By R.L. Bynum
CHAPEL HILL — After blowing a double-digit fourth-quarter lead for the third consecutive ACC game, Carolina put together the big late drive that it couldn’t pull off against Virginia or Georgia Tech — only to blow the lead again.
But Noah Burnette, who kept the No. 24 Tar Heels in the lead much of the way, wouldn’t let their homecoming game slip away. One of his school-record-tying six field goals forced overtime and another extended the game in the first overtime.
Drake Maye, in likely his last home game, took it from there, scoring on a five-yard run in the second overtime and passing to John Copenhaver for the two-point conversion as Carolina pulled out a wild 47–45 double-overtime victory Saturday night to retain the Victory Bell with its fifth consecutive win over Duke.
It prompted a wild field storming as Tar Heels fans celebrated, two weeks after UNC was on the other end of one of those at Georgia Tech.
“I’m really proud of Noah Burnette,” UNC coach Mack Brown said. “He stepped up, and twice late to the ballgame, had a pressure kick and gave us a chance to win. I saw Drake do some things tonight that were unbelievable. He made play after play after play, including the two-point play, that normal people just don’t make. I think he has to be the best quarterback in the country. It’s just amazing to me that he’s doing what he’s doing.”
Duke scored in the second overtime on a 6-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Grayson Loftis to Jordan Moore, but Loftis’ throw on a two-point conversion attempt was long, ending the game.
Brown was very emotional after the game.
“I’m an emotional person, but I try not to ever show it,” Brown said. “I’m a crier, a screamer, all the things that you think I’m not. And when you win a football game like this, you were so proud of your staff, and so proud of those kids because that’s what everybody’s going to do.”
For senior Cedric Gray, who repeatedly encouraged his teammates when it looked like the game wouldn’t go the Tar Heels’ way, it was a crazy emotional ride.
“I think emotions were everywhere, and everybody was emotional,” said Gray, who had 11 tackles. “This game was our biggest prize and to end senior night and our season at Kenan off right was special. I was on edge the whole time. Those last few minutes of the game and overtime were very intense. I couldn’t ask for a better ending to the game. I’m extremely happy and extremely proud of the team and the effort that we put in today.”
Maye had one bad interception, but otherwise, he was amazing in his ability to make plays that looked doomed, finishing 28 of 43 for 342 yards and one touchdown while running for two others. His favorite target was wide receiver Tez Walker, who had seven catches for 162.
‘This was a fairy tale ending,” Maye said. “I would have been heartbroken if tonight went the other way. It doesn’t get any better than storming the field after a win against your rival on senior night.
Playing quarterback at the University of North Carolina is a dream come true. This is why I came
here. I am from North Carolina, I wanted to play in these big-time games and do my best to help
us win.”
With 169 rushing yards, Omarion Hampton continued to run down Carolina history, becoming the first Tar Heel to run for at least 100 yards in five consecutive games since Gio Bernard in 2011.
“It’s just a great way to end the season in Kenan Stadium,” Maye said. “Shout out to the fans, they were huge. It was only right that we won it in front of the student section. The defense went and got the stop on a big two-point play. What a game and what an ending. Shout out to the guys for
never quitting. It is such a great way to end the season in Kenan on senior night.”
Duke coach Mike Elko had seen Maye work his magic before.
“Two years in a row, we just couldn’t stop that kid with the game on the line,” Elko said. “He’s an extremely talented kid. He’s unbelievably competitive and has the ability to will that team to win and he certainly did it again tonight.”
The game was only close because the Tar Heels settled for field goals on four consecutive red-zone trips. Burnette’s field goals salvaged stalled drives and kept UNC (8–2, 4–2 ACC) in the lead for all but seven minutes of regulation after it scored on the opening drive.
“Noah has put himself in this position so many times that he’s kicked his like this all year and he was the difference in this game,” Brown said.
