This article needs additional citations for verification .(March 2017) |
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:
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.
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.
Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
---|---|---|
Date Tournament | Round Venue | |
North Carolina Tar Heels | 73–67 | Duke Blue Devils |
March 25, 1971 1971 National Invitation Tournament | Semifinals Madison Square Garden, New York City | |
Wake Forest Demon Deacons | 62–59 | North Carolina State Wolfpack |
March 28, 2000 2000 National Invitation Tournament | Semifinals Madison Square Garden, New York City | |
Duke Blue Devils (West #2) | 77–81 | North 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) | 64–76 | North Carolina State Wolfpack (South #11) |
March 31st, 2024 2024 NCAA Tournament | Elite Eight (South Regional Final) American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas | |
Furthermore, in 1991 in Indianapolis, Duke and UNC came within one game of playing each other for the national championship. North Carolina lost 79–73 to Kansas, coached by former Tar Heel assistant and future head coach Roy Williams, while Duke upset previously undefeated UNLV 79–77 in a rematch of the previous year's championship game, which UNLV had won by 30 in Denver.
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.
Team | v. UNC | v. NCSU | v. Duke | v. WFU | Overall Record | Winning % |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
North Carolina | N/A | 120–60 | 104–89 | 111–52 | 335–201 | .625 |
NC State | 60–120 | N/A | 74–99 | 106–76 | 240–295 | .449 |
Duke | 89–104 | 99–74 | N/A | 126–59 | 314–237 | .570 |
Wake Forest | 52–111 | 76–106 | 59–126 | N/A | 187–343 | .353 |
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.
Though the Tobacco Road rivalry predominantly relates to basketball, football between these programs is also competitive. As of the 2023 season, the four schools have combined to appear in 105 bowl games (Duke has 16, won 8; UNC has 37, won 15; NC State has 35, won 17; Wake has 17, won 11). They have also shared or won outright a combined 32 conference championships (20 ACC and 12 SoCon). Through 2023, NC State is the only school out of the four to not appear in the ACC Championship Game since the ACC adopted 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 were "permanent cross-division" rivals, meaning that they played every year regardless of division, as did UNC and NC State. The Wake–UNC and Duke–NC State games were played two of every twelve years, excluding additional matchups played as non-conference games. After the ACC divisions were abolished in 2023, a protected rivalry scheduling system was adopted. All four teams have the three other Tobacco Road schools as rivals, except Wake–UNC. 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 victories | NC State victories | Duke victories | Wake Forest victories |
