The Best Rivalry in College Sports

By Charlotte Covill ’25

​Over this past long weekend, the best rivalry in college sports competed once again. On Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, the University of North Carolina’s Tar Heels and Duke University’s Blue Devils met for their 262nd game as rivals in Chapel Hill’s Dean E. Smith Center. ​

Fans from both schools piled into the arena at 8:30 a.m. as the game was selected for ESPN’s college game day. Signs from students read phrases such as: “We have Michael Jordan and you guys have…Grayson Allen???” “Even Jay Williams wishes he went to UNC” and “Filipowski eats corn the long way.” Petty phrases such as these are nothing new as this rivalry runs deep and has only been heightened since UNC beat Duke’s Coach K in his last game in the 2022 NCAA Final Four.
 
As Saturday’s game began, the crowd was roaring. Duke started with the ball as UNC’s star forward Armando Bacot couldn't reach the ball over Duke’s Kyle Filipowski. The first half was exhilarating as the pace of play was kept at a sweeping speed, with Duke calling a timeout with seven minutes left as players fought to keep the energy they were sweating out on the court. UNC was up 24-22. As the game continued, UNC showed the crowd why they are ranked No. 1 in the ACC, and Duke tried to keep up with the Tar Heels’s defense. The first half ended with a score of 45-35 with the Tar Heels holding the lead on their home court.
 
The second half starts, UNC has possession, Bacot puts up a layup and the game goes to the other half of the court. The intensity of the rivalry is felt throughout Chapel Hill as the fan section hollers “GO HEELS,” and as the ESPN broadcast catches their chants, occasionally breaking the sound barrier from the fans’ volume. The game continues and Duke puts up a fight until they accept a 9-point loss with a final score of 84-93. Tar Heels fans went crazy and rushed Franklin Street per tradition. The rivalry runs even deeper as Duke fans take an L back to Durham. The Duke-UNC rivalry with its traditions and aggressions is a rivalry for the ages and is considered the best rivalry in college sports.