Carolina’s first three drives lasted at least 10 plays, the first netting a 1-yard Maye touchdown pass after he connected with Walker for 43 yards down the right sideline. Burnette kicked field goals of 23 and 31 yards in the next two drives after they stalled at the Duke 6 and 23.
UNC probably should have led 21–0 but soon trailed 14–13 after two quick Duke scores as the Tar Heels ran one play over a 9½ minute stretch.
Loftis’ 10-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Moore capped a nine-play, 70-yard drive with 5:18 left in the first half. After a muffed kickoff return left UNC at its 1, Duke’s Jaylen Stinson intercepted a Maye pass tossed from the end zone and returned it to the Carolina 14. Five plays later, Loftis faked a handoff and ran into the end zone around the left side untouched on a three-yard touchdown run.
Maye and Walker replicated their earlier pass down the right sideline, this time for 48 yards, leading to a 25-yard Burnette field goal with 27 seconds left and a 16–14 UNC halftime lead.
UNC stretched the lead with a magical drive. Maye connected with Walker to barely convert a fourth-and-nine and with J.J. Jones for 6 on a fourth-and-4 when it appeared that Duke’s Cam Dillon would sack him. Burnette booted a 27-yard field goal on the drive’s 16th play.
After the previous four red-zone trips ended with field goals, Hampton’s 2-yard run finally gave UNC a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Duke had 21 total second-half yards before UNC punted for the first time.
While Carolina didn’t run a play for 7½ minutes, Duke took a 29–26 lead on two Jordan Waters touchdown runs and 124 yards in two drives. After his 13-yard run, Duke recovered an onside kick, leading to a 23-yard scoring run and a two-point conversion pass from Loftis to wide receiver Jalon Calhoun.
“I mean, believe it or not, it wasn’t that hard to stay positive,” UNC’s Kaimon Rucker said. “For us, we just knew that 41 seconds is a lot of time for our offense. We had a lot of confidence in our offense.”
After Maye connected with Bryson Nesbit for a 15-yard touchdown pass to take the lead with 1:55 left, Duke retook the lead on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Loftis to Jordan Moore on a fourth-and-9 with 41 seconds remaining.
“It’s almost natural for Drake to make big plays, and that rubs off on all of us as well,” Nesbit said. “We’re going to keep making plays, and he’ll keep making these plays.”
Burnette’s fifth field goal, a 43-yard boot as time expired, forced overtime.
The teams traded field goals in the first overtime, with a 49-yard boot from Duke’s Todd Pelino and Burnette’s 24-yarder.
Duke (6–4, 3-3) has lost three of its last four games playing without injured quarterback Riley Leonard.
NOTES — UNC finishes the regular season with two road games: at Clemson for a 3:30 kickoff next Saturday and at N.C. State on Saturday, Nov. 25. Both got easy wins Saturday. The Tigers (6–4, 3–4) won 42–21 at home against Georgia Tech and the Wolfpack (7–3, 4–2) won at Wake Forest 26–6. … Hampton finishes the home schedule with the second-most rushing yards in home games at 980 in program history behind Amos Lawrence. Hampton’s 1,236 rushing yards are the ninth most in a season by a Tar Heel. He only needs 18 yards to move up to third. … UNC honored Lawrence, who set career school records for rushing yards and 100-yard games from 