Tobacco Road (rivalry)

Last updated
Invisible Square.svg
Tobacco Road (rivalry)
Locations of the four universities in North Carolina.

Tobacco Road is a term used in college sports, mainly basketball, for the four rival universities of North Carolina that play in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). [1] The term refers to the area's history as a major tobacco producer. The Tobacco Road teams represent the following universities:

Contents

North Carolina, Duke, and NC State lie in the Research Triangle and are separated by no more than 25 miles (40 km). Before moving to Winston-Salem in 1956, Wake Forest University was located in the town of Wake Forest within the Triangle region, to the northeast of Raleigh. The schools are historical and present powerhouses among college sports, especially basketball. The universities' proximity and membership in the ACC, coupled with their reputation for academic prestige and as hubs for research and innovation, has created a natural rivalry among students, fans, and alumni.

Basketball

Men's basketball

These four universities are also known in the state as the "Big Four" and competed in the Dixie Classic men's basketball tournament from 1949 to 1961, in which the four schools won all 13 tournaments played. They also played in the Big Four Tournament in Greensboro, North Carolina, from 1971 to 1981. The Wake–Duke rivalry is the oldest basketball rivalry among the four schools in that it dates back to the 1905–06 season and was the first intercollegiate basketball game in North Carolina. The Wake-Duke rivalry is just ahead of the more well known UNC-Duke rivalry in terms of games played by two games. The rivalries between the four schools also account for six of the most frequently played men's basketball rivalries in the ACC. The four schools have a combined 13 men's national basketball championships (UNC has 7 (6 NCAA), Duke has 5, NC State has 2). The four schools also won 2 NIT titles (UNC won 1, and Wake won 1). In the men's tournament they have combined to have 11 runners-up (Duke has 6 and UNC has 5) and 39 Final Fours (UNC has 20, Duke has 16, NC State has 4, and Wake has 1). At least one Tobacco Road team has made the NCAA Tournament every year since 1974. Since the NCAA Tournament started in 1939, all four teams have missed the same tournament eleven times. The years in which none of the teams were in the tournament was 1940, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1958, 1971, and 1973. All four teams have made the same tournament 4 times (1991, 2003, 2004, 2005). Prior to the 2014 NCAA Tournament, at least one of the teams had made the Sweet 16 since 1979.

Aside from the ACC Tournament, the four schools have only played each other in the postseason four times, only twice in the NCAA tournament. The first two times came in the NIT Tournament: Wake beat NC State in a semifinal game of the 2000 NIT Tournament and went on to win the tournament, and UNC beat Duke in a semifinal game of the 1971 NIT Tournament, also winning the tournament. The third time was UNC’s victory over Duke in the Final Four of the 2022 NCAA Tournament in New Orleans. The fourth time was NC State’s win over Duke on Easter Sunday in the Elite Eight of the 2024 NCAA Tournament in Dallas.

Tobacco Road National Postseason Games
Team 1ScoreTeam 2
Date
Tournament
Round
Venue
North Carolina Tar Heels73–67Duke Blue Devils
March 25, 1971
1971 National Invitation Tournament
Semifinals
Madison Square Garden, New York City
Wake Forest Demon Deacons62–59North Carolina State Wolfpack
March 28, 2000
2000 National Invitation Tournament
Semifinals
Madison Square Garden, New York City
Duke Blue Devils (West #2)77–81North Carolina Tar Heels (East #8)
April 2nd, 2022
2022 NCAA Tournament
Final Four (National Semifinal)
Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
Duke Blue Devils (South #4)64–76North Carolina State Wolfpack (South #11)
March 31st, 2024
2024 NCAA Tournament
Elite Eight (South Regional Final)
American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas

The four schools have combined to win 71 men's conference tournaments with 21 SoCon tournaments and 50 ACC tournaments (UNC won 26, Duke won 24, NC State won 17, and Wake Forest won 5). While in the Southern Conference they won or shared 17 SoCon regular season titles between the 1922–23 and 1952–53 seasons. They have also dominated ACC regular season play, having won or shared 52 regular season titles between them, including all but seven since the 1980–81 season.

Records (1949–2020) [2] [3] [4] [5]
Teamv. North Carolinav. NC Statev. Dukev. Wake ForestOverall RecordWinning %
North CarolinaN/A115–58100–86109–50324–194.625
NC State58–115N/A71–96103–73232–284.450
Duke86–10096–71N/A122–57304–228.571
Wake Forest50–10973–10357–122N/A180–334.350

Women's basketball

While the women's basketball teams have not been as successful, one team from the region has won the NCAA championship with North Carolina, who did so in 1994. They have reached the Final Four on three occasions, reaching in 1994, 2006, and 2007. They have won the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament nine times while winning the regular season title four times. Duke has made the NCAA Tournament Championship twice, losing in 1999 and 2006. They made the Final Four on four occasions (1999, 2002, 2003, 2006). They have won eight ACC tournament championships and twelve regular season titles. NC State has advanced to the Final Four twice, doing so in 1998 and 2024. They have won the ACC Tournament seven times and the regular season six times. Wake Forest has had the least amount of success, as they have only reached the NCAA Tournament on two occasions (1988, 2021). At least one of the four schools has made all but 10 of the 46 combined CIAW, AIAW, and NCAA tournaments since 1969, and all since 1980.

