This week in Duke football history: Week 4

This year the Blue Zone will be running a series looking back on important moments in the Duke football team’s history. Today, we take you back to Sept. 27, 2008.

After last week’s 38-14 drubbing at the hands of Georgia Tech, Duke may have to look back at its history to find inspiration for the upcoming clash with new ACC foe Pittsburgh. Five years ago, the Blue Devils decisively defeated Virginia 31-3, which not only was the Blue Devils’ largest margin of victory in an ACC game since the 1994 season, but was also the program’s first conference win in four years. So although the season looks bleak after last week’s devastating loss, there is always the opportunity for triumphant resurrection.

In the 2008 game against Virginia, the score was tied 3-3 at the half, with Duke’s points coming from a field goal kicked with one second left in the half. However, things quickly turned Duke’s way after intermission, as the Blue Devils’ converted five UVA turnovers into 28 points. One of the four interceptions in the second half was returned by defensive back Jabari Marshall for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. The offense also scored touchdowns on two passes from quarterback Thaddeus Lewis, after the Blue Devils’ passing attacks was bottled up for most of the first half. Lewis threw two interceptions in the first half, both to Ras-I Dowling, and finished with 160 yards passing for the game.

Virginia was not exactly a powerhouse coming into the game—the Cavaliers were 1-2 and had been outscored 97-33 on the year, en route to a 5-7 final record. Yet the Blue Devils finished even worse: 4-8 with a 1-7 record in ACC play. On this day and this game between basement dwellers, though, Duke was the far superior squad.

The Blue Devils’ football program may not yet be ready to compete with the big boys of college football, maybe not even the Georgia Techs of the world, but it can still put on impressive showings against the lesser teams of the ACC. Duke showed this five years ago when it pounded Virginia, and is certainly capable of repeating that sort of performance against Pittsburgh this weekend.