Game Synopsis: Duke dominated its season opener against FCS opponent N.C. Central, winning 45-0. Anthony Boone went 16-for-20 for 176 yards and the Blue Devils rushed for 257 yards en route to a landslide victory. Duke's defense held the Eagles to just 184 total yards on the day. N.C. Central did not even move the ball into the Blue Devils' half of the field until their last drive of the second quarter. Duke took a 21-0 lead heading into the locker room at halftime and never looked back, cruising to an easy win over its cross-town foe.
The Quote: "Can't say enough about our defensive staff and defense; you've got to start with that," Blue Devil head coach David Cutcliffe said. "It's nice to see a shut out, and in this modern era its difficult. And it wasn't a fluke."
Key Stat: N.C. Central averaged just 3.0 yards per play.
Milestone Alert: The shutout marked the first time since 1989 that the Blue Devils had held an opponent scoreless and only the fifth Duke shutout since 1964.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.