Victory Bell (North Carolina–Duke)

Victory Bell
Teams	Duke Blue Devils North Carolina Tar Heels
Originated	1948
Trophy Series	North Carolina leads 43–22–1 (two North Carolina wins vacated)
Current Holder	North Carolina (2015)

The Victory Bell is the traveling trophy given to the winner of the annual football game between the Duke University Blue Devils and the University of North Carolina Tar Heels. The game is worth two points in the yearlong Carlyle Cup between the two schools. North Carolina leads the series 42–22–1, with two wins vacated by North Carolina.^[1]

History

North Carolina and Duke first met in football in 1888, and the series has been renewed annually since 1922.

Two cheerleaders, Loring Jones of Duke and Norman Sper of North Carolina, were influential in the concept of the Victory Bell. Jones designed the model and Sper obtained the Bell from an old railroad train.^[2] North Carolina won possession of the first ever Victory Bell game with a 20–0 shutout victory at Kenan Memorial Stadium in 1948.^[3]

At one time, the series was every bit as heated as the basketball rivalry between the two schools. However, in recent years North Carolina has dominated the rivalry. The Tar Heels have won all but three of the last 25 meetings on the field, including 13 in a row from 1990 to 2002. When Duke won the 2012 and 2013 games, it marked the first time that Duke won consecutive games in the series since winning three straight from 1987 to 1989.

Traditions

It has been a tradition as of late for the winner to spray-paint the platform of the trophy to match their school colors--Carolina blue for North Carolina and royal blue for Duke. After losing the Victory Bell in 2003, North Carolina came back the next year and beat Duke 40–17 in Duke's Wallace Wade Stadium.^[3] After the conclusion of the game, North Carolina football players immediately spray-painted the platform Carolina blue, leaving large amounts of Carolina blue paint residue on the track of the stadium.^[4] Whenever North Carolina has been in possession of the Victory Bell, cheerleaders wheel it out while ringing the bell at the same time the live ram mascot, Rameses, is brought out onto the field. The bell is also displayed in front of the students' section.

Game results

While the two schools agree that North Carolina leads the series, they do not agree on the overall record. This is due to an 1889 game where both teams stayed home because they believed they were the home team. As a result, both schools claim the game as a win by forfeit.

North Carolina claims an all-time lead of 59–37–4,^[5] a claim supported by most neutral recordkeepers.^[3] Duke claims North Carolina leads 58–38–4.^[6] Both schools agree that North Carolina vacated its wins in 2008 and 2009. Both schools also agree that North Carolina leads the series since the introduction of the Victory Bell with a record of 43–22–1, with two vacated North Carolina wins.^[7]

Pre-trophy games

Note: Duke was known as Trinity College until 1924.

# Date Winner Score Location 1  November 27, 1888  Trinity 16–0 Durham, NC 2 May 8, 1889 Trinity 25–17 Raleigh, NC 3 1889  North Carolina  1–0† Chapel Hill, NC 4 November 20, 1891 Trinity 6–4 Chapel Hill, NC 5 November 12, 1892 North Carolina 24–0 Durham, NC 6 October 28, 1893 Trinity 6–4 Durham, NC 7 October 24, 1894 North Carolina 28–0 Chapel Hill, NC 8 October 12, 1922 North Carolina 20–0 Chapel Hill, NC 9 October 12, 1923 North Carolina 14–6 Durham, NC 10 October 11, 1924 North Carolina 6–0 Chapel Hill, NC 11 October 10, 1925 North Carolina 41–0 Durham, NC 12 October 16, 1926 North Carolina 6–0 Chapel Hill, NC 13 November 19, 1927 North Carolina 18–0 Durham, NC 14 December 8, 1928 North Carolina 14–7 Chapel Hill, NC 15 December 7, 1929 North Carolina 48–7 Durham, NC 16 December 6, 1930 Tie 0–0 Chapel Hill, NC 17 November 21, 1931 Tie 0–0 Durham, NC

# Date Winner Score Location 18  November 19, 1932  Duke 7–0  Chapel Hill, NC  19 November 18, 1933 Duke 21–0 Durham, NC 20 November 17, 1934  North Carolina  7–0 Chapel Hill, NC 21 November 16, 1935 Duke 25–0 Durham, NC 22 November 14, 1936 Duke 27–7 Chapel Hill, NC 23 November 13, 1937 North Carolina 14–6 Durham, NC 24 October 29, 1938 Duke 14–0 Chapel Hill, NC 25 November 18, 1939 Duke 13–3 Durham, NC 26 November 16, 1940 North Carolina 6–3 Chapel Hill, NC 27 November 15, 1941 Duke 20–0 Durham, NC 28 November 14, 1942 Tie 13–13 Chapel Hill, NC 29 October 16, 1943 Duke 14–7 Durham, NC 30 November 20, 1943 Duke 27–6 Chapel Hill, NC 31 November 25, 1944 Duke 33–0 Chapel Hill, NC 32 November 24, 1945 Duke 14–7 Durham, NC 33 November 23, 1946 North Carolina 22–7 Chapel Hill, NC 34 November 22, 1947 North Carolina 21–0 Durham, NC

† Both schools claim this game as a win by forfeit; most neutral recordkeepers credit the game to North Carolina.

