Offense: C-
Pass: Going up against the seventh-ranked defense in the nation was too tall a task for Lewis, who had been averaging just under 300 yards passing per game this season. The Tar Heel defensive line was in Lewis’s face all day, forcing him to make quicker decisions than he would have liked. This pressure prevented the Blue Devils from finishing drives, twice having to settle for Nick Maggio field goals after getting inside the 10-yard line.
Rush: Duke set a new standard for futility in the running game, netting only 12 yards rushing, their lowest total this season. Quarterback Thaddeus Lewis was the Blue Devils’ leading rusher with seven yards, and only a 19-yard scramble by Lewis late in the game prevented Duke from having negative yards on the ground. The Blue Devils’ offensive line was manhandled up front, and North Carolina defenders were in the backfield seemingly every play. Even supposed running game savior Desmond Scott gained no yards on five carries.
X's and O's: Something had to give coming into the game, and Duke’s highly ranked pass offense gave in to North Carolina’s highly ranked pass defense. The Tar Heel front seven deserves most of the credit, as North Carolina’s secondary never had to cover for more than a few seconds per play. The Blue Devils failed to score a touchdown for the first time this season.
Defense: B-
Pass: North Carolina starting running back Shaun Draughn left the game early with an injury, but Tar Heel backup Ryan Houston ran roughshod over Duke’s defense. North Carolina ran the ball 51 times for 192 yards, 164 of which came from Houston. It seemed every time the Tar Heels wanted four yards, they got it, and Duke was powerless to stop it. Saturday’s was a short game because North Carolina controlled the clock, limiting the chances for the Blue Devils’ offense.
Rush: Duke’s defense somewhat made up for its ineffectuality against the run by holding North Carolina quarterback T.J. Yates to only 119 yards passing on 28 attempts. Blue Devil cornerback Leon Wright picked off another pass, his fifth of the year. Duke’s secondary did a great job in coverage, especially when more players had to be moved into the box to help against the run.
X's and O's: Simply put, North Carolina ran the ball whenever it wanted to, however it wanted to. The Tar Heels used long, drawn-out drives and converted in many short-yardage situations, further tiring out Duke’s defensive line and keeping the Blue Devil offense off the field. Not being able to stop the run or run the ball themselves, Duke stood little chance of winning.
Highest Marks: S Jordon Byas
The redshirt freshman may have only recorded two tackles on defense, but he was the sole contributor on the Blue Devils’ special teams play of the day. On the Tar Heel’s second punt, Byas came right up the gut and blocked it. Then he managed to outsprint several Duke and North Carolina players and recover the ball himself.
Hit the Books: The Offensive Line
When the leading rusher is a quarterback, the blame cannot be completely levied on the running backs. Re’quan Boyette and Desmond Scott were met by North Carolina linebackers almost instantly after they touched the ball, and Lewis was also under constant pressure while trying to throw.
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