The Blue Devils were in control early on, but were unable to put the game out of reach as Virginia Tech clawed its way back into the game in the second quarter.
Duke leads Virginia Tech 10-7 at halftime Saturday afternoon at Wallace Wade Stadium. The Blue Devils scored on each of their first two drives en route to a 10-0 lead with less than seven minutes in, but couldn’t muster any points on its final six drives of the half.
The Blue Devils operated in a spread offense from the outset and moved the ball down the field with ease on their opening drive before stalling as they neared the redzone. Duke attacked Virginia Tech through the air, with quarterback Anthony Boone connecting with Jamison Crowder for 18 yards on the first play from scrimmage and finding Max McCaffrey for a 21-yard strike later in the drive to set up a 36-yard Ross Martin field goal that put the Blue Devils up 3-0 just three minutes in.
After forcing a quick three and out on defense, Duke marched right down the field again on offense, this time relying on its running game to pick up big chunks of yardage. Led by a big 17-yard keeper from Boone and 36 rushing yards from senior running back Josh Snead, the Blue Devils were able to quickly move into scoring position.
This time, they punched the ball into the endzone for a touchdown on a two-yard plunge from Snead that gave Duke an early 10-0 advantage.
The Hokies were finally able to swing some momentum in their direction as the teams switched sides for the start of the second quarter. On the first play of the quarter—with the Blue Devils driving at the Hokie 27 and looking to take a commanding three-score lead—Boone made his first mistake of the half, forcing a throw to a blanketed receiver that Virginia Tech linebacker Deon Clarke intercepted for the first turnover of the afternoon.
Virginia Tech took over at its own two-yard line but was unfazed by being pinned back deep in its own territory, moving the ball methodically down the field after a key third-and-four conversion from its own eight. The 12-play drive culminated in leading receiver Isaiah Ford making a catch with Duke cornerback Breon Borders in his face to snag a 10-yard touchdown that cut the Blue Devil lead to 10-7 and put the Hokies right back in the game.
Virginia Tech looked poised to take the lead late in the second quarter, but the Duke defense tightened up on a key fourth down play. Facing fourth-and-one at the Blue Devil 42 with just over three minutes left in the half, the Hokies decided to roll the dice, but running back J.C. Coleman was met by a wall of Duke defenders who stopped him for no gain, giving Duke the ball back with one last shot to score before the half ended.
Boone and the Blue Devil offense quickly moved the ball into Virginia Tech territory with the senior quarterback hitting three different receivers in the process. Duke was unable to capitalize on the opportunity, as the drive stalled on the Hokie 33-yard line and Martin missed a 51-yard field goal attempt wide left for his first miss of the season.
Stay tuned to The Blue Zone and follow us on Twitter at @chroniclesports for updates and analysis of the second half.
Observations from the First Half:
- The Blue Devils set the tone early and dominated the first quarter, outgaining the Hokies 117-7 their first two drives
- Duke held the Hokies to just 40 yards of offense and 0 points in the first quarter, the second time this season the Blue Devils have held an opponent scoreless in the opening 15 minutes
- Virginia Tech turned the tables in the second quarter, gaining 141 yards of offense and yielding just 40 to the Blue Devils
- Duke’s offense benefited from great field position early, starting its eight first-half possession from an average of its own 38 yard-line
- As he has been for much of the season, safety Jeremy Cash was all over the field defensively for the Blue Devils, recording six tackles—including three tackles for loss—a pass breakup and two sacks
- Duke was very successful running the ball, racking up 126 rushing yards and taking advantage of a struggling Virginia Tech run defense that had allowed 622 yards on the ground in its last two games
- Redshirt sophomore quarterback Brenden Motley saw his first action of the season for the Hokies, coming in to run to spell starter Michael Brewer as a wildcat quarterback in the second quarter and picking up 34 yards on the ground
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