Football

Though the Tobacco Road rivalry predominantly relates to basketball, football between these programs is also competitive. As of the 2014 season, the four schools have combined to appear in 82 bowl games (Duke has 14, UNC has 33, NC State has 32, Wake has 13) and a 46–45–1 record in those games (Duke won 6, UNC won 14, NC State won 17, Wake won 9). They have also shared or won outright a combined 32 conference championships (20 ACC and 12 SoCon). As of the 2015 game, NC State is the only school out of the four to not appear in the ACC Championship Game since the ACC went to a divisional format in 2005. The format divided the four schools in which Wake Forest and NC State were put in the Atlantic Division, while Duke and UNC were put in the Coastal Division. Wake Forest and Duke are "permanent cross-division" rivals, meaning that they play every year regardless of division. The same can be said about UNC and NC State. The Wake–UNC game, as well as the Duke–NC State game, is played two of every twelve years, excluding additional matchups played as non-conference games. In football, the four schools have produced 5 players and no coaches in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. They have also produced 15 players and 6 coaches in the College Football Hall of Fame. The oldest of the football rivalries between the four schools belongs to the UNC-Wake rivalry, which dates back to October 10, 1888 and was the first intercollegiate football game in North Carolina.

North Carolina victoriesNC State victoriesDuke victoriesWake Forest victories
YearWinnerSummary UNC vs. NCSU UNC vs. Duke UNC vs. WF NCSU vs. Duke NCSU vs. WF Duke vs. WF
1924Wake ForestWF 3–0, UNC 2–1, NCSU 1–2, Duke 0–3UNC 10–0UNC 6–0WF 7–6NCSU 14–0WF 12–0WF 32–0
1925Split UNC, NCSU, WFUNC 2–1, NCSU 2–1, WF 2–1, Duke 0–3UNC 17–0UNC 41–0WF 6–0NCSU 13–0NCSU 6–0WF 21–3
1926Split UNC, NCSU, WFUNC 2–1, NCSU 2–1, WF 2–1, Duke 0–3UNC 12–0UNC 6–0WF 13–0NCSU 26–19NCSU 7–3WF 21–0
1927NC StateNCSU 3–0, UNC 1–2, Duke 1–2, WF 1–2NCSU 19–6UNC 18–0WF 9–8NCSU 20–18NCSU 30–7Duke 32–6
1928North CarolinaUNC 2–0–1, Duke 2–1, NCSU 1–1–1, WF 0–3Tie 6–6UNC 14–7UNC 65–0Duke 19–12NCSU 37–0Duke 38–0
1929North CarolinaUNC 3–0, Duke 2–1, NCSU 1–2, WF 0–3UNC 32–0UNC 48–7UNC 48–0Duke 14–12NCSU 8–6Duke 20–0
1930North CarolinaUNC 2–0–1, Duke 1–0–2, WF 1–2, NCSU 0–3UNC 13–6Tie 0–0UNC 13–7Duke 18–0WF 7–0Tie 13–13
1931North CarolinaUNC 2–0–1, Duke 1–1–1, WF 1–2, NCSU 1–2UNC 18–15Tie 0–0UNC 37–0NCSU 14–0WF 6–0Duke 28–0
1932DukeDuke 2–1, UNC 1–1–1, NCSU 1–1–1, WF 0–1–2UNC 13–0Duke 7–0Tie 0–0NCSU 6–0Tie 0–0Duke 9–0
1933DukeDuke 3–0, UNC 2–1, NCSU 0–2–1, WF 0–2–1UNC 6–0Duke 21–0UNC 26–0Duke 7–0Tie 0–0Duke 22–0
1934North CarolinaUNC 2–0–1, Duke 2–1, WF 1–2, NCSU 0–2–1Tie 7–7UNC 7–0UNC 21–0Duke 32–0WF 13–12Duke 28–7
1935DukeDuke 3–0, UNC 2–1, NCSU 1–2, WF 0–3UNC 35–6Duke 25–0UNC 14–0Duke 7–0NCSU 21–6Duke 26–7
1936DukeDuke 3–0, UNC 2–1, WF 1–2, NCSU 0–3UNC 21–6Duke 27–7UNC 14–7Duke 13–0WF 9–0Duke 20–0