Year | Winner | Summary | UNC vs. NCSU | UNC vs. Duke | UNC vs. WF | NCSU vs. Duke | NCSU vs. WF | Duke vs. WF |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1924 | Wake Forest | WF 3–0, UNC 2–1, NCSU 1–2, Duke 0–3 | UNC 10–0 | UNC 6–0 | WF 7–6 | NCSU 14–0 | WF 12–0 | WF 32–0 |
1925 | Split UNC, NCSU, WF | UNC 2–1, NCSU 2–1, WF 2–1, Duke 0–3 | UNC 17–0 | UNC 41–0 | WF 6–0 | NCSU 13–0 | NCSU 6–0 | WF 21–3 |
1926 | Split UNC, NCSU, WF | UNC 2–1, NCSU 2–1, WF 2–1, Duke 0–3 | UNC 12–0 | UNC 6–0 | WF 13–0 | NCSU 26–19 | NCSU 7–3 | WF 21–0 |
1927 | NC State | NCSU 3–0, UNC 1–2, Duke 1–2, WF 1–2 | NCSU 19–6 | UNC 18–0 | WF 9–8 | NCSU 20–18 | NCSU 30–7 | Duke 32–6 |
1928 | North Carolina | UNC 2–0–1, Duke 2–1, NCSU 1–1–1, WF 0–3 | Tie 6–6 | UNC 14–7 | UNC 65–0 | Duke 19–12 | NCSU 37–0 | Duke 38–0 |
1929 | North Carolina | UNC 3–0, Duke 2–1, NCSU 1–2, WF 0–3 | UNC 32–0 | UNC 48–7 | UNC 48–0 | Duke 14–12 | NCSU 8–6 | Duke 20–0 |
1930 | North Carolina | UNC 2–0–1, Duke 1–0–2, WF 1–2, NCSU 0–3 | UNC 13–6 | Tie 0–0 | UNC 13–7 | Duke 18–0 | WF 7–0 | Tie 13–13 |
1931 | North Carolina | UNC 2–0–1, Duke 1–1–1, WF 1–2, NCSU 1–2 | UNC 18–15 | Tie 0–0 | UNC 37–0 | NCSU 14–0 | WF 6–0 | Duke 28–0 |
1932 | Duke | Duke 2–1, UNC 1–1–1, NCSU 1–1–1, WF 0–1–2 | UNC 13–0 | Duke 7–0 | Tie 0–0 | NCSU 6–0 | Tie 0–0 | Duke 9–0 |
1933 | Duke | Duke 3–0, UNC 2–1, NCSU 0–2–1, WF 0–2–1 | UNC 6–0 | Duke 21–0 | UNC 26–0 | Duke 7–0 | Tie 0–0 | Duke 22–0 |
1934 | North Carolina | UNC 2–0–1, Duke 2–1, WF 1–2, NCSU 0–2–1 | Tie 7–7 | UNC 7–0 | UNC 21–0 | Duke 32–0 | WF 13–12 | Duke 28–7 |
1935 | Duke | Duke 3–0, UNC 2–1, NCSU 1–2, WF 0–3 | UNC 35–6 | Duke 25–0 | UNC 14–0 | Duke 7–0 | NCSU 21–6 | Duke 26–7 |
1936 | Duke | Duke 3–0, UNC 2–1, WF 1–2, NCSU 0–3 | UNC 21–6 | Duke 27–7 | UNC 14–7 | Duke 13–0 | WF 9–0 | Duke 20–0 |
1937 | North Carolina | UNC 3–0, Duke 2–1, NCSU 1–2, WF 0–3 | UNC 20–0 | UNC 14–6 | UNC 28–0 | Duke 20–7 | NCSU 20–0 | Duke 67–0 |
1938 | Duke | Duke 3–0, UNC 2–1, NCSU 1–2, WF 0–3 | UNC 21–0 | Duke 14–0 | UNC 14–6 | Duke 7–0 | NCSU 19–7 | Duke 7–0 |
1939 | Duke | Duke 3–0, UNC 2–1, WF 1–2, NCSU 0–3 | UNC 17–0 | Duke 13–3 | UNC 36–6 | Duke 28–0 | WF 32–0 | Duke 6–0 |
1940 | Split UNC, Duke, WF | UNC 2–1, Duke 2–1, WF 2–1, NCSU 0–3 | UNC 13–7 | UNC 6–3 | WF 12–0 | Duke 42–6 | WF 20–14 | Duke 23–0 |
1941 | Duke | Duke 3–0, WF 2–1, NCSU 1–2, UNC 0–3 | NCSU 13–7 | Duke 20–0 | WF 13–0 | Duke 55–6 | WF 7–0 | Duke 43–14 |
1942 | Split UNC, NCSU, Duke, WF | UNC 1–1–1, NCSU 1–1–1, Duke 1–1–1, WF 1–1–1 | NCSU 21–14 | Tie 13–13 | UNC 6–0 | Duke 47–0 | Tie 0–0 | WF 20–7 |
1943 | Duke* | Duke 2–0, WF 1–0, UNC 1–1, NCSU 0–2 | UNC 27–13 | Duke 14–7 | No Contest | Duke 75–0 | WF 54–6 | No Contest |
1944 | Duke†* | Duke 2–0, WF 2–0, NCSU 0–1, UNC 0–2 | No Contest | Duke 14–7 | WF 33–0 | No Contest | WF 21–7 | Duke 43–0 |
