Poll shows Duke and North Carolina fans respect each other

A new poll from Public Policy Polling outlining the Duke-North Carolina rivalry yielded some somewhat surprising statistics. Perhaps most surprising, though, is the fact that the two basketball powerhouses might not hate each other as much as advertised.

According to the data, 53 percent of Tar Heels actually respect the Blue Devils, and 49 percent of Blue Devils reciprocate. In fact, North Carolina State fans seem to have more disdain for North Carolina, as only 28 percent of Wolfpack fans respect the Tar Heels.

This week, though, 41 percent of the state will be rooting for North Carolina, in comparison to 31 percent for Duke. While that divide may seem wide, it is actually the closest spread in the five year history of Public Policy Polling's study.

Also of interest—if Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski were to run against North Carolina head coach Roy Williams for governor of North Carolina, Krzyzewski would win by three percentage points.