1937North CarolinaUNC 3–0, Duke 2–1, NCSU 1–2, WF 0–3UNC 20–0UNC 14–6UNC 28–0Duke 20–7NCSU 20–0Duke 67–0
1938DukeDuke 3–0, UNC 2–1, NCSU 1–2, WF 0–3UNC 21–0Duke 14–0UNC 14–6Duke 7–0NCSU 19–7Duke 7–0
1939DukeDuke 3–0, UNC 2–1, WF 1–2, NCSU 0–3UNC 17–0Duke 13–3UNC 36–6Duke 28–0WF 32–0Duke 6–0
1940Split UNC, Duke, WFUNC 2–1, Duke 2–1, WF 2–1, NCSU 0–3UNC 13–7UNC 6–3WF 12–0Duke 42–6WF 20–14Duke 23–0
1941DukeDuke 3–0, WF 2–1, NCSU 1–2, UNC 0–3NCSU 13–7Duke 20–0WF 13–0Duke 55–6WF 7–0Duke 43–14
1942Split UNC, NCSU, Duke, WFUNC 1–1–1, NCSU 1–1–1, Duke 1–1–1, WF 1–1–1NCSU 21–14Tie 13–13UNC 6–0Duke 47–0Tie 0–0WF 20–7
1943Duke*Duke 2–0, WF 1–0, UNC 1–1, NCSU 0–2UNC 27–13Duke 14–7No ContestDuke 75–0WF 54–6No Contest
1944Duke†*Duke 2–0, WF 2–0, NCSU 0–1, UNC 0–2No ContestDuke 14–7WF 33–0No ContestWF 21–7Duke 43–0
1945Duke*Duke 3–0, WF 2–1, UNC 0–2, NCSU 0–2No ContestDuke 14–7WF 14–13Duke 26–13WF 19–18Duke 26–19
1946Split UNC, NCSU*UNC 2–0, NCSU 2–0, Duke 1–2, WF 0–3No ContestUNC 22–7UNC 26–14NCSU 13–6NCSU 14–6Duke 13–0
1947North Carolina†UNC 2–1, Duke 2–1, NCSU 1–2, WF 1–2UNC 41–6UNC 21–0WF 19–7Duke 7–0NCSU 20–0Duke 13–6
1948North CarolinaUNC 3–0, WF 2–1, NCSU 0–2–1, Duke 0–2–1UNC 14–0UNC 20–0UNC 28–6Tie 0–0WF 34–13WF 27–20
1949North CarolinaUNC 3–0, NCSU 1–2, Duke 1–2, WF 1–2UNC 26–6UNC 21–20UNC 28–14Duke 14–13NCSU 27–14WF 27–7
1950Wake ForestWF 2–0–1, Duke 2–1, UNC 1–2, NCSU 0–2–1UNC 13–7Duke 7–0WF 13–7Duke 7–0Tie 6–6WF 13–7
1951Wake ForestWF 3–0, Duke 2–1, UNC 1–2, NCSU 0–3UNC 21–0Duke 19–7WF 39–7Duke 27–21WF 21–6WF 19–13
1952Duke*Duke 3–0, WF 2–1, UNC 0–2, NCSU 0–2No ContestDuke 34–0WF 9–7Duke 57–0WF 21–16Duke 14–7
1953DukeDuke 3–0, UNC 2–1, WF 1–2, NCSU 0–3UNC 29–7Duke 35–20UNC 18–13Duke 31–0WF 20–7Duke 19–0
1954DukeDuke 3–0, UNC 2–1, WF 1–2, NCSU 0–3UNC 20–6Duke 47–12UNC 14–7Duke 21–7WF 26–0Duke 28–21
1955DukeDuke 3–0, WF 1–1–1, UNC 1–2, NCSU 0–2–1UNC 25–18Duke 6–0WF 25–0Duke 33–7Tie 13–13Duke 14–0
1956DukeDuke 3–0, WF 1–1–1, NCSU 1–2, UNC 0–2–1,NCSU 26–6Duke 21–6Tie 6–6Duke 42–0WF 13–0Duke 26–0
1957NC StateNCSU 2–0–1, UNC 2–1, Duke 1–1–1, WF 0–3NCSU 7–0UNC 21–13UNC 14–7Tie 14–14NCSU 19–0Duke 34–7
1958DukeDuke 3–0, UNC 1–2, Duke 1–2, WF 1–2NCSU 21–14Duke 7–6UNC 26–7Duke 20–13WF 13–7Duke 29–0
1959North CarolinaUNC 3–0, Duke 2–1, WF 1–2, NCSU 0–3UNC 20–12UNC 50–0UNC 21–19Duke 17–15WF 17–14Duke 27–15
1960Duke†NCSU 2–1, Duke 2–1, UNC 1–2, WF 1–2NCSU 3–0UNC 7–6WF 13–12Duke 17–13NCSU 14–12Duke 34–7
1961DukeDuke 3–0, UNC 1–2, NCSU 1–2, WF 1–2UNC 27–22Duke 6–3WF 17–14Duke 17–6NCSU 7–0Duke 23–3
1962DukeDuke 3–0, NCSU 2–1, UNC 1–2, WF 0–3NCSU 27–22Duke 16–14UNC 23–14Duke 21–14NCSU 27–3Duke 50–0
1963North CarolinaUNC 3–0, NCSU 2–1, Duke 1–2, WF 0–3UNC 31–10UNC 16–14UNC 21–0NCSU 21–7NCSU 42–0Duke 39–7
1964North Carolina†UNC 2–1, WF 2–1, NCSU 1–2, Duke 1–2NCSU 14–13UNC 21–15UNC 23–0Duke 35–3WF 27–13WF 20–7
1965NC State†NCSU 2–1, Duke 2–1, UNC 1–2, WF 1–2UNC 10–7Duke 34–7WF 12–10NCSU 21–0NCSU 13–11Duke 40–7
1966NC State*NCSU 2–1, Duke 1–1, WF 1–1, UNC 1–2UNC 10–7Duke 41–25WF 3–0NCSU 33–7NCSU 15–12No Contest