1945 | Duke* | Duke 3–0, WF 2–1, UNC 0–2, NCSU 0–2 | No Contest | Duke 14–7 | WF 14–13 | Duke 26–13 | WF 19–18 | Duke 26–19 |
1946 | Split UNC, NCSU* | UNC 2–0, NCSU 2–0, Duke 1–2, WF 0–3 | No Contest | UNC 22–7 | UNC 26–14 | NCSU 13–6 | NCSU 14–6 | Duke 13–0 |
1947 | North Carolina† | UNC 2–1, Duke 2–1, NCSU 1–2, WF 1–2 | UNC 41–6 | UNC 21–0 | WF 19–7 | Duke 7–0 | NCSU 20–0 | Duke 13–6 |
1948 | North Carolina | UNC 3–0, WF 2–1, NCSU 0–2–1, Duke 0–2–1 | UNC 14–0 | UNC 20–0 | UNC 28–6 | Tie 0–0 | WF 34–13 | WF 27–20 |
1949 | North Carolina | UNC 3–0, NCSU 1–2, Duke 1–2, WF 1–2 | UNC 26–6 | UNC 21–20 | UNC 28–14 | Duke 14–13 | NCSU 27–14 | WF 27–7 |
1950 | Wake Forest | WF 2–0–1, Duke 2–1, UNC 1–2, NCSU 0–2–1 | UNC 13–7 | Duke 7–0 | WF 13–7 | Duke 7–0 | Tie 6–6 | WF 13–7 |
1951 | Wake Forest | WF 3–0, Duke 2–1, UNC 1–2, NCSU 0–3 | UNC 21–0 | Duke 19–7 | WF 39–7 | Duke 27–21 | WF 21–6 | WF 19–13 |
1952 | Duke* | Duke 3–0, WF 2–1, UNC 0–2, NCSU 0–2 | No Contest | Duke 34–0 | WF 9–7 | Duke 57–0 | WF 21–16 | Duke 14–7 |
1953 | Duke | Duke 3–0, UNC 2–1, WF 1–2, NCSU 0–3 | UNC 29–7 | Duke 35–20 | UNC 18–13 | Duke 31–0 | WF 20–7 | Duke 19–0 |
1954 | Duke | Duke 3–0, UNC 2–1, WF 1–2, NCSU 0–3 | UNC 20–6 | Duke 47–12 | UNC 14–7 | Duke 21–7 | WF 26–0 | Duke 28–21 |
1955 | Duke | Duke 3–0, WF 1–1–1, UNC 1–2, NCSU 0–2–1 | UNC 25–18 | Duke 6–0 | WF 25–0 | Duke 33–7 | Tie 13–13 | Duke 14–0 |
1956 | Duke | Duke 3–0, WF 1–1–1, NCSU 1–2, UNC 0–2–1, | NCSU 26–6 | Duke 21–6 | Tie 6–6 | Duke 42–0 | WF 13–0 | Duke 26–0 |
1957 | NC State | NCSU 2–0–1, UNC 2–1, Duke 1–1–1, WF 0–3 | NCSU 7–0 | UNC 21–13 | UNC 14–7 | Tie 14–14 | NCSU 19–0 | Duke 34–7 |
1958 | Duke | Duke 3–0, UNC 1–2, Duke 1–2, WF 1–2 | NCSU 21–14 | Duke 7–6 | UNC 26–7 | Duke 20–13 | WF 13–7 | Duke 29–0 |
1959 | North Carolina | UNC 3–0, Duke 2–1, WF 1–2, NCSU 0–3 | UNC 20–12 | UNC 50–0 | UNC 21–19 | Duke 17–15 | WF 17–14 | Duke 27–15 |
1960 | Duke† | NCSU 2–1, Duke 2–1, UNC 1–2, WF 1–2 | NCSU 3–0 | UNC 7–6 | WF 13–12 | Duke 17–13 | NCSU 14–12 | Duke 34–7 |
1961 | Duke | Duke 3–0, UNC 1–2, NCSU 1–2, WF 1–2 | UNC 27–22 | Duke 6–3 | WF 17–14 | Duke 17–6 | NCSU 7–0 | Duke 23–3 |
1962 | Duke | Duke 3–0, NCSU 2–1, UNC 1–2, WF 0–3 | NCSU 27–22 | Duke 16–14 | UNC 23–14 | Duke 21–14 | NCSU 27–3 | Duke 50–0 |
1963 | North Carolina | UNC 3–0, NCSU 2–1, Duke 1–2, WF 0–3 | UNC 31–10 | UNC 16–14 | UNC 21–0 | NCSU 21–7 | NCSU 42–0 | Duke 39–7 |
1964 | North Carolina† | UNC 2–1, WF 2–1, NCSU 1–2, Duke 1–2 | NCSU 14–13 | UNC 21–15 | UNC 23–0 | Duke 35–3 | WF 27–13 | WF 20–7 |
1965 | NC State† | NCSU 2–1, Duke 2–1, UNC 1–2, WF 1–2 | UNC 10–7 | Duke 34–7 | WF 12–10 | NCSU 21–0 | NCSU 13–11 | Duke 40–7 |
1966 | NC State* | NCSU 2–1, Duke 1–1, WF 1–1, UNC 1–2 | UNC 10–7 | Duke 41–25 | WF 3–0 | NCSU 33–7 | NCSU 15–12 | No Contest |
