No. 24 North Carolina edged rival Duke 47-45 in double overtime with the help of a controversial call late in regulation that helped the Tar Heels score a critical go-ahead touchdown with under two minutes remaining. UNC tight end Bryson Nesbit made a contested 15-yard reception on a third-and-14 that set North Carolina up with a first-and-goal, but the Blue Devils protested the ruling because they believed it was an interception.
As Nesbit came down, Duke defensive back Chandler Rivers appeared to at least take joint possession of the football. Instead of reviewing the play, the officials ruled it a catch, which set up Nesbitt to score the go-ahead touchdown on a 15-yard strike from quarterback Drake Maye three plays later.
The sequence left Blue Devils' coach Mike Elko pleading futilely for a review.
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Duke retook the lead with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Grayson Loftis to Jordan Moore with 41 seconds left but couldn't hold the advantage as Noah Burnette sent the game to overtime with a 41-yard field goal for UNC as time expired.
Had the controversial Nesbit catch been ruled an interception, the Blue Devils may have been able to run the clock out while leading 29-26. Instead, the frenetic finishing sequence ensued, leading to UNC's overtime victory.
The outcome kept North Carolina's slim hopes of reaching the ACC Championship Game alive, denying Louisville a definite spot in the game for at least one more week. However, the Cardinals can still clinch their spot against Florida State in the title game with a win at Miami next week.