1967NC StateNCSU 3–0, UNC 1–2, Duke 1–2, WF 1–2NCSU 13–7UNC 20–9WF 20–10NCSU 28–7NCSU 24–7Duke 31–13
1968NC StateNCSU 3–0, UNC 1–2, Duke 1–2, WF 1–2NCSU 38–6UNC 25–14WF 48–31NCSU 17–15NCSU 10–6Duke 18–3
1969DukeDuke 2–0–1, NCSU 1–1–1, UNC 1–2, WF 1–2NCSU 10–3Duke 17–13UNC 23–3Tie 25–25WF 22–21Duke 27–20
1970Wake ForestWake 3–0, UNC 2–1, Duke 1–2, NCSU 0–3UNC 19–0UNC 59–34WF 14–13Duke 22–6WF 16–13WF 28–14
1971North CarolinaUNC 3–0, NCSU 1–2, Duke 1–2, WF 1–2UNC 27–7UNC 38–0UNC 7–3Duke 41–13NCSU 21–14WF 23–7
1972North CarolinaUNC 3–0, NCSU 2–1, WF 1–2, Duke 0–3UNC 34–33UNC 14–0UNC 21–0NCSU 17–0NCSU 42–13WF 9–7
1973NC StateNCSU 3–0, Duke 1–1–1, UNC 1–2, WF 0–2–1NCSU 28–26Duke 27–10UNC 42–0NCSU 21–3NCSU 52–13Tie 7–7
1974North CarolinaUNC 3–0, NCSU 2–1, Duke 1–2, WF 0–3UNC 33–14UNC 14–13UNC 31–0NCSU 35–21NCSU 33–15Duke 23–7
1975Wake ForestWF 2–1, Duke 1–0–2, NCSU 1–1–1, UNC 0–2–1NCSU 21–20Tie 17–17WF 21–9Tie 21–21WF 30–22Duke 42–14
1976North Carolina†UNC 2–1, WF 2–1, NCSU 1–2, Duke 1–2NCSU 21–13UNC 39–38UNC 34–14Duke 28–14WF 20–18WF 38–17
1977North CarolinaUNC 3–0, NCSU 2–1, Duke 1–2, WF 0–3UNC 27–14UNC 16–3UNC 24–3NCSU 37–32NCSU 41–14Duke 38–14
1978NC StateNCSU 3–0, UNC 2–1, Duke 1–2, WF 0–3NCSU 34–7UNC 16–15UNC 34–29NCSU 24–10NCSU 34–10Duke 3–0
1979Split UNC, NCSU, WFUNC 2–1, NCSU 2–1, WF 2–1, Duke 0–3UNC 35–21UNC 37–16WF 24–19NCSU 28–7NCSU 17–14WF 17–14
1980North CarolinaUNC 3–0, WF 2–1, NCSU 1–2, Duke 0–3UNC 28–8UNC 44–21UNC 27–9NCSU 38–21WF 27–7WF 27–24
1981North CarolinaUNC 3–0, Duke 2–1, NCSU 1–2, WF 0–3UNC 21–10UNC 31–10UNC 48–10Duke 17–7NCSU 28–3Duke 31–10
1982Split UNC, NCSU, DukeUNC 2–1, NCSU 2–1, Duke 2–1, WF 0–3UNC 41–9Duke 23–17UNC 24–7NCSU 21–16NCSU 30–0Duke 46–26
1983North CarolinaUNC 3–0, Duke 2–1, NCSU 1–2, WF 0–3UNC 42–14UNC 34–27UNC 30–10Duke 27–26NCSU 38–15Duke 31–21
1984Wake ForestWF 3–0, UNC 2–1, Duke 1–2, NCSU 0–3UNC 28–21UNC 17–15WF 14–3Duke 16–13WF 24–15WF 20–16
1985Duke†UNC 2–1, Duke 2–1, NCSU 1–2, WF 1–2UNC 21–14Duke 23–21UNC 34–14Duke 31–19NCSU 20–17WF 27–7
1986NC StateNCSU 3–0, UNC 2–1, Duke 1–2, WF 0–3NCSU 35–34UNC 42–35UNC 40–30NCSU 29–15NCSU 42–38Duke 38–36
1987Wake ForestWF 3–0, UNC 1–2, NCSU 1–2, Duke 1–2UNC 17–14Duke 25–10WF 22–14NCSU 47–45WF 21–3WF 30–27
1988NC StateNCSU 2–0–1, WF 2–1, Duke 1–1–1, UNC 0–3NCSU 48–3Duke 35–29WF 42–24Tie 43–43NCSU 14–6WF 35–16
1989DukeDuke 3–0, NCSU 2–1, WF 1–2, UNC 0–3NCSU 40–6Duke 41–0WF 17–16Duke 35–26NCSU 27–17Duke 52–35
1990NC StateNCSU 3–0, UNC 2–1, Duke 1–2, WF 0–3NCSU 12–9UNC 24–22UNC 31–24NCSU 16–0NCSU 20–15Duke 57–20
1991NC StateNCSU 3–0, UNC 2–1, WF 1–2, Duke 0–3NCSU 24–7UNC 47–14UNC 24–10NCSU 32–31NCSU 30–3WF 31–14
1992NC StateNCSU 3–0, UNC 2–1, WF 1–2, Duke 0–3NCSU 27–20UNC 31–28UNC 35–17NCSU 45–27NCSU 42–14WF 28–14
1993North CarolinaUNC 3–0, Duke 2–1, NCSU 1–2, WF 0–3UNC 35–14UNC 38–24UNC 45–35Duke 21–20NCSU 34–16Duke 21–13
1994North CarolinaUNC 3–0, Duke 2–1, NCSU 1–2, WF 0–3UNC 31–17UNC 41–40UNC 50–0NCSU 24–23NCSU 31–3Duke 51–26
1995North CarolinaUNC 3–0, NCSU 2–1, Duke 1–2, WF 0–3UNC 30–28UNC 28–24UNC 31–7NCSU 24–23NCSU 41–38Duke 42–26
