Peyton Seelmann did more than fill up a stat sheet against Duke. He took over the middle of the field when North Carolina needed a defensive answer most, and the ACC took notice.
Seelmann was named ACC Linebacker of the Week after his huge role in UNC’s 24-20 rivalry win over Duke. The Richmond transfer piled up a game-high 16 total tackles, with seven solo stops and nine assisted tackles. He also added a half-tackle for loss, a half-sack and a quarterback hurry.
That production mattered even more because of when it came. UNC saw a 17-0 lead disappear as Duke ripped off 20 straight points, turning the game into a late battle.
Seelmann was in the thick of the response, especially after halftime. Thirteen of his 16 tackles came in the second half, and seven arrived in the fourth quarter alone.
One of his biggest moments came late, when his pressure helped force an intentional grounding penalty. On that snap, Seelmann was credited with a half-sack and a tackle for loss.
The 16 tackles marked a season high for Seelmann and were the most by a North Carolina defender since Cedric Gray had 17 against NC State on November 25, 2023. Across the ACC in Week 7, no player posted more tackles, and Seelmann’s total was the second-highest single-game mark in the conference this season.
Seelmann came to Chapel Hill after a 2025 season at Richmond that saw him post 120 tackles and earn First Team All-Patriot League honors. He opened his first year at UNC on the Butkus Award Watch List, and the Duke game showed exactly why.
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