Your first-place Duke Blue Devils.
I know, I know. One game. But after 13 straight ACC losses going back two years and seven straight losses to Virginia, Duke deserves to throw those monkeys off their backs and bask in a 38-17 win over Virginia.
Duke revisited some familiar themes in the surprisingly one-sided victory. A fast start? Check. Win the turnover battle? Another check. Great special teams play? With one exception, another check.
Duke took advantage of a pair of 15-yard defensive penalties to take a 7-0 lead on their second possession. Riley Leonard ended the drive with a 19-yard TD pass to Jalon Calhoun.
A roughing the passer penalty on the ‘Hoos helped Duke’s second score, a two-yard sneak by Leonard and it was 14-0.
Oh, did I mention Duke started the drive after Ryan Smith blocked a punt.
Then Virginia fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Duke took over at the Virginia 41.
Then the first period became the second period and Duke continued to roll.
The Blue Devils converted a 4th-and-2 with a neat roll-out pass from Leonard to Jordan Moore and then Jordan Waters leapt over from a yard out and it was 21-0 less than five minutes into the second period.
“We knew they were going to load the box,” Elko said of Virginia’s run defense,” I thought schematically we did some things to loosen them up. That certainly helped. But I thought our offensive line played physical and the backs ran really, really hard.”
Duke rushed for 248 yards against a team that had been stout against the run.
Late in the half Duke started returning the favor. Some missed tackles, some blown coverages, a pass interference penalty in the end zone and Brennan Armstrong was connecting on an 11-yard touchdown strike to Perris Jones and the teams went into the locker room with Duke up 21-7.
Maybe old man momentum was favoring the visitors.
Elko said Duke needed to disabuse Virginia of that notion right off the bat.
“That was a challenge put down to them,” Elko said. “Obviously, we didn’t end the half real well. We gave up the two-minute drive. We didn’t have a good kick return. We wanted to go two minutes but we couldn’t. It just didn’t end real well and we challenged them in the locker room at halftime, basically saying ‘these guys are going to come.’ We have to play our best quarter of the year coming out of the locker room and I thought we did that.”
Challenge met. Virginia started the second half with a three-and-out and Duke responded with a 72-yard touchdown drive. A 14-yard Leonard scramble, a 23-yard pass from Leonard to Calhoun and another pass interference call were the big plays.
The undisciplined Cavaliers were penalized 87 yards on six penalties.
Leonard again scored on a sneak from a yard out and it was 28-7.
Then Duke again started re-gifting. A bad snap took away a 44-yard field goal attempt by Charlie Ham. A pass interference gave Virginia a first and goal that turned into a field goal after a third down sack by Ja’Mion Franklin, a tackle who had a superb game, which also included two deflected passes at the line of scrimmage.
“Our message at the beginning of the week was that if we’re going to win this football game, we’re going to have to dominant the line of scrimmage,” Franklin said. “None of our guys backed down.”
The third period ended with Duke up 28-10.
After that Duke was cooking with gas, as the old folks used to say. Jaquez Moore went 59 yards for a touchdown a minute into the fourth quarter. Virginia answered with a TD drive but Duke bled the clock on a 7:25 drive that ended with a 34-yard Charlie Ham field goal that ended the scoring.
That drive consisted of 10 runs, none longer than nine yards, most between the tackles.
Not the kind of thing Duke has been able to do recently against ACC teams.
Elko called the drive “an attitude drive.”
Leonard agreed.
“That sent a statement that we’re coming, to everybody we’re playing in the ACC.”
Darius Joiner picked off Armstrong on a deflection and some kneel downs and that was a wrap.
Elko says he’s not the kind of guy who gets too up with a win or too down with a loss and he wants his team to reflect that. But Duke laid some ghosts to rest and he was willing to acknowledge that.
“Proud of our guys and proud to get ACC win number one. But I just told them that the expectations are changing and with these wins come more opportunities.”
As always, thank you, Jim. Among many highlights is my favorite: the 7:25' drive, ending in a FG, that Elko called an "attitude drive." That's exiting to watch, and it bodes well. Several quick hits: Riley is a really good QB! [JIm, I would appreciate learning your comparative evaluation of Riley and Daniel Jones.] Tough running -- our RBs are strong, determined, shifty and smart. Our WRs catch the ball, even when contested. Our safeties and corners were much better this game -- evidently they are learning to communicate. Win or lose I am enjoying and appreciating seeing such a high quality, spirited, tough and cohesive Duke football team.
I’m fairly certain Duke will be closed mouth on injury information but any status update on Jaylen Coleman would be appreciated.