in their two losses, Duke didn’t rush for more than 142 yards on the ground.
The 30+ yard difference may not seem like a lot, but the main thing here to note is this:
If the UNC football program can slow down the run game, they will put themselves in a great position to win the ball game.
Similar to some offenses they’ve recently seen, the Tar Heels will face a Blue Devils’ unit that is still trying to figure out its identity. After struggling early on, North Carolina’s run defense has stepped up, as they haven’t allowed over 100 rushing yards in each of their last two victories.
The focal point here has to be to stop the run. If they can slow down the run game, it will force Duke to go away from their strength, which will certainly favor the Tar Heels.
Something to Watch For
The Tar Heels continue to look for the right mix in the backfield, as we’ve seen the program shuffle through a few different running backs early on in the season.
Prior to the win against Miami, Drake Maye led North Carolina in rushing over the previous two weeks. With so much talent in the running back room, there’s no doubt that Phil Longo and crew don’t want this to be a regular occurrence moving forward.
Last week, sophomore Caleb Hood stepped up in a big way, as he accumulated 124 yards from scrimmage. As he makes a push towards becoming the team’s lead back, two questions remain:
- Can he stay consistent?
- Can he stay healthy?
The first question is a little less concerning, given the talent and production he’s shown so far. The issue with Hood is the injury bug, as the Tar Heels need him healthy in order for him to solidify being the team’s top running back option.
It will be interesting to keep on Hood during Saturday night’s contest, as we’ll see if he can follow up his career day with another strong outing.
What You Need to Know
WHAT? North Carolina Tar Heels (5-1, 2-0 in ACC) at Duke Blue Devils (4-2, 1-1 in ACC)
WHEN? Saturday, October 15, 2022, at 8:00 PM EST
WHERE? Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, North Carolina
TV? ACC Network
RADIO? Tar Heels Sports Network
WEATHER? Cloudy skies with a High of 61F
LINE? North Carolina -7
LAST MEETING? North Carolina defeated Duke 38-7 on October 2, 2021
ALL-TIME SERIES? North Carolina leads the series 60–39–4
PREDICTION? North Carolina 38, Duke 24