1967 | NC State | NCSU 3–0, UNC 1–2, Duke 1–2, WF 1–2 | NCSU 13–7 | UNC 20–9 | WF 20–10 | NCSU 28–7 | NCSU 24–7 | Duke 31–13 |
1968 | NC State | NCSU 3–0, UNC 1–2, Duke 1–2, WF 1–2 | NCSU 38–6 | UNC 25–14 | WF 48–31 | NCSU 17–15 | NCSU 10–6 | Duke 18–3 |
1969 | Duke | Duke 2–0–1, NCSU 1–1–1, UNC 1–2, WF 1–2 | NCSU 10–3 | Duke 17–13 | UNC 23–3 | Tie 25–25 | WF 22–21 | Duke 27–20 |
1970 | Wake Forest | Wake 3–0, UNC 2–1, Duke 1–2, NCSU 0–3 | UNC 19–0 | UNC 59–34 | WF 14–13 | Duke 22–6 | WF 16–13 | WF 28–14 |
1971 | North Carolina | UNC 3–0, NCSU 1–2, Duke 1–2, WF 1–2 | UNC 27–7 | UNC 38–0 | UNC 7–3 | Duke 41–13 | NCSU 21–14 | WF 23–7 |
1972 | North Carolina | UNC 3–0, NCSU 2–1, WF 1–2, Duke 0–3 | UNC 34–33 | UNC 14–0 | UNC 21–0 | NCSU 17–0 | NCSU 42–13 | WF 9–7 |
1973 | NC State | NCSU 3–0, Duke 1–1–1, UNC 1–2, WF 0–2–1 | NCSU 28–26 | Duke 27–10 | UNC 42–0 | NCSU 21–3 | NCSU 52–13 | Tie 7–7 |
1974 | North Carolina | UNC 3–0, NCSU 2–1, Duke 1–2, WF 0–3 | UNC 33–14 | UNC 14–13 | UNC 31–0 | NCSU 35–21 | NCSU 33–15 | Duke 23–7 |
1975 | Wake Forest | WF 2–1, Duke 1–0–2, NCSU 1–1–1, UNC 0–2–1 | NCSU 21–20 | Tie 17–17 | WF 21–9 | Tie 21–21 | WF 30–22 | Duke 42–14 |
1976 | North Carolina† | UNC 2–1, WF 2–1, NCSU 1–2, Duke 1–2 | NCSU 21–13 | UNC 39–38 | UNC 34–14 | Duke 28–14 | WF 20–18 | WF 38–17 |
1977 | North Carolina | UNC 3–0, NCSU 2–1, Duke 1–2, WF 0–3 | UNC 27–14 | UNC 16–3 | UNC 24–3 | NCSU 37–32 | NCSU 41–14 | Duke 38–14 |
1978 | NC State | NCSU 3–0, UNC 2–1, Duke 1–2, WF 0–3 | NCSU 34–7 | UNC 16–15 | UNC 34–29 | NCSU 24–10 | NCSU 34–10 | Duke 3–0 |
1979 | Split UNC, NCSU, WF | UNC 2–1, NCSU 2–1, WF 2–1, Duke 0–3 | UNC 35–21 | UNC 37–16 | WF 24–19 | NCSU 28–7 | NCSU 17–14 | WF 17–14 |
1980 | North Carolina | UNC 3–0, WF 2–1, NCSU 1–2, Duke 0–3 | UNC 28–8 | UNC 44–21 | UNC 27–9 | NCSU 38–21 | WF 27–7 | WF 27–24 |
1981 | North Carolina | UNC 3–0, Duke 2–1, NCSU 1–2, WF 0–3 | UNC 21–10 | UNC 31–10 | UNC 48–10 | Duke 17–7 | NCSU 28–3 | Duke 31–10 |
1982 | Split UNC, NCSU, Duke | UNC 2–1, NCSU 2–1, Duke 2–1, WF 0–3 | UNC 41–9 | Duke 23–17 | UNC 24–7 | NCSU 21–16 | NCSU 30–0 | Duke 46–26 |
1983 | North Carolina | UNC 3–0, Duke 2–1, NCSU 1–2, WF 0–3 | UNC 42–14 | UNC 34–27 | UNC 30–10 | Duke 27–26 | NCSU 38–15 | Duke 31–21 |
1984 | Wake Forest | WF 3–0, UNC 2–1, Duke 1–2, NCSU 0–3 | UNC 28–21 | UNC 17–15 | WF 14–3 | Duke 16–13 | WF 24–15 | WF 20–16 |
1985 | Duke† | UNC 2–1, Duke 2–1, NCSU 1–2, WF 1–2 | UNC 21–14 | Duke 23–21 | UNC 34–14 | Duke 31–19 | NCSU 20–17 | WF 27–7 |
1986 | NC State | NCSU 3–0, UNC 2–1, Duke 1–2, WF 0–3 | NCSU 35–34 | UNC 42–35 | UNC 40–30 | NCSU 29–15 | NCSU 42–38 | Duke 38–36 |
1987 | Wake Forest | WF 3–0, UNC 1–2, NCSU 1–2, Duke 1–2 | UNC 17–14 | Duke 25–10 | WF 22–14 | NCSU 47–45 | WF 21–3 | WF 30–27 |
1988 | NC State | NCSU 2–0–1, WF 2–1, Duke 1–1–1, UNC 0–3 | NCSU 48–3 | Duke 35–29 | WF 42–24 | Tie 43–43 | NCSU 14–6 | WF 35–16 |