1996North CarolinaUNC 3–0, NCSU 2–1, WF 1–2, Duke 0–3UNC 52–20UNC 27–10UNC 45–6NCSU 44–22NCSU 37–22WF 17–16
1997North CarolinaUNC 3–0, WF 2–1, NCSU 1–2, Duke 0–3UNC 20–7UNC 50–14UNC 30–12NCSU 45–14WF 19–18WF 38–24
1998North CarolinaUNC 3–0, NCSU 2–1, Duke 1–2, WF 0–3UNC 37–34UNC 28–6UNC 38–31NCSU 27–24NCSU 38–27Duke 19–16
1999Wake Forest†UNC 2–1, WF 2–1, NCSU 1–2, Duke 1–2UNC 10–6UNC 38–0WF 19–3NCSU 31–24WF 31–7Duke 48–35
2000NC StateNCSU 3–0, UNC 2–1, WF 1–2, Duke 0–3NCSU 38–20UNC 59–21UNC 35–14NCSU 35–31NCSU 32–14WF 28–26
2001Split UNC, NCSU, WFUNC 2–1, NCSU 2–1, WF 2–1, Duke 0–3UNC 17–9UNC 52–17WF 32–31NCSU 55–31NCSU 17–14WF 42–35
2002NC StateNCSU 3–0, WF 2–1, UNC 1–2, Duke 0–3NCSU 34–17UNC 23–21WF 31–0NCSU 24–22NCSU 32–13WF 36–10
2003Wake Forest†NCSU 2–1, WF 2–1, UNC 1–2, Duke 1–2NCSU 47–34Duke 30–22UNC 42–34NCSU 28–21WF 38–24WF 42–13
2004North Carolina*UNC 3–0, NCSU 1–1, WF 1–2, Duke 0–2UNC 30–24UNC 40–17UNC 31–24No ContestNCSU 27–21OTWF 34–22
2005Split UNC, WF*UNC 2–0, WF 2–0, NCSU 0–2, Duke 0–2UNC 31–24UNC 24–21No ContestNo ContestWF 27–19WF 44–6
2006Wake Forest*WF 3–0, UNC 2–1, NCSU 0–2, Duke 0–2UNC 23–9UNC 45–44WF 24–17No ContestWF 25–23WF 14–13
2007Wake Forest*WF 3–0, NCSU 1–1, UNC 1–2, Duke 0–2NCSU 31–27UNC 20–14WF 37–10No ContestWF 38–18WF 41–36
2008NC State*NCSU 3–0, UNC 1–1, WF 1–1, Duke 0–3NCSU 41–10UNC 28–20No ContestNCSU 27–17NCSU 21–17WF 33–30
2009Wake Forest*WF 2–0, UNC 1–1, NCSU 1–2, Duke 1–2NCSU 29–27UNC 19–6No ContestDuke 49–28WF 30–24WF 45–34
2010NC State*NCSU 2–0, UNC 1–1, WF 1–1, Duke 0–2NCSU 29–25UNC 24–19No ContestNo ContestNCSU 38–3WF 54–48
2011North Carolina†*UNC 2–1, WF 2–1, NCSU 1–1, Duke 0–2NCSU 13–0UNC 37–21UNC 49–24No ContestWF 34–27WF 24–23
2012Duke*Duke 2–0, NCSU 1–1, WF 1–2, UNC 1–2UNC 43–35Duke 33–30WF 28–27No ContestNCSU 37–6Duke 34–27
2013Duke*Duke 3–0, UNC 1–1, WF 1–1, NCSU 0–3UNC 27–19Duke 27–25No ContestDuke 38–20WF 28–13Duke 28–21
2014NC State*NCSU 2–0, Duke 1–1, UNC 1–1, WF 0–2NCSU 35–7UNC 45–20No ContestNo ContestNCSU 42–13Duke 41–21
2015North Carolina*UNC 3–0, NCSU 1–1, Duke 1–1, WF 0–3UNC 45–35UNC 66–33UNC 50–14No ContestNCSU 35–17Duke 27–21
2016NC State*NCSU 2–0, WF 1–1, Duke 1–1, UNC 0–2NCSU 28–21Duke 28–27No ContestNo ContestNCSU 33–16WF 24–14
2017Duke*Duke 2–0, NCSU 1–1, WF 1–1, UNC 0–2NCSU 34–28OTDuke 27–17No ContestNo ContestWF 27–23Duke 31–23
2018Wake Forest*WF 2–0, NCSU 1–1, Duke 1–1, UNC 0–2NCSU 33–21Duke 45–35No ContestNo ContestWF 30–24WF 59–7
2019Wake Forest*WF 3–0, UNC 2–1, NCSU 0–2, Duke 0–2UNC 41–10UNC 20–17WF 24–18No ContestWF 44–10WF 39–27
2020North Carolina*UNC 3–0, NCSU 2–1, Duke 0–2, WF 0–2UNC 48–21UNC 56–24UNC 59–53*NCSU 31–20NCSU 45–42Canceled [6]
2021North Carolina†*UNC 2–1, WF 2–1, NCSU 1–1, Duke 0–2NCSU 34–30UNC 38–7UNC 58–55No ContestWF 45–42WF 45–7
2022NC State*NCSU 2–0, UNC 2–1, Duke 1–1, WF 0–3NCSU 30–272OTUNC 38–35UNC 36–34No ContestNCSU 30–21Duke 34–31
2023Duke†*Duke 2–1, NCSU 2–1, UNC 1–1, WF 0–2NCSU 39–20UNC 47–452OTNo ContestDuke 24–3NCSU 26–6Duke 24–21