Trophy games

# Date Winner Score Location 35  November 20, 1948   North Carolina  20–0  Chapel Hill, NC  36 November 19, 1949 North Carolina 21–20 Durham, NC 37 November 25, 1950 Duke 7–0 Chapel Hill, NC 38 November 24, 1951 Duke 19–7 Durham, NC 39 November 22, 1952 Duke 34–0 Chapel Hill, NC 40 November 28, 1953 Duke 35–20 Durham, NC 41 November 27, 1954 Duke 47–12 Chapel Hill, NC 42 November 26, 1955 Duke 6–0 Durham, NC 43 November 24, 1956 Duke 21–6 Chapel Hill, NC 44 November 23, 1957 North Carolina 21–13 Durham, NC 45 November 22, 1958 Duke 7–6 Chapel Hill, NC 46 November 21, 1959 North Carolina 50–0 Durham, NC 47 November 19, 1960 North Carolina 7–6 Chapel Hill, NC 48 November 18, 1961 Duke 6–3 Durham, NC 49 November 24, 1962 Duke 16–14 Chapel Hill, NC 50 November 28, 1963 North Carolina 16–14 Durham, NC 51 November 21, 1964 North Carolina 21–15 Chapel Hill, NC 52 November 20, 1965 Duke 34–7 Durham, NC 53 November 19, 1966 Duke 41–25 Chapel Hill, NC 54 November 18, 1967 North Carolina 20–9 Durham, NC 55 November 23, 1968 North Carolina 25–14 Chapel Hill, NC 56 November 22, 1969 Duke 17–13 Durham, NC 57 November 21, 1970 North Carolina 59–34 Chapel Hill, NC 58 November 20, 1971 North Carolina 38–0 Durham, NC 59 November 18, 1972 North Carolina 14–0 Chapel Hill, NC 60 November 24, 1973 Duke 27–10 Durham, NC 61 November 23, 1974 North Carolina 14–13 Chapel Hill, NC 62 November 22, 1975 Tie 17–17 Durham, NC 63 November 20, 1976 North Carolina 39–38 Chapel Hill, NC 64 November 19, 1977 North Carolina 16–3 Durham, NC 65 November 25, 1978 North Carolina 16–15 Chapel Hill, NC 66  November 24, 1979   North Carolina  37–16  Durham, NC  67 November 22, 1980 North Carolina 44–21 Chapel Hill, NC 68 November 21, 1981 North Carolina 31–10 Durham, NC

# Date Winner Score Location 69 November 20, 1982 Duke 23–17 Durham, NC 70 November 19, 1983 North Carolina 34–27 Chapel Hill, NC 71 November 24, 1984 North Carolina 17–15 Durham, NC 72 November 23, 1985 Duke 23–21 Chapel Hill, NC 73 November 22, 1986 North Carolina 42–35 Durham, NC 74 November 21, 1987 Duke 25–10 Chapel Hill, NC 75 November 19, 1988 Duke 35–29 Durham, NC 76 November 18, 1989 Duke 41–0 Chapel Hill, NC 77 November 17, 1990 North Carolina 24–22 Durham, NC 78 November 23, 1991 North Carolina 47–14 Chapel Hill, NC 79 November 21, 1992 North Carolina 31–28 Durham, NC 80 November 26, 1993 North Carolina 38–24 Chapel Hill, NC 81 November 19, 1994 North Carolina 41–40 Durham, NC 82 November 18, 1995 North Carolina 28–24 Chapel Hill, NC 83 November 23, 1996 North Carolina 27–10 Durham, NC 84 November 22, 1997 North Carolina 50–14 Chapel Hill, NC 85 November 21, 1998 North Carolina 28–6 Durham, NC 86 November 20, 1999 North Carolina 38–0 Chapel Hill, NC 87 November 18, 2000 North Carolina 59–21 Durham, NC 88 November 17, 2001 North Carolina 52–17 Chapel Hill, NC 89 November 23, 2002 North Carolina 23–21 Durham, NC 90 November 22, 2003 Duke 30–22 Chapel Hill, NC 91 November 20, 2004 North Carolina 40–17 Durham, NC 92 November 19, 2005 North Carolina 24–21 Chapel Hill, NC 93 November 25, 2006 North Carolina 45–44 Durham, NC 94 November 24, 2007 North Carolina 20–14 Chapel Hill, NC 95 November 29, 2008 North Carolina 28–20 ‡ Durham, NC 96 November 7, 2009 North Carolina 19–6 ‡ Chapel Hill, NC 97 November 27, 2010 North Carolina 24–19 Durham, NC 98 November 26, 2011 North Carolina 37–21 Chapel Hill, NC 99 October 20, 2012 Duke 33–30 Durham, NC 100 November 30, 2013 Duke 27–25 Chapel Hill, NC 101 November 20, 2014 North Carolina 45–20 Durham, NC 102 November 7, 2015 North Carolina 66–31 Chapel Hill, NC

‡ North Carolina vacated wins from the 2008 and 2009 seasons.

References

1. http://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2015/11/unc-duke-will-battle-for-the-bell-for-the-67th-time
2. "The 120 Years War". Duke Office of News and Communications. November 28, 2008. Retrieved November 30, 2008.
3. DeLassus, David. "North Carolina vs Duke (NC)". North Carolina Game by Game against Opponents. College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved November 30, 2008.
4. Blank, Daniel (November 22, 2004). "Tar Heels ring bell by defeating Duke". The Daily Tar Heel. Retrieved November 30, 2008.
5. 2011 North Carolina Football Media Guide], p. 173-174
6. 2011 Duke Football Media Guide, p. 92
7. http://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2015/11/unc-duke-will-battle-for-the-bell-for-the-67th-time