By: Ben McCormick
September 14, 2024
DURHAM — In a battle of the basketball blue bloods, Duke and UConn football met in a battle for a bowl game: a must-win game for both teams at Duke’s Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday. The Blue Devils (3-0) got the best of the Huskies (1-2) in a 26-21 comeback win to remain unbeaten on the season.
This was the first time for Duke Wisdom in the press box in Blue Devil Tower at Wallace Wade (the press box is ridiculously chilly), and we want to take you on that journey with us. So, look out for the next episode of The Duke Wisdom Podcast, which will detail what it looks like to be a media member at Duke — what does the process look like? That kind of thing. Anyway, back to football:
Now 3-0 on the season, Duke is halfway to bowl eligibility. A trip to Middle Tennessee could give Duke a 4-0 start to the Manny Diaz era, but that doesn’t mean bowl eligibility is a given. A 2-6 finish to the season wouldn’t be guaranteed for Duke as they enter what will likely be a tough conference stretch. That’s why Saturday’s win over UConn was so vital for the Devils.
To start the game, Duke’s offense was clicking. On the Blue Devils’ first drive of the game, quarterback Maalik Murphy dropped a 45-yard dime to wide receiver Jordan Moore. That play was a preview of what would be a fruitful first half for the Duke duo on offense.
That drive ended with a four-yard touchdown pass from Murphy to Moore. After kicker Todd Pelino made the extra point, Duke claimed a 7-0 advantage at the 9:34 mark of the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter, Pelino made his presence felt by sinking a 53-yard field goal (a great statement goal by the kicker, who has faced criticism at times). Then, midway through the second, Duke notched its second touchdown on a 36-yard pass from Murphy to wide receiver Eli Pancol to give Duke a 17-0 lead.
The receiving core showed up for Duke on Saturday. After struggling to capitalize on looks in Duke’s first two wins (vs. Elon and double overtime at Northwestern), Moore and Pancol headlined a solid showing from a receiving core Duke will look to lean on as the season progresses.
Duke destroyed UConn in the air in the first half, that was the dividing line between the two offenses. Murphy threw for 152 yards, meanwhile Husky quarterback Nick Evers threw for just 41.
UConn did get on the board in the first half, though. The score came on an odd play in which Husky linebacker Langston Hardy batted the ball away from Murphy as he brought his arm back to throw. Hardy stripped the pass, came up with the interception and ran it all the way back for a 64-yard touchdown — the first of the game for UConn. That run made it 17-7, Duke, heading into the half.
Then came the real game pressure.
Early in the second half, Husky running back Cam Edwards ran in a one-yard touchdown. The extra-point kick put UConn within a field goal's reach, 17-14, and for the first time all night, it seemed like Duke might be in trouble.
Duke's defense looked frazzled early in the third. UConn's offense stormed down the field, converting play after play and moving the chains. The Husky offense (and Duke defense) was night and day from the first half. A 13-yard touchdown pass from Evers to Alexander Honig gave UConn its first lead midway through the third quarter, 21-17.
After leading 17-0, Duke gave up three touchdowns (including two within a three minute stretch in the third), and gave up its lead.
The Blue Devils were able to come up with a few stops to stall the Husky run in the third quarter from growing any larger. However, the offense couldn't find any footing. There was a glimmer of hope when a Murphy-Moore connection appeared to score six (the fireworks on the scoreboard went off and everything) but the pass was incomplete. The rest of that run just didn't have the same energy after that. The disastrous third quarter ended with Murphy being sacked at the buzzer, forcing a fourth down heading into the final period of play.
The drive could have ended there for Duke, but in the first moments of the fourth, Pelino stepped up again and drilled a long distance field goal. This time, Pelino aced a 47-yard field goal to make it a one-point game with UConn leading 21-20. That was the start of the turnaround for Duke.
On UConn's next drive, Evers threw a pick to Duke defender Terry Moore at the Duke-44. That interception rejuvenated the Blue Devil offense. Behind a big run from running back Star Thomas to start the play, Duke was picking up speed and heading for the end zone quickly.
The drive ended with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Murphy to wide receiver Que'Sean Brown. The score, which came on third-and-nine, gave Duke the lead back. However, a failed two-point conversion left the door open. Had Duke converted, it would have given the Blue Devils a seven point lead (meaning UConn would have to score a touchdown and convert a two-point conversion to reclaim the lead). Instead, Duke dropped the ball, but still maintained a 26-21 lead.
Duke was able to mitigate an aggressive UConn drive and force a 48-yard field goal attempt from Husky kicker, Chris Freeman, who pulled the kick to the right and missed. With under six minutes to play, Duke was in the driver's seat.
From that point on, Duke never gave up possession. They stopped yards shy of the end zone once they had a first down with under two minutes to play. Duke then took a knee on three occasions to run the clock out and claim the 26-21 win.
The Blue Devils will travel to Middle Tennessee next Saturday for a 4 p.m. matchup before coming back home for a rivalry game with North Carolina on Sept. 28.
Ben McCormick | @Duke_Wisdom | @Duke_WisdomFB
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