† indicates tiebreakers are determined by who won head-to-head matchup. With no trophy, it is possible to split the title 3 or 4 ways


* Indicates years where not all contests were held

Records
TeamChampionshipsChampionship YearsShared ChampsShared Champs Years
North Carolina311928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1934, 1937, 1947†, 1948, 1949, 1959, 1963, 1964†, 1971, 1972, 1976†, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2004*, 2011†*, 2015*, 2020, 2021†*91925, 1926, 1940, 1942, 1946*, 1979, 1982, 2001, 2005*
Duke261932, 1933, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1939, 1943*, 1944†*, 1945*, 1952*, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1960†, 1961, 1962, 1969, 1985†, 1989, 2012*, 2013*, 2017*, 2023†*31940, 1942, 1982
NC State201927, 1957, 1965†, 1966*, 1967, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2000, 2002, 2008*, 2010*, 2014*, 2016*, 2022*71925, 1926, 1942, 1946*, 1979, 1982, 2001
Wake Forest141924, 1950, 1951, 1970, 1975, 1984, 1987, 1999†, 2003†, 2006*, 2007*, 2009*, 2018*, 2019*71925, 1926, 1940, 1942, 1979, 2001, 2005*

Baseball

In baseball, the four schools won a combined 15 ACC Baseball Tournaments (UNC won 6, NC State and Wake won 4, Duke won 1). In the College World Series, Wake Forest held the only national championship of any ACC school while a member of the ACC in 1955 until Virginia won it in 2015. Other schools have national championships, but all came before joining the ACC, or since leaving the ACC in the case of South Carolina. Wake was the runner-up in 1949, while UNC was the runner-up in 2006 and 2007.

Soccer

In men's soccer, the four schools have won a combined four national titles (UNC has 2, Wake has 1, Duke has 1), three NCAA runners-up (Duke with 2, UNC with 1), 11 ACC Tournament titles, and won or shared 7 ACC regular season titles. Women's soccer has produced much more success among the four schools. On the national level, they have combined for 21 national championships (UNC won all 21), six NCAA runners-up (UNC with 3, Duke with 2, NC State with 1). Tobacco Road teams have won 22 ACC tournaments since its inception in 1987. The years not won by a Tobacco Road team are 1987, 2004, 2011, 2012, and 2013. They have also won or shared 20 ACC regular season titles since 1987. UNC's 21 national titles in women's soccer are the most among Division 1 schools.

Lacrosse

Only Duke and North Carolina currently compete in men's and women's lacrosse, though NC State had a program in the 1970s and 1980s. The current two Tobacco Road competitors have had a significant presence on the national stage, as the Blue Devils have won three national titles (2010, 2013, 2014), while the Tar Heels lay claim to five (1981, 1982, 1986, 1991, 2016). [7] Duke and North Carolina have met 75 times, with UNC leading the rivalry 42–33 through 2020. However, Duke leads the ACC and NCAA postseason series by records of 9–4 and 4–0 respectively. For further information, see Duke–North Carolina lacrosse rivalry.

