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A new era has dawned in Chapel Hill with Bill Belichick taking the helm at North Carolina. The legendary coach, an eight-time Super Bowl champion, has brought instant attention to the Tar Heels-and reignited one of college football's oldest rivalries.
When North Carolina and Duke clash in 2025, it won't just be another installment in their historic series. It will be Belichick vs. Manny Diaz, two high-profile coaches squaring off in what could be the most anticipated matchup in years.
While the UNC-Duke rivalry is more commonly associated with basketball, their gridiron history runs deep.
The 112th meeting between the two will carry added intrigue thanks to Belichick's presence on the sidelines. Diaz, entering his second year as head coach of the Blue Devils, welcomes the added attention.
"Whatever gets more people watching, right?" Diaz said on ESPN's College GameDay podcast.
"Anything that's good for ACC football is good for all of us. That was a big win for us a year ago. We've got a really neat feature to our football facility down there. That's what makes college football amazing-those types of rivalries."
Belichick will be looking to dominate rivalry
Diaz made a statement in his rivalry debut last season, leading Duke to a dramatic 21-20 comeback win.
Down 20-0 at halftime, the Blue Devils scored three unanswered touchdowns, capped by Peyton Jones' 20-yard run with under six minutes remaining.
The win snapped Duke's four-game losing streak in the series and handed Diaz his first Victory Bell.
Despite UNC holding the all-time edge (64-41-4), Diaz knows every chapter in the rivalry is hard-fought-regardless of who's coaching.
"The guy that was there this past year had won a lot of games, too," he said, referring to former Tar Heels coach Mack Brown.
"The expectation is that game should always be amazing. Our belief here is it's always going to come down to the last play, and we've got to be built to win the game on that last play."
Belichick's early tenure at UNC hasn't been without drama, but he's already made waves with a massive roster overhaul.
Ahead of his college football debut, Belichick has brought in 40 transfers and 29 freshmen, dramatically reshaping the program and raising expectations in Chapel Hill.
Still, Diaz isn't intimidated. In fact, he shares a mutual respect with Belichick.
"Coach Belichick has always been great to me," he said.
"I used to visit him in New England, and he even had me speak to the team the last time I was there. It was good to catch up with him at the ACC spring meetings."
With two competitive coaches and rising programs, the 2025 UNC-Duke game promises to be a defining moment in the new ACC landscape-and perhaps the start of a new legacy in one of college football's most underrated rivalries.