DURHAM, N.C. — Quarterback Marquise Williams ran for two touchdowns and threw for two more as North Carolina spoiled Duke’s bid to repeat as the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Coastal Division champion, blowing past the host Blue Devils 45-20 on Thursday night at Wallace Wade Stadium.
North Carolina’s much-maligned defense kept Duke in check for most of the game as the Tar Heels won for the first time in three years against their neighboring rivals.
The outcome means Georgia Tech wins the Coastal Division outright and heads to the ACC championship game Dec. 6 against unbeaten Florida State in Charlotte.
Duke (8-3, 4-3), which has a date with lowly Wake Forest in the Nov. 29 regular-season finale, was trying to set up a title-game rematch with Florida State by winning its final two games.
North Carolina (6-5, 4-3) became bowl eligible with its second victory in six days. The Tar Heels reclaimed the Victory Bell, which goes to the winner of the annual matchup.
Williams completed 18 of 27 passes for 276 yards and gained another 98 rushing yards on 21 attempts.
Running back T.J. Logan rushed for 116 yards on 18 carries for the Tar Heels. Wide receiver Ryan Switzer racked up 109 receiving yards on three catches, all in the first half.
North Carolina built on its halftime lead by scoring on its first possession of the second half. After cornerback M.J. Stewart picked off Duke quarterback Anthony Boone’s pass, the Tar Heels made it 35-7 on Logan’s 1-yard, fourth-down run.
Duke went more than two full quarters between points until Boone hit wide receiver Jamison Crowder on an 18-yard play with 2:26 to go in the third quarter. The Blue Devils trailed 38-14.
Backup quarterback Thomas Sirk ran for a 1-yard touchdown with 8:21 left, but a dropped two-point conversion pass kept Duke trailing by 38-20.
North Carolina recovered an onside kick and converted that into points on Williams’ 16-yard run.
North Carolina led 28-7 at halftime and the advantage could have been larger.
A pair of quarterback fumbles by Duke led to first-quarter touchdowns for North Carolina.
Duke wasted a scoring chance on its first possession after Crowder’s punt return into North Carolina territory. A fumble by Sirk, who is used in special short-yardage situations, was recovered by Tar Heels linebacker Jeff Schoettmer.
The Tar Heels turned that into a touchdown by driving 78 yards, capped by wide receiver Quinshad Davis’ 3-yard catch from Williams with 8:34 to go in the first quarter.
On Duke’s next possession, Boone scrambled and lost the ball, with safety Tim Scott scooping and scoring from 10 yards out.
Boone threw 10 yards to wide receiver Issac Blakeney to put Duke on the board with 4:22 left in the first quarter. The drive included a fourth-and-3 pickup from the North Carolina 47.
The Tar Heels made it 21-7 with 1:26 remaining in the first quarter on a fourth-and-1 pass from Williams to receiver Mack Hollins. That was set up by running back T.J. Logan’s 47-yard run to the 1.
The margin grew to 28-7 when Williams scored on a 1-yard run less than two minutes into the second quarter, completing a 60-yard drive that took five plays.
The Tar Heels were in position to tack on more after a 62-yard reception by receiver Ryan Switzer, but Williams fumbled inside the Duke 15 on the next play. After a Duke punt, the Tar Heels marched inside the Duke 30 before Williams fumbled again as he was sacked.
Williams’ third fumble of the second quarter came after the Tar Heels moved inside the Duke 10.
Meanwhile, Duke had three turnovers in each of its two previous losses.
NOTES: This was Duke’s first home game on a Thursday night in 20 years. … The teams play annually for the Victory Bell, which is kept by the winning side until the following year’s game. … Duke won the previous two games in the series, though North Carolina had claimed 21 of the 22 games before that. … Duke entered the game with an 8-2 record, marking the program’s first consecutive years at 8-2 since 1935 and 1936. … North Carolina came out wearing chrome helmets. … North Carolina finishes the regular season at home against North Carolina State. Duke plays its third home game in a row Nov. 29 when Wake Forest visits.