Duke–NC State football rivalry

Duke–NC State football rivalry
Duke Blue Devils
NC State Wolfpack
First meetingSeptember 27, 1924
NC State 14, Duke 0
Latest meetingSeptember 20, 2025
Duke 45, NC State 33
Next meeting2026
TrophyNone
Statistics
Meetings total86
All-time seriesDuke leads, 44–37–5
Largest victoryDuke, 75–0 (1943)
Longest win streakDuke, 12 (1990–2002)
Current win streakDuke, 3 (2023–present)
30km
19miles
NC State
Duke
Locations of the two universities in North Carolina.

The Duke–NC State football rivalry is an American college football rivalry game between the Duke Blue Devils and NC State Wolfpack.[1][2][3]

History

This game is part of the larger Tobacco Road rivalry between North Carolina Power 5 universities NC State, North Carolina, Duke and Wake Forest. The series is also significant due to the geographical location of both schools, with just 30 miles separating the respective campuses. The rivalry dates back to 1924 and was played every year uninterrupted from then until 2003 except for 1944.[4] After the Atlantic Coast Conference split into non-geographical divisions in 2004,[5] the Wolfpack and Blue Devils were placed in opposite divisions and weren't designated as each other's annual cross divisional opponent, thereby ending the annual series and making the rivalry intermittent.[6][7] With the ACC ending the divisional format after the 2022 season in favor of an arrangement that calls for three annual conference opponents with five rotating, the four North Carolina schools were designated as all three of each other's annual conference opponents, thus reviving the annual series between the Wolfpack and Blue Devils for the foreseeable future.[8][9] Duke dominated the early years of the rivalry but NC State has won 15 of 20 since 1990.[10] Duke leads the all-time series 43–37–5.[11][12][13]

Game results

Duke victoriesNC State victoriesTie games
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1 September 27, 1924 Raleigh, NC NC State 14–0
2 October 3, 1925 Durham, NC NC State 13–0
3 November 13, 1926 Raleigh, NC NC State 26–19
4 November 12, 1927 Durham, NC NC State 20–18
5 November 17, 1928 Raleigh, NC Duke 14–12
6 November 16, 1929 Durham, NC Duke 19–12
7 November 15, 1930 Raleigh, NC Duke 18–0
8 November 14, 1931 Durham, NC NC State 14–0
9 November 12, 1932 Raleigh, NC NC State 6–0
10 November 25, 1933 Durham, NC Duke 7–0
11 December 1, 1934 Durham, NC Duke 32–0
12 November 23, 1935 Raleigh, NC Duke 7–0
13 November 26, 1936 Durham, NC Duke 13–0
14 November 20, 1937 Raleigh, NC Duke 20–7
15 November 19, 1938 Durham, NC Duke 7–0
16 November 25, 1939 Raleigh, NC Duke 28–0
17 November 23, 1940 Durham, NC Duke 42–6
18 November 22, 1941 Raleigh, NC Duke 55–6
19 November 21, 1942 Durham, NC Duke 47–0
20 November 6, 1943 Raleigh, NC Duke 75–0
21 November 10, 1945 Durham, NC Duke 26–13
22 September 28, 1946 Raleigh, NC NC State 13–6
23 September 27, 1947 Durham, NC Duke 7–0
24 September 25, 1948 Raleigh, NC Tie0–0
25 October 15, 1949 Durham, NC Duke 14–13
26 October 14, 1950 Raleigh, NC Duke 7–0
27 October 13, 1951 Durham, NC Duke 27–21
28 October 18, 1952 Raleigh, NC Duke 57–0
29 October 24, 1953 Durham, NC Duke 31–0
30 October 23, 1954 Raleigh, NC Duke 21–7
31 September 24, 1955 Raleigh, NC Duke 33–7
32 October 27, 1956 Durham, NC Duke 42–0
33 October 26, 1957 Raleigh, NC Tie14–14
34 October 25, 1958 Durham, NC Duke 20–13
35 October 24, 1959 Raleigh, NC Duke 17–15
36 October 15, 1960 Durham, NC Duke 17–13
37 October 28, 1961 Raleigh, NC Duke 17–6
38 October 27, 1962 Durham, NC Duke 21–14
39 October 26, 1963 Raleigh, NC NC State 21–7
40 October 17, 1964 Durham, NC Duke 35–3
41 November 6, 1965 Raleigh, NC NC State 21–0
42 October 22, 1966 Durham, NC NC State 33–7
43 October 28, 1967 Raleigh, NC NC State 28–7
44 November 9, 1968 Durham, NC NC State 17–15
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
45 October 25, 1969 Raleigh, NC Tie25–25
46 October 17, 1970 Raleigh, NC Duke 22–6
47 October 16, 1971 Durham, NC Duke 41–13
48 October 7, 1972 Raleigh, NC NC State 17–0
49 November 17, 1973 Durham, NC NC State 21–3
50 September 14, 1974 Raleigh, NC NC State 35–21
51 November 15, 1975 Durham, NC Tie21–21
52 November 13, 1976 Raleigh, NC Duke28–14
53 November 12, 1977 Durham, NC NC State 37–32
54 November 18, 1978 Raleigh, NC NC State 24–10
55 November 17, 1979 Durham, NC NC State 28–7
56 November 15, 1980 Raleigh, NC NC State 38–31
57 November 14, 1981 Durham, NC Duke 17–7
58 November 13, 1982 Raleigh, NC NC State 21–16
59 November 10, 1983 Durham, NC Duke 27–26
60 November 17, 1984 Raleigh, NC Duke 16–13
61 November 16, 1985 Durham, NC Duke 31–19
62 November 15, 1986 Raleigh, NC NC State 29–15
63 November 14, 1987 Durham, NC NC State 47–45
64 November 12, 1988 Raleigh, NC Tie43–43
65 November 11, 1989 Durham, NC Duke 35–26
66 November 10, 1990 Raleigh, NC NC State 16–0
67 November 16, 1991 Durham, NC NC State 32–31
68 November 14, 1992 Raleigh, NC NC State 45–27
69 November 6, 1993 Durham, NC Duke 21–20
70 November 12, 1994 Raleigh, NC NC State 24–23
71 October 21, 1995 Durham, NC NC State 41–38
72 November 9, 1996 Raleigh, NC NC State 44–22
73 September 6, 1997 Durham, NC NC State 45–14
74 October 17, 1998 Raleigh, NC NC State 27–24
75 October 23, 1999 Durham, NC NC State 31–24OT
76 November 11, 2000 Raleigh, NC NC State 35–31
77 November 3, 2001 Durham, NC NC State 55–31
78 October 19, 2002 Raleigh, NC NC State 24–22
79 October 25, 2003 Durham, NC NC State 28–21
80 November 8, 2008 Durham, NC NC State 27–17
81 October 10, 2009 Raleigh, NC Duke 49–28
82 November 9, 2013 Durham, NC Duke 38–20
83 October 17, 2020 Raleigh, NC NC State 31–20
84 October 14, 2023 Durham, NC Duke 24–3
85 November 9, 2024 Raleigh, NC Duke 29–19
86 September 20, 2025 Durham, NC Duke 45–33
Series: Duke leads 44–37–5