1989 | Duke | Duke 3–0, NCSU 2–1, WF 1–2, UNC 0–3 | NCSU 40–6 | Duke 41–0 | WF 17–16 | Duke 35–26 | NCSU 27–17 | Duke 52–35 |
1990 | NC State | NCSU 3–0, UNC 2–1, Duke 1–2, WF 0–3 | NCSU 12–9 | UNC 24–22 | UNC 31–24 | NCSU 16–0 | NCSU 20–15 | Duke 57–20 |
1991 | NC State | NCSU 3–0, UNC 2–1, WF 1–2, Duke 0–3 | NCSU 24–7 | UNC 47–14 | UNC 24–10 | NCSU 32–31 | NCSU 30–3 | WF 31–14 |
1992 | NC State | NCSU 3–0, UNC 2–1, WF 1–2, Duke 0–3 | NCSU 27–20 | UNC 31–28 | UNC 35–17 | NCSU 45–27 | NCSU 42–14 | WF 28–14 |
1993 | North Carolina | UNC 3–0, Duke 2–1, NCSU 1–2, WF 0–3 | UNC 35–14 | UNC 38–24 | UNC 45–35 | Duke 21–20 | NCSU 34–16 | Duke 21–13 |
1994 | North Carolina | UNC 3–0, Duke 2–1, NCSU 1–2, WF 0–3 | UNC 31–17 | UNC 41–40 | UNC 50–0 | NCSU 24–23 | NCSU 31–3 | Duke 51–26 |
1995 | North Carolina | UNC 3–0, NCSU 2–1, Duke 1–2, WF 0–3 | UNC 30–28 | UNC 28–24 | UNC 31–7 | NCSU 24–23 | NCSU 41–38 | Duke 42–26 |
1996 | North Carolina | UNC 3–0, NCSU 2–1, WF 1–2, Duke 0–3 | UNC 52–20 | UNC 27–10 | UNC 45–6 | NCSU 44–22 | NCSU 37–22 | WF 17–16 |
1997 | North Carolina | UNC 3–0, WF 2–1, NCSU 1–2, Duke 0–3 | UNC 20–7 | UNC 50–14 | UNC 30–12 | NCSU 45–14 | WF 19–18 | WF 38–24 |
1998 | North Carolina | UNC 3–0, NCSU 2–1, Duke 1–2, WF 0–3 | UNC 37–34 | UNC 28–6 | UNC 38–31 | NCSU 27–24 | NCSU 38–27 | Duke 19–16 |
1999 | Wake Forest† | UNC 2–1, WF 2–1, NCSU 1–2, Duke 1–2 | UNC 10–6 | UNC 38–0 | WF 19–3 | NCSU 31–24 | WF 31–7 | Duke 48–35 |
2000 | NC State | NCSU 3–0, UNC 2–1, WF 1–2, Duke 0–3 | NCSU 38–20 | UNC 59–21 | UNC 35–14 | NCSU 35–31 | NCSU 32–14 | WF 28–26 |
2001 | Split UNC, NCSU, WF | UNC 2–1, NCSU 2–1, WF 2–1, Duke 0–3 | UNC 17–9 | UNC 52–17 | WF 32–31 | NCSU 55–31 | NCSU 17–14 | WF 42–35 |
2002 | NC State | NCSU 3–0, WF 2–1, UNC 1–2, Duke 0–3 | NCSU 34–17 | UNC 23–21 | WF 31–0 | NCSU 24–22 | NCSU 32–13 | WF 36–10 |
2003 | Wake Forest† | NCSU 2–1, WF 2–1, UNC 1–2, Duke 1–2 | NCSU 47–34 | Duke 30–22 | UNC 42–34 | NCSU 28–21 | WF 38–24 | WF 42–13 |
2004 | North Carolina* | UNC 3–0, NCSU 1–1, WF 1–2, Duke 0–2 | UNC 30–24 | UNC 40–17 | UNC 31–24 | No Contest | NCSU 27–21OT | WF 34–22 |
2005 | Split UNC, WF* | UNC 2–0, WF 2–0, NCSU 0–2, Duke 0–2 | UNC 31–24 | UNC 24–21 | No Contest | No Contest | WF 27–19 | WF 44–6 |
2006 | Wake Forest* | WF 3–0, UNC 2–1, NCSU 0–2, Duke 0–2 | UNC 23–9 | UNC 45–44 | WF 24–17 | No Contest | WF 25–23 | WF 14–13 |
2007 | Wake Forest* | WF 3–0, NCSU 1–1, UNC 1–2, Duke 0–2 | NCSU 31–27 | UNC 20–14 | WF 37–10 | No Contest | WF 38–18 | WF 41–36 |
2008 | NC State* | NCSU 3–0, UNC 1–1, WF 1–1, Duke 0–3 | NCSU 41–10 | UNC 28–20 | No Contest | NCSU 27–17 | NCSU 21–17 | WF 33–30 |
2009 | Wake Forest* | WF 2–0, UNC 1–1, NCSU 1–2, Duke 1–2 | NCSU 29–27 | UNC 19–6 | No Contest | Duke 49–28 | WF 30–24 | WF 45–34 |
2010 | NC State* | NCSU 2–0, UNC 1–1, WF 1–1, Duke 0–2 | NCSU 29–25 | UNC 24–19 | No Contest | No Contest | NCSU 38–3 | WF 54–48 |
