It’s a rivalry in Durham on Saturday as Duke Football welcomes the North Carolina Tar Heels as the two teams battle for the Victory Bell.
The Duke Blue Devils are riding high after a win last Saturday night over the Miami Hurricanes, their first win in Miami since 1976, however, they cannot afford a let down this Saturday against a 1-7 North Carolina Tar Heel team.
In what was a sloppy, muddy game in the midst of a torrential downpour, the Blue Devils rose to the top against the ‘Canes, snapping a two game losing streak and having lost three of their last four games.
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Due to the poor conditions, the Blue Devil offense was rather slow and lethargic on Saturday, and that would be expected in those horrific field conditions.
As for the Tar Heels, they have dropped five in a row and only have one win on the season which came way back in Week 4 against Pittsburgh, who are the current leaders of the ACC Coastal Division and beat the Blue Devils 54-45 two weeks ago in the Steel City.
The key for the Blue Devils is just to be prepared and don’t take this North Carolina team lightly.
The Tar Heels have been in most of the games they have played this year and they just do not capitalize in the fourth quarter.
Five of the Tar Heels seven losses have come by ten points or less.
If Daniel Jones and this Duke offense can score around 30 points on this poor North Carolina defense, that should be more than enough to retain the Victory Bell for the third straight year.
Nathan Elliot and the UNC offense have only posted 30 points twice this season, in the win against Pittsburgh and in an overtime loss to Syracuse, while the Duke defense has only surrendered 30 points twice this season.
The Blue Devils are the better team in this game and coming into this game on their home field and with the confidence from last week will prove to be too tough for this North Carolina team and the Victory Bell will stay in Durham.
PREDICTION: Duke 31, North Carolina 20
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