Overall team national championships

As of 2020, the four schools have combined to win 73 NCAA team national championships in both men's and women's sports.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlantic Coast Conference</span> American collegiate athletics conference

The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate athletic conference located in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the ACC's fifteen member universities compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s Division I. ACC football teams compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The ACC sponsors competition in twenty-seven sports with many of its member institutions held in high regard nationally. Current members of the conference are: Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roy Williams (basketball coach)</span> American basketball player and coach (born 1950)

Roy Allen Williams is an American retired college basketball coach who served as the men's head coach for the North Carolina Tar Heels for 18 seasons and the Kansas Jayhawks for 15 seasons. He was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South's Oldest Rivalry</span> College football rivalry game

The South's Oldest Rivalry is the name given to the North Carolina–Virginia football and basketball rivalry. It is an American college football rivalry and basketball game played annually by the Virginia Cavaliers football And basketball team of the University of Virginia and the North Carolina Tar Heels football team and basketball team of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Both have been members of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 1953, but the Cavaliers and Tar Heels have squared off at least fifteen more times than any other two ACC football programs. Virginia and North Carolina also have extensive rivalries in several other sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carolina–Duke rivalry</span> American college sports rivalry

The Carolina–Duke rivalry refers to the sports rivalry between the University of North Carolina Tar Heels and Duke University Blue Devils, particularly in the sport of basketball. It is considered one of the most intense rivalries in all of US sports; a poll conducted by ESPN in 2000 ranked the basketball rivalry as the third greatest North American sports rivalry, and Sports Illustrated on Campus named it the #1 "Hottest Rivalry" in college basketball and the #2 rivalry overall in its November 18, 2003 issue. The intensity of the rivalry is augmented for many reasons. One reason is the proximity of the two universities—they are located only ten miles apart along U.S. Highway 15–501 or eight miles apart in straight-line distance. In addition, Duke is a private university whereas Carolina is a public school; the vastly different funding structures and cultures between the two further contribute to the intensity of the rivalry. One of the biggest reasons for this rivalry lies in the success of their respective basketball programs; almost every year, at least one of the schools is a contender to win the national championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NC State Wolfpack</span> Intercollegiate sports teams of North Carolina State University

The NC State Wolfpack is the nickname of the athletic teams representing North Carolina State University. The Wolfpack competes at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for all sports since the 1953–54 season. The athletic teams of the Wolfpack compete in 22 intercollegiate varsity sports. NC State is a founding member of the ACC and has won eleven national championships: five NCAA championships, two AIAW championships, and four titles under other sanctioning bodies. Most NC State fans and athletes recognize the rivalry with the North Carolina Tar Heels as their biggest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina–NC State rivalry</span> American college sports rivalry

The North Carolina–NC State rivalry, also known as the State-Carolina game, Carolina–State Game, North Carolina–NC State game, NCSU–UNC game, and other similar permutations, is an ongoing series of athletic competitions between the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tar Heels and North Carolina State University Wolfpack. The intensity of the game is driven by the universities' similar sizes, the fact the schools are separated by only 25 miles, and the large number of alumni that live within the state's borders. Both are charter members of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and are part of the Tobacco Road schools. The most popular games between the two are in football, basketball, and baseball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NC State Wolfpack men's basketball</span> NCAA Division I basketball program representing North Carolina State University

The NC State Wolfpack men's basketball team represents North Carolina State University in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. NC State is one of the seven founding members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. Prior to joining the ACC in 1954, the Wolfpack were members of the Southern Conference, where they won seven conference championships. As a member of the ACC, the Wolfpack has won eleven conference championships, as well as two national championships in 1974 and 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina Tar Heels</span> Intercollegiate sports teams of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The North Carolina Tar Heels are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The name Tar Heel is a nickname used to refer to individuals from the state of North Carolina, the Tar Heel State. The campus at Chapel Hill is referred to as the University of North Carolina for the purposes of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Since the school fostered the oldest collegiate team in the Carolinas, the school took on the nickname Carolina, especially in athletics. The Tar Heels are also referred to as UNC or The Heels.

The Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Virginia. The school competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Virginia has won the NCAA Championship, two National Invitation Tournaments, and three ACC tournament titles. The team is coached by Tony Bennett and plays home games at the on-campus John Paul Jones Arena (14,623) which opened in 2006. They have been called the Cavaliers since 1923, predating the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA by half a century.

Athletes and sports teams from North Carolina compete across an array of professional and amateur levels of competition, along with athletes who compete at the World and Olympic levels in their respective sport. Major league professional teams based in North Carolina include teams that compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Soccer (MLS), and National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). The state is also home to NASCAR Cup Series races. At the collegiate and university level, there are several North Carolina schools in various conferences across an array of divisions. North Carolina also has many minor league baseball teams. There are also a number of indoor football, indoor soccer, minor league basketball, and minor league ice hockey teams based throughout the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duke Blue Devils men's basketball</span> College mens basketball team representing Duke University

The Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team represents Duke University in NCAA Division I college basketball and competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The team is fourth all-time in wins of any NCAA men's basketball program, and is currently coached by Jon Scheyer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball</span> Intercollegiate basketball team of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The North Carolina Tar Heels Men's basketball program is a college basketball team of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels have won six NCAA championships in addition to a 1924 Helms Athletic Foundation title (retroactive). North Carolina has won a record 133 NCAA tournament matchups while advancing to 31 Sweet Sixteen berths, a record 21 Final Fours, and 12 title games. It is the only school to have an active streak of reaching the National Championship game for nine straight decades and at least two Final Fours for six straight decades, all while averaging more wins per season played (20.7) than any other program in college basketball. In 2012, ESPN ranked North Carolina No. 1 on its list of the 50 most successful programs of the past fifty years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 ACC men's basketball tournament</span>

