It’s been a great year to be a Duke football fan. Not only did Duke accomplish six wins to become bowl-eligible for the first time since 1994, but they also beat UNC to regain the much-coveted Victory Bell! In case you don’t know, the Victory Bell is a large trophy on wheels (see picture below) given to the winner of the annual Carolina-Duke football game. Since the introduction of the Victory Bell, UNC leads the Carolina-Duke series 40-21-1. Duke cinched this win over UNC in a dramatic fashion, scoring a game-winning touchdown with only 13 seconds to go. Duke students immediately rushed the field to celebrate—something that signifies renewed excitement and support for our football program. A month later, Duke football received more great news when Coach David Cutcliffe was named the ACC Coach of the Year! The contract of Coach David Cutcliffe was also recently extended until 2019. The future certainly looks bright for the Duke football program!
On Sunday, Duke accepted an invitation to play in the Belk Bowl against the University of Cincinnati Bearcats. This game will take place in Charlotte at 6:30 pm on December 27th.
Myself and Ray Li with the Victory Bell! It was painted Duke blue and now says “We Are Duke”
Standout Players:
Conner Vernon
Conner Vernon, a wide receiver, recently made the All-ACC second team for the third year in a row. He has broken numerous records this season, including those for the All-ACC receptions and receiving yards.
Sean Renfree
Sean Renfree, Duke’s quarterback, is a three-year starter and two-year captain for Duke. Recently, he was awarded the ACC’s Jim Tatum award, an award given annually to a top-performing senior student athlete. He was also named a National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete and the recipient of the Pop Warner National College Football Award.
Jamison Crowder
Jamison Crowder has been a key offensive player for Duke this season, coming back from a tragedy that occurred with a teammate this summer. Crowder, a wide receiver, scored the game-winning touchdown to secure Duke’s victory over Carolina.
Ross Cockrell
Ross Cockrell, a cornerback, was recently named to the All-ACC first team, which is a huge honor. He currently leads the ACC in interceptions, and ranks third in the ACC for total passes defended.
Be sure to tune in and watch Duke football play Cincinnati on the 27th (or even go to the game, if you can—Duke is giving out free student tickets!). This is the most important game that Duke has played in a long time, and it is up to us to support them. It’s time to make football just as meaningful as basketball on this campus—they deserve it.