A week after getting drubbed by Alabama in the “Wallace Wade Showdown,” Duke watched its season possibly begin to slip away with a 35-21 loss to Army—on homecoming weekend, no less.
The Black Knights (3-1) dominated the game from the outset, intercepting two of redshirt-sophomore quarterback Sean Renfree’s first five pass attempts and scoring touchdowns on the ensuing drives, which started at the three and five-yard lines, respectively.
“Obviously it was a bad start,” Renfree said. “You can’t expect to win a game and have a start like that where you throw two interceptions.”
Although the Crimson Tide and the flood of fans they brought along to watch their 62-13 victory over the Blue Devils had flowed out of town a week earlier, the lingering effects were evident in the way Duke (1-3) opened the game.
“Our confidence is not good, and so you get behind early—that was the worst thing that could happen to us,” head coach David Cutcliffe said. “I’ve watched them all week long and I know what those kind of whippings can do to your confidence, and our confidence is shaken…. We’ve got to mature in that area.”
Even after absorbing two quick blows from Army, Duke managed to stay in the game with the help of its running game—at least initially. After giving up the second touchdown, the Blue Devils marched the length of the field, relying mostly on their rushing attack to make up for deficiencies in the passing offense.
But that would be Duke’s best drive of the day, and certainly its longest. Over the course of the unseasonably hot and humid September afternoon, the Black Knights held the ball for 39:57—basically two-thirds of the game.
The huge discrepancy in time of possession masked a solid performance by the defense, which was put in untenable predicaments by the offense’s turnovers. This turn of events formed a stark contrast to most of Duke’s losses during the Cutcliffe era, characterized by games in which the offense performed well but was unable to make up for defensive deficiencies.
“Our defense played lights out today,” sophomore wide receiver Conner Vernon said. “It’s definitely on us today. We, from an offensive standpoint, lost us the game. We ended up with five turnovers…. We’re not gonna be able to have five turnovers and win a game, especially against a team like Army, who’s a well developed team—sound and very disciplined.”
As well as the Black Knights played, they were actually one of the most beatable teams on the Blue Devils’ schedule, meaning that Duke fans may have to wait at least one more season for a shot at a bowl berth. Next week, the Blue Devils have to play on the road against a surprising 3-1 Maryland team.
“Next week we’ve got a great Maryland team, it’s ACC play now,” Vernon said. “If we come out and do the same thing we did today, they’re gonna do the same thing to us [that Army did.]”
After a week off, Duke has a tough stretch against No. 16 Miami, on the road at perennial ACC contender Virginia Tech and at Navy. To be bowl eligible, the Blue Devils must win at least one of those four games, and then sweep their remaining schedule—composed entirely of ACC opponents.
That’s not to say that Cutcliffe or his players are going down without a fight.
“We move on, take it one game at a time,” freshman linebacker Kelby Brown said. “Starting tomorrow, this game’s over—just like last week.”
“You absolutely work out of it one play at a time, one drill at a time,” Cutcliffe added. “I’ve never quit in my life. I don’t expect that anybody around us will. You don’t let things spiral…. We’re all big boys, we all will accept our personal challenges.”
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