The 2007 Atlantic Coast Conference men's basketball tournament took place from March 8–11 in Tampa, Florida, at the St. Pete Times Forum, the first time the tournament was held in Florida. The quarterfinal games were televised nationwide on ESPN2. Semifinals and the championship game were televised on ESPN. The tournament was also televised by Raycom Sports in ACC markets. For the first time ever, Raycom broadcast the tournament in high definition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maryland Terrapins men's basketball</span> Mens basketball team of the University of Maryland

The Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition. Maryland, a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), left the ACC in 2014 to join the Big Ten Conference. Gary Williams, who coached the Terrapins from 1989 to 2011, led the program to its greatest success, including two consecutive Final Fours in 2001 and 2002, which culminated in the 2002 NCAA National Championship. Maryland has appeared in 30 NCAA tournaments and won their conference tournament 4 times. The Terrapins have competed in 100 seasons, accumulating an overall record of 1,641–1,086 as of the 2022–23 season. Maryland is currently coached by Kevin Willard.

The 2008–09 Atlantic Coast Conference men's basketball season was the 56th season for the league. North Carolina won the regular season crown while Duke won the ACC Tournament championship. The season saw Tyler Hansbrough set conference records in points and free throws made (982), while Miami's Jack McClinton ended his career as the conference's all time three-point marksman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NC State Wolfpack women's basketball</span> Womens college basketball team

The NC State Wolfpack women's basketball team represents North Carolina State University in NCAA Division I women's basketball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina–Wake Forest rivalry</span> US university athletic rivalry

The North Carolina–Wake Forest rivalry is a series of athletic contests between the University of North Carolina Tar Heels and the Wake Forest University Demon Deacons. The first football game between the two institutions was played in 1888. As a consequence of ACC expansion in the 21st century, the two schools do not play each other annually in football, as they were placed in separate divisions and assigned different opponents for their "protected" cross-division games. North Carolina got rival NC State as their cross-divisional opponent, while Wake Forest got Duke, which allowed the Duke-Wake Forest rivalry to continue.

The 2017–18 Atlantic Coast Conference men's basketball season began with practices in October 2017, followed by the start of the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season in November. Conference play started in late December 2017 and concluded in March with the 2018 ACC men's basketball tournament at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The Virginia Cavaliers won an outright regular season championship, their third in five years under the guidance of Tony Bennett, who also received his third ACC Coach of the Year Award. He also became the only living three-time winner of the Henry Iba Award for national coach of the year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NC State–Wake Forest rivalry</span> American college sports rivalry

The NC State–Wake Forest rivalry is a series of athletic contests between in-state rivals, the North Carolina State University Wolfpack and the Wake Forest University Demon Deacons. The first game was played in 1895 between the two institutions. Wake Forest was originally located in Wake Forest, North Carolina until it moved its campus across the state of North Carolina to Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1956. The two universities are members of the Atlantic Coast Conference, where they meet every year in football due to being aligned in the Atlantic Division. The schools play each other twice in basketball every season, due to being primary partners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duke–North Carolina lacrosse rivalry</span>

The Duke–North Carolina lacrosse rivalry is an intercollegiate lacrosse rivalry between the Duke Blue Devils and the North Carolina Tar Heels. Located just 9.8 miles apart on Tobacco Road, the two programs are classic rivals in the Atlantic Coast Conference, headlined by their basketball and football rivalries, but also extending to lacrosse - even club lacrosse. The rivalry has carried national importance itself since the 1990s, leading to numerous thrilling contests between the two in the ACC and NCAA postseason tournaments. Duke leads the ACC series 9–4 and has compiled a perfect 4–0 mark against the heels in NCAA tournament play. Current Heels coach Joe Breschi summed up the rivalry as "when you’re 12 miles away from a school that you don’t like and doesn’t like you, it makes it more intense. There’s so much more meaning there than any other game. That’s what makes winning that much more sweet." In 2019, his counterpart Duke head coach John Danowski described the annual challenge of facing UNC: "They're really good. They're very well-coached, they get the best players in the country year after year, they have the top recruiting classes, and they hate Duke." As a testament to the national success between the two schools, the Blue Devils have won three national titles, while the Tar Heels lay claim to five. As of the end of the 2023 season, North Carolina leads the series 43–37.

References

  1. Alwyn Featherston (2006). Tobacco Road: Duke, Carolina, N.C. State, Wake Forest, and the History of the Most Intense Backyard Rivalries in Sports. Lyons Press. p. vii. ISBN   978-1-59228-915-8. ...in a renewal of four-way rivalry that has made Tobacco Road famous far beyond the bounds of North Carolina or the ACC.
  2. "UNC Tar Heels Head-to-Head Results".
  3. "NC State Wolfpack Head-to-Head Results".
  4. "Duke Blue Devils Head-to-Head Results".
  5. "Wake Forest Demon Deacons Head-to-Head Results".
  6. Wiseman, Steve (17 November 2020). "COVID-19 cancels Duke vs. Wake Forest football game". The News & Observer. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  7. "DI Men's Lacrosse Championship History | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com. Retrieved 2020-04-29.