UNC and Duke may primarily be rivals on the hardwood, but there’s no love lost between the two football teams. The two play for the Victory Bell, and Thursday marked just the latest post-game incident involving the trophy.
UNC players spray-painted Duke locker room after win
The Tar Heels’ head coach and athletic director have released an apology.
Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports
After this year’s iteration of the game, North Carolina players immediately painted the trophy Carolina Blue (as per tradition) ... but that’s not all. The Tar Heels also left their mark on Duke’s campus after their upset win, painting the visiting locker room as well, per the Charlotte Observer.
The Observer also reports UNC head coach Larry Fedora and athletic director Bubba Cunningham called their Duke counterparts to apologize for the incident. Cunningham and Fedora released a joint statement:
“We would like to apologize to the Duke Football program and Duke University for some inappropriate actions after last Thursday night’s game in Durham,” the statement read. “Our team took the celebration too far when they were painting the bell, resulting in damage to some of the facilities at Duke. We take full responsibility for our actions and will be paying for all costs associated with the cleanup. We view this as a rivalry built on mutual respect and we expect our players to behave better in a way that is more befitting of the rivalry.”
North Carolina’s victory was not just important within the context of the rivalry. The Tar Heels clinched bowl eligibility, moved into second place in the ACC Coastal and knocked Duke out of the divisional race -- a surprising turn of events after their 2-4 start to the season.
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