Much more on line this year in Duke-UNC game

By BRYAN STRICKLAND

bstrickland@heraldsun.com; 419-6671

DURHAM -- As always, it's about the Victory Bell.

As always, it's about bragging rights.

As never before, it's about so much more.

Duke and North Carolina will renew football's battle of the blues today in Chapel Hill (3:30 p.m., ESPNU), earlier than usual and with more at stake than usual.

The teams are facing off on the earliest date since 1938, and for the first time in seemingly that long the game has significant postseason implications for both teams.

"I think it's great for this area that there's interest on both sides for this ballgame," Duke coach David Cutcliffe said. "It certainly has a chance to be a great college football game."

The winning team will move within one victory of bowl eligibility with three games to go, while the loser will have to finish 2-1 against a stout schedule to go bowling.

Duke, which also harbors hopes of reaching the ACC Championship Game, hasn't been to a bowl since 1994, and the Blue Devils haven't beaten UNC much lately, either: The Tar Heels have taken 18 of the last 19 meetings.

"You've got to give them a lot of credit. They've done a lot of things to put themselves in that position," UNC safety Deunta Williams said. "It's going to be a great game. Playing in games like this is fun."