Saturday, October 26, 2019 04:00 PM (ET)

Surratt's interception saves North Carolina in win over Duke

Field Level Media
Oct 26, 2019

North Carolina's Chazz Surratt intercepted a trick-play pass at the 1-yard line with 14 seconds remaining to thwart visiting Duke's final drive in a 20-17 victory on Saturday at Chapel Hill, N.C.

Duke drove 92 yards before a first-and-goal play went awry when running back Deon Jackson's pass was picked off by Surratt, a linebacker.

It was coach Mack Brown's 73rd victory at North Carolina, the most in school history.

The Tar Heels (4-4, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) regained the Victory Bell by ending Duke's three-game winning streak in the series.

Noah Ruggles booted a 40-yard field goal with seven minutes remaining for what became the winning points.

North Carolina's Javonte Williams rushed for 111 yards on 22 carries.

Leading by three, North Carolina had a four-and-4 pickup from the Duke 13 with less than four minutes remaining. Williams fumbled on the next play, with Duke taking over at its own 6 with 2:55 left.

Duke gained one first down before an 18-yard conversion on fourth down allowed it to keep possession. A North Carolina personal foul accounted in another Duke fourth down at the North Carolina 32 and a facemask call put the ball inside the red zone before the final sequence.

Earlier, Duke (4-4, 2-3) went ahead after Jalen Alexander returned an interception to the North Carolina 7. On the next snap, Harris ran in for a touchdown for a 17-14 edge.

That gave Duke 14 points in a 20-second span of game time.

North Carolina pulled even at 17-17 on a 34-yard field goal from Ruggles later in the third quarter.

Ruggles had lost his starting kicking role after a six-overtime loss a week earlier at Virginia Tech, but he was called upon in the second half.

North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell completed 10 of 26 passes for 227 yards with two touchdowns with two interceptions. He has multiple touchdown passes in all eight games.

Duke quarterback Quentin Harris was 22-for-39 for 229 yards.

North Carolina receiver Beau Corrales made a 29-yard touchdown catch over Duke cornerback Leonard Johnson in the first quarter. Corrales has a touchdown in four straight games.

Duke reached the North Carolina 1 late in the first quarter, but after a penalty settled for AJ Reed's 23-yard field goal to open the scoring.

The Blue Devils moved into North Carolina territory twice in the second quarter, but both possessions ended in turnovers. Harris lost the ball on a fumble and later was intercepted by Dominique Ross.

North Carolina scored in four plays on the first possession of the second half, capped by Howell's 47-yard pass to Dazz Newsome for a 14-3 lead.

Duke countered on Scott Bracey's 11-yard touchdown pass from Harris.

--Field Level Media

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