1977 to 1980, and the 1958 team as Kenan Legends. … This was the second time UNC and Duke have played into overtime. In 2007, UNC beat the Blue Devils, 20–14, in one OT in Chapel Hill. UNC is 2–0 in overtime games this season. The Tar Heels beat App State, 40-34, in two overtimes on Sept. 10. … The 92 points are the third-most combined points scored in the series history (97 in 2015, UNC 66, Duke 31; 93 in 1970, UNC 59, Duke 34; and 92 in 2023, UNC 47, Duke 45. … Carolina was Duke’s fifth ranked opponent this season, while Miami is the only UNC opponent who was ranked at the time of the meeting. … Players participating in the pregame senior night ceremony whose eligibility runs out at the end of the season were Gio Biggers, British Brooks, Don Chapman, Tomari Fox, Amari Gainer, Corey Gaynor, Drew Little and Spencer Rolland. Players who were part of the ceremony who still have eligibility left after this season were Cayden Baker, Kedrick Bingley-Jones, Jefferson Boaz, Jalen Brooks, Noah Burnette, Chance Carroll, John Copenhaver, Colby Doreen, Desmond Evans, Cedric Gray, Elijah Green, Jake Harkleroad, Kevin Hester, Christopher Holliday, Alijah Huzzie, Kamari Morales, Myles Murphy, Kaimon Rucker, Landon Stevens, Spencer Triplett, Ethan West and Trey Zimmerman. … There was a moment of silence before the game for former UNC coach Carl Torbush, who passed away last week. … UNC cornerback Tayon Holloway missed the game with an upper-body injury. … Carolina has won the last four meetings with Duke to expand the Tar Heels’ lead in the series with Duke 64–40–4, including 24–16–2 at home. Duke hasn’t beaten UNC since a 42–35 win in 2018 and hasn’t won in Chapel Hill since a 27–17 victory in 2017. … Five consecutive wins over Duke is Carolina’s longest streak since winning eight in row from 2004 to 2011.
No. 24 UNC 47, Duke 45, 2 OTs
ACC standings
| Team | ACC | All |
|---|---|---|
| X — No. 5 Florida State | 8–0 | 12–0 |
| X — No. 9 Louisville | 7–1 | 10–2 |
| N.C. State | 6–2 | 9–3 |
| Georgia Tech | 5–3 | 6–6 |
| Virginia Tech | 5–3 | 6–6 |
| Clemson | 4–4 | 8–4 |
| North Carolina | 4–4 | 8–4 |
| Duke | 4–4 | 7–5 |
| Miami | 3–5 | 7–5 |
| Boston College | 3–5 | 6–6 |
| Syracuse | 2–6 | 6–6 |
| Pittsburgh | 2–6 | 3–9 |
| Virginia | 2–6 | 3–9 |
| Wake Forest | 1–7 | 4–8 |
Friday’s result
Miami 45, Boston College 20
Saturday’s games
Kentucky 38, No. 9 Louisville 31
Duke 30, Pittsburgh 19
Syracuse 35, Wake Forest 31
No. 1 Georgia 31, Georgia Tech 23
Virginia Tech 55, Virginia 17
Clemson 16, South Carolina 7
No. 5 Florida State 24, Florida 15
N.C. State 39, North Carolina 20
Next Saturday’s ACC championship game in Charlotte
No. 9 Louisville vs. No. 5 Florida State, 8 p.m., ABC
UNC schedule
| Month/ date | Opponent/event | 2023 record | UNC record in series |
|---|---|---|---|
| April | |||
| 20 | Spring game, 3 p.m. | — | — |
| August | |||
| 29 (Thurs.) | at Minnesota | 6–7 | 1–0 |
| September | |||
| 7 | Charlotte | 3–9 | 0–0 |
| 14 | N.C. Central | 9–3 | 0–0 |
| 21 | James Madison | 11–2 | 3–0 |
| 28 | at Duke | 8–5 | 65–40–4 |
| October | |||
| 5 | Pittsburgh | 3–9 | 12–5 |
| 12 | Georgia Tech | 7–6 | 22–33–3 |
| 26 | at Virginia | 3–9 | 66–58–4 |
| November | |||
| 2 | at Florida State | 13–1 | 3–17–1 |
| 16 | Wake Forest | 4–8 | 72–36–2 |
| 23 | at Boston College | 7–6 | 6–2 |
| 30 | N.C. State | 9–4 | 68–39–6 |
Photo via @UNCFootball
tarheeltribune.com 
