For most football fans the game this weekend between the Duke Blue Devils and the University of North Carolina Tar Heels doesn't mean a whole lot on the national scene but for these two teams a lot is riding on this game for the first time in many years. For years both schools have been known and will always be known as national basketball powers but this year they have something to play for on the gridiron.
When these two teams play for the Victory Bell for the 96th time at Kennan Stadium, it will be only the fifth time in the history of this rivalry that both teams have a winning record with both squads at 5-3. The last time was in 1981. Duke, yes I said Duke, is currently tied with Georgia Tech a top the Coastal Division in the ACC with a 3-1 conference record. Both teams need to win at least two of their last four games to become bowl eligible.
While many schools take going to a bowl game for granted it hasn't been that easy for Duke or for North Carolina for that matter. The last time Duke has been to a bowl game was the Hall of Fame Bowl under then head coach Fred Goldsmith that resulted in a 34-30 loss to Wisconsin. North Carolina has only played in 26 bowl games since 1947 going 13-13, last year they lost to West Virginia in Meineke Car Care Bowl 31-30.
Both schools are undergoing rebuilding processes under fairly new coaches. David Cutcliffe of Duke came from Tennessee in 2008, where he won a national championship as an offensive coordinator and Butch Davis came to North Carolina via the NFL but had great success at the University of Miami before that.
Cutcliffe has built an offensive juggernaut at Duke over the last five games that has Blue Devil quarterback Thaddeus Lewis directing an offense that is averaging 433 total yards per game and 33 points per game.
Davis, who came on board in 2007, had his Tar Heels ranked in the top 25 to start the season before losses to Georgia Tech, Virginia and Florida State. Last week UNC upset Virginia Tech on the road to start the recovery of saving the season.
Like I said most fans will not pay attention to this game but if you get chance and your doing some channel surfing Saturday stop at this game and take a look. The two teams on the field are actually playing for something other than a national championship. They'll be playing, one of them at least to win the ACC Coastal (Duke), and both of them to stay on track to qualify for a bowl game.
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Hey it's a post with no mention of Florida. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteCoach Cutcliffe has the Blue Devils playing some good football right now. It's going to be a great game.
ReplyDeletecomment sent to my e-mail:
ReplyDelete"I love the fact that the people of the "Triangle" haven't turned on their football teams. They finally have something to cheer for and, between rivals that normally only care about the hardwood. Since I've been in NC, it seems that football is only talked about as a way to kill time until Basketball starts.
It's funny you call Duke an offensive juggernaut. I'm sure that phrase hasn't been used around here since Steve Spurrier left. What has changed at Duke is more than Just David Cutcliffe being the coach, it's also about recruiting. Cutcliffe inherited Thaddius Lewis, but he also brought in two freshman WR sensations for Lewis to throw to.
There is a common thread between these three players.....All three played High School football in Miami!!! When you can recruit those type of players away from Miami, FSU and UF you can build a program that will be competitive."
North Carolina's D is going to be too much for Lewis and Duke. If TJ Yates is on his game Tar Heels will have a good day.
ReplyDeletecomment sent to my e-mail:
ReplyDelete"If Duke beats them in Football, every Tar Heel fan will drop the football team like a hot potato."