Game results sources:[14][15][16]

Notable games

1924: First meeting

NC State defeated Duke (then known as Trinity College]] by a score of 14–0 in the first football game played between the schools.[17]

1928: Duke's first victory

In the fifth game between Duke and NC State, The Blue Devils emerged with a 14–12 victory, their first-ever win over the Wolfpack. Duke utilized two drop kicks throughout the game to help secure the win.[18]

1943: Largest victory

Duke prevailed 75–0 in the 1943 meeting, the largest margin of victory for either team in the history of the rivalry.[19] The Blue Devils won despite 32 members of their football team being absent due to service in World War II.[20]

1948: First tie

The teams fought to a 0–0 tie in the 1948 meeting, the first such result in the history of the series. Both teams' defenses dominated en route to not allowing a single point scored.[21]

1999: First overtime game

NC State scored ten points in the final ten minutes of regulation and clinched the win with a seven-yard touchdown run from quarterback Jamie Barnette in overtime.[22][23] To date, this is the only football game between the Blue Devils and Wolfpack to go into overtime.[1]

2002: Wolfpack rout Blue Devils en route to historic season

Quarterback Philip Rivers went 26 of 37 passing for 364 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Wolfpack to a 24–22 victory in the 2002 game.[1] Duke had a chance to win it at the end but missed a 65-yard field goal attempt.[24] The win improved NC State's season record to 8–0, matching the best start to a season in program history, and would set a new school record at season's end for victories in a season, finishing 11–3.[25][26]

2003: End of the annual series

The 2003 matchup saw the Wolfpack escape with a 28–21 win.[27] This would be the last annual meeting between the teams for the next two decades, as the ACC moved to a divisional scheduling format the next year and placed the Blue Devils and Wolfpack in opposite divisions while not choosing not to make the cross-divisional matchup an annual game.[28]

2009: Blue Devils snap ACC skid

Quarterback Thad Lewis completed 40 of 50 passes for a career-high 459 yards and six touchdowns to lead the Blue Devils to a 49–28 win.[1][29] In so doing, Duke snapped a 20-game conference losing skid dating back to 2003 and an eleven-game losing streak to NC State.[30][31]