2011 | North Carolina†* | UNC 2–1, WF 2–1, NCSU 1–1, Duke 0–2 | NCSU 13–0 | UNC 37–21 | UNC 49–24 | No Contest | WF 34–27 | WF 24–23 |
2012 | Duke* | Duke 2–0, NCSU 1–1, WF 1–2, UNC 1–2 | UNC 43–35 | Duke 33–30 | WF 28–27 | No Contest | NCSU 37–6 | Duke 34–27 |
2013 | Duke* | Duke 3–0, UNC 1–1, WF 1–1, NCSU 0–3 | UNC 27–19 | Duke 27–25 | No Contest | Duke 38–20 | WF 28–13 | Duke 28–21 |
2014 | NC State* | NCSU 2–0, Duke 1–1, UNC 1–1, WF 0–2 | NCSU 35–7 | UNC 45–20 | No Contest | No Contest | NCSU 42–13 | Duke 41–21 |
2015 | North Carolina* | UNC 3–0, NCSU 1–1, Duke 1–1, WF 0–3 | UNC 45–35 | UNC 66–33 | UNC 50–14 | No Contest | NCSU 35–17 | Duke 27–21 |
2016 | NC State* | NCSU 2–0, WF 1–1, Duke 1–1, UNC 0–2 | NCSU 28–21 | Duke 28–27 | No Contest | No Contest | NCSU 33–16 | WF 24–14 |
2017 | Duke* | Duke 2–0, NCSU 1–1, WF 1–1, UNC 0–2 | NCSU 34–28OT | Duke 27–17 | No Contest | No Contest | WF 27–23 | Duke 31–23 |
2018 | Wake Forest* | WF 2–0, NCSU 1–1, Duke 1–1, UNC 0–2 | NCSU 33–21 | Duke 45–35 | No Contest | No Contest | WF 30–24 | WF 59–7 |
2019 | Wake Forest* | WF 3–0, UNC 2–1, NCSU 0–2, Duke 0–2 | UNC 41–10 | UNC 20–17 | WF 24–18 | No Contest | WF 44–10 | WF 39–27 |
2020 | North Carolina* | UNC 3–0, NCSU 2–1, Duke 0–2, WF 0–2 | UNC 48–21 | UNC 56–24 | UNC 59–53* | NCSU 31–20 | NCSU 45–42 | Canceled [6] |
2021 | North Carolina†* | UNC 2–1, WF 2–1, NCSU 1–1, Duke 0–2 | NCSU 34–30 | UNC 38–7 | UNC 58–55 | No Contest | WF 45–42 | WF 45–7 |
2022 | NC State* | NCSU 2–0, UNC 2–1, Duke 1–1, WF 0–3 | NCSU 30–272OT | UNC 38–35 | UNC 36–34 | No Contest | NCSU 30–21 | Duke 34–31 |
2023 | Duke†* | Duke 2–1, NCSU 2–1, UNC 1–1, WF 0–2 | NCSU 39–20 | UNC 47–452OT | No Contest | Duke 24–3 | NCSU 26–6 | Duke 24–21 |
2024 | Duke | Duke 3–0, NCSU 1–2, UNC 1–2, WF 1–2 | NCSU 35–30 | Duke 21–20 | UNC 31–24 | Duke 29–19 | WF 34–30 | Duke 23–17 |
† 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
Team | Championships | Championship Years | Shared Champs | Shared Champs Years |
---|---|---|---|---|
North Carolina | 31 | 1928, 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†* | 9 | 1925, 1926, 1940, 1942, 1946*, 1979, 1982, 2001, 2005* |
Duke | 27 | 1932, 1933, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1939, 1943*, 1944†*, 1945*, 1952*, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1960†, 1961, 1962, 1969, 1985†, 1989, 2012*, 2013*, 2017*, 2023†*, 2024 | 3 | 1940, 1942, 1982 |
NC State | 20 | 1927, 1957, 1965†, 1966*, 1967, 1968, 1973, 1978, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2000, 2002, 2008*, 2010*, 2014*, 2016*, 2022* | 7 | 1925, 1926, 1942, 1946*, 1979, 1982, 2001 |
Wake Forest | 14 | 1924, 1950, 1951, 1970, 1975, 1984, 1987, 1999†, 2003†, 2006*, 2007*, 2009*, 2018*, 2019* | 7 | 1925, 1926, 1940, 1942, 1979, 2001, 2005* |
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.
