Halftime Report: Duke football vs. Tulane

Duke heads to the locker room with a 19-7 lead against Tulane at Wallace Wade Stadium. The Blue Devils—who scored on short touchdown runs by Thomas Sirk and Josh Snead—got some help from a Tulane safety and added a Ross Martin field goal in the opening 30 minutes.

For the second week in a row, the Blue Devils wasted no time marching downfield to grab an early lead. Keyed by a 43-yard scamper by backup Sirk on third-and-one, Duke completed a seven-play, 75-yard drive in less than three minutes, culminating in a Sirk one-yard touchdown run. The entire drive came courtesy of quarterback runs, as starter Anthony Boone rushed four times for 27 yards in addition to Sirk's two carries.

Tulane answered back with an impressive opening drive, converting a pair of third downs during an 85-yard drive that ended when freshman running back Dontrell Hillard punched it in from five yards out. Once again, the Blue Devils responded quickly, as Snead bulldozed his way into the endzone from two yards out.

After giving Green Wave quarterback Tanner Lee too much room to operate on Tulane's opening drive, Duke cracked down on its second series, forcing the Green Wave into a three-and-out. Setting up to punt, Tulane's snap sailed over the head of punter Peter Picerelli and out of the endzone, giving the Blue Devils a safety and a 16-7 lead.

Duke appeared to have another promising drive going after the ensuing free kick, but Tulane came up with a big stop on fourth and four to stifle the Blue Devil effort after head coach David Cutcliffe opted to keep the offense on the field instead of attempt a manageable Ross Martin field goal.

After an offensive lull, Boone got Duke back in a rhythm, again utilizing the read-option to great success. The Weddington, N.C., native had two runs of 10 or more yards to move deep into Green Wave territory, but again the drive stalled in the red zone, and the Blue Devils settled for a 31-yard Martin field goal. Boone completed 12-of-20 passes for 126 yards in the opening 30 minutes, but threw a late interception—Duke's first turnover of the season.

Observations from the first half:

• Redshirt senior defensive Dezmond Johnson is inactive for today's game with a leg injury, and was replaced by Jonathan Jones. Redshirt junior offensive guard Lucas Patrick, also hampered by injury, did not start; Cody Robinson got the nod in his stead.
• Jamison Crowder's three first-quarter receptions vaulted the senior into fifth place on the ACC all-time receptions list, passing former Wake Forest wide receiver Desmond Clark. Crowder had five catches for 71 yards in the first half.
• Junior safety Dwayne Norman was initially called for a targeting penalty after a Jeremy Cash interception in the second quarter. After further review, the penalty was overturned, but had it stood, Norman would have been ejected. The Jacksonville, Fla., product was also ejected for targeting in last season's ACC Championship game against Florida State.
• After a record-setting 245 yards on the ground last week, freshman Shaun Wilson has been contained so far today, managing eight yards on two rushes.
• As a whole, the Duke quarterbacks are outgaining the Blue Devil running backs with their legs. Boone and Sirk have 84 yards on 12 carries; the trio of Wilson, Snead and Shaquille Powell have 17 on five carries.
• Tulane is having ground game success in its own right operating out of the hurry-up, as powerful backs Sherman Badie, Dontrell Hillard and Lazedrick Thompson have found room and carried would-be tacklers with them for extra yardage.
• The safety was the first for the Blue Devils since 2010 against North Carolina.