Duke-North Carolina is one of the most intense rivalries in all of college sports. Whenever the two teams have gone head-to-head, the stakes have always been high, and the games have been legendary. Currently, North Carolina is leading the all-time series, 145–118.
So, it comes as no surprise that when ESPN’s College GameDay came to Chapel Hill ahead of the upcoming game, things got intense real quick. To add on, the extra seasoning to the game came from football coaching legend Bill Belichick and Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor.
Trash Talk From Bill Belichick and Lawrence Taylor Before Intense UNC-Duke Game
There’s no doubt that the college basketball world has its eyes on today’s match, and the NFL world might just have to watch too. Conversations flowed on College GameDay as they got North Carolina head football coach Bill Belichick and Taylor, a former Tar Heels star and NFL legend, on a panel talking about the upcoming game.
And as the conversation got heated, Lawrence decided to drop some sass.
“You can’t ask for a better basketball game. I’m looking for Carolina to kick some a**,” Taylor said.
“I’m looking for Carolina to kick some a– today.” 😂
UNC alum Lawrence Taylor didn’t hold back on his thoughts about Duke in front of Bill Belichick 👀 pic.twitter.com/MDhHqfYmDS
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) March 8, 2025
Of course, the Dean E. Smith Center was all cheers as he said the same. The panel also had iconic Blue Devils stars Jay Williams and Jay Bilas. However, they did not defend their team. They decided to take the high road.
“As much as I want to talk trash back, I’m not going to,” Williams said.
Belichick, who coached Taylor during his legendary New York Giants career, simply smiled. Beyond the pre-game moments, the actual game is going to be one for the books.
North Carolina is coming in with a six-game winning streak. Meanwhile, Duke is currently at No. 2 in the country and has had only three losses the entire season. The Blue Devils average 83.5 points per game while only allowing 61.1.
However, North Caroline is not far behind, as they average 82.1 points per game. But their defense has been rather weak, allowing nearly 76 points per contest.
KEEP READING: Duke vs. North Carolina Prediction: Bitter Rivals Set To Clash in Chapel Hill
At home, however, the Tar Heels have been purring up 86.1 points per game. With the intensity of the home crown and Lawrence Taylor hyping them up, Duke is in for a battle of the best kind. Another chapter in the storied rivalry is about to be written, and Taylor will be watching closely.
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