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.
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.
As of 2020, the four schools have combined to win 73 NCAA team national championships in both men's and women's sports.
The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is a collegiate athletic conference located in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the ACC's eighteen 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-eight sports with many of its member institutions held in high regard nationally. Current members of the conference are: Boston College, California, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, SMU, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest.
The South's Oldest Rivalry is the name given to the North Carolina–Virginia football rivalry. It is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Virginia Cavaliers football team of the University of Virginia and the North Carolina Tar Heels football 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.
The Duke–North Carolina rivalry refers to the sports rivalry between the Duke University Blue Devils and the University of North Carolina Tar Heels, 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 lied 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.
The Dixie Classic was an annual college basketball tournament played from 1949 to 1960 in Reynolds Coliseum. The field consisted of the "Big Four" North Carolina schools, the host NC State Wolfpack, Duke Blue Devils, North Carolina Tar Heels, and Wake Forest Demon Deacons, and four teams from across the country.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
The 2007 Atlantic Coast Conference men's basketball tournament took place from March 8 to 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.
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.
The 2008 Atlantic Coast Conference football season was the 56th season that the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) participated in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) college football. As a Bowl Championship Series (BCS) conference, the ACC's constituent members competed within the framework of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
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 NC State Wolfpack men's soccer team is a varsity intercollegiate athletic team of North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. The team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. NC State's first men's soccer team was fielded in 1950. The team plays its home games at Dail Soccer Stadium in Raleigh. The Pack is coached by Marc Hubbard.
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.
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.
...in a renewal of four-way rivalry that has made Tobacco Road famous far beyond the bounds of North Carolina or the ACC.