2013: Two touchdowns in 16 seconds lift Blue Devils

Duke defensive back DeVon Edwards scored on a kickoff return touchdown plus two interceptions returned for touchdowns in just 16 seconds of game time to lift the Blue Devils to a 38–20 win over the Wolfpack.[32] The win guaranteed Duke of their first winning season in nearly 20 years.[33]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Baxley, Rodd. "Duke football vs. NC State: Top recent games in Blue Devils-Wolfpack rivalry". The Fayetteville Observer.
  2. ^ Watson-Fisher, Jadyn (2024-11-04). "First look: NC State, Duke football set to clash on Wolfpack's senior day. What to know". Raleigh News & Observer. Retrieved 2026-01-18.
  3. ^ Caswell, Ryan Haley, Bryant Crews, Josiah. "Staff predictions for Week 11 matchup between Duke and NC State". Duke Wire.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "NC State University Athletics Football History vs Duke University". NC State University Athletics. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  5. ^ PARSONS, KEITH. "ACC finally full with 12 teams for 2005". Gainesville Sun. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  6. ^ Bradham, Matthew (2020-10-16). "NC State vs. Duke: SERIES BREAKDOWN". Pack Insider. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  7. ^ Watson-Fisher, Jadyn (2023-10-09). "First look: NC State football plays at No. 17 Duke in an ACC rivalry game on Saturday". Raleigh News & Observer. Retrieved 2026-01-18.
  8. ^ "ACC latest to drop divisions, starting in 2023". ESPN.com. 2022-06-28. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  9. ^ Wolfe, Mitchell (2022-06-28). "ACC Drops Divisional Model, Moves to 3-5-5 Format". Sports Illustrated Boston College Eagles News, Analysis and More. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  10. ^ "Duke football vs. NC State: Top recent games in Blue Devils-Wolfpack rivalry". The Fayetteville Observer. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  11. ^ "Winsipedia - North Carolina State Wolfpack vs. Duke Blue Devils football series history games list". Winsipedia. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  12. ^ "mcubed.net : NCAA Football : Series Records : Duke vs. North Carolina State". mcubed.net. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  13. ^ Wiseman, Steve (2023-10-12). "All eyes on QBs in Duke vs. NC State game Saturday. How to watch, stream, betting odds". Raleigh News & Observer. Retrieved 2026-01-18.
  14. ^ "Duke University Football History vs NC State". Duke University.
  15. ^ "NC State University Athletics Football History vs Duke University". NC State University Athletics.
  16. ^ "mcubed.net : NCAA Football : Series Records : Duke vs. North Carolina State". mcubed.net.
  17. ^ "NC State Wolfpack Football, Basketball & Recruiting". NC State Wolfpack.
  18. ^ "Duke beats Carolina State on drop kicks". November 18, 1928. p. 24 – via newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "DUKE OVERWHELMS N.C. STATE, 75 TO 0; Blue Devils Ride Rough Shod Over Wolf Pack -- 9 Extra Points for Gantt". The New York Times. 1943-11-07. Retrieved 2026-01-18.
  20. ^ "Thirty-two V-12 losses don't hurt Duke; Score, 75 to 0". November 7, 1943. p. 14 – via newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Duke-State strugggle to 0–0 deadlock". September 26, 1948. p. 32 – via newspapers.com.
  22. ^ Information, Duke Sports. "Wolfpack Defeats Blue Devils in Overtime". Duke University.
  23. ^ Press, Associated (1999-10-24). "N.C. State Comes Back, Beats Duke in Overtime". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2026-01-18.
  24. ^ "Duke Comeback Falls Short At NC State, 24-22". Duke University.
  25. ^ Droschak, David (2002-10-19). "No. 13 N.C. State Edges Duke 24-22". The Edwardsville Intelligencer. Retrieved 2026-01-18.
  26. ^ "Wolfpack Matches Best Start Ever With 24-22 Win Over Duke". NC State University Athletics.
  27. ^ "NC State Wins Duel With Duke, 28-21". NC State University Athletics.
  28. ^ Writer, KEITH PARSONS AP Sports. "ACC finally full with 12 teams for 2005". Gainesville Sun.
  29. ^ "Duke 49-28 NC State (Oct 10, 2009) Final Score". ESPN.
  30. ^ Information, Duke Sports. "Duke Routs N.C. State 49-28". Duke University.
  31. ^ "Duke vs. N.C. State postgame notes". chathamjournal.com (in Norwegian Nynorsk). Retrieved 2026-01-18.
  32. ^ "Duke 38-20 NC State (Nov 9, 2013) Game Recap". ESPN.
  33. ^ Press, Associated. "Edwards Elevates Duke Past NC State 38-20". Duke University.
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