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Paint it Carolina Blue! UNC takes the Victory Bell back from Duke

After what felt like an eternity, the Victory Bell is finally coming home.
ByNick Delahanty
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Oct 17, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver Jordan Shipp (1) runs the ball against Duke Blue Devils cornerback Dylan Flowers (0) during the first quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images
Oct 17, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver Jordan Shipp (1) runs the ball against Duke Blue Devils cornerback Dylan Flowers (0) during the first quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For the last two years, the Victory Bell has been painted the wrong shade of blue and was stuck in Durham.

On Saturday, UNC brought it home to Chapel Hill right where it belongs!

North Carolina went into Durham on Saturday afternoon with one goal in mind: bring the Victory Bell back to Chapel Hill. After watching Duke celebrate victories in the previous two meetings between the bitter rivals, the Tar Heels finally got their chance to celebrate.

And you better believe this one means a little more.

The Victory Bell is Carolina Blue once again!

Rivalry games don't need extra motivation, but North Carolina certainly had plenty heading into Saturday's matchup.

The Tar Heels hadn't defeated Duke since the memorable double-overtime victory in 2023, a game that ultimately served as Drake Maye's final appearance at Kenan Stadium.

Unfortunately, that was the last time UNC claimed the Victory Bell prior to Saturday's win.

We all remember the horrible 2024 collapse, when Duke erased a 20-0 deficit to win. A year later, the Blue Devils walked into Kenan Stadium for Bill Belichick's first season at North Carolina and won 32-25, keeping the bell painted Duke blue for another year.

That made Saturday's opportunity even sweeter for Belichick and the Tar Heels.

For a program that spent the early part of the 2026 season trying to establish a new identity under Belichick, rivalry victories like this one matter. People remember them long after the final record is forgotten.

It wasn't pretty; UNC coughed up a 17-0 lead and needed a late score to regain it, but the final score favors the good guys, and that's what ultimately matters.

There's a lot to discuss from this game, both good and bad. But that can wait; tonight is about celebrating what went down in Durham this afternoon.

Get the Carolina Blue paint ready. The Victory Bell is coming home!

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