Extending its record to 3-0, Duke football managed to remain undefeated after facing off against UConn and coming out on top with a final score of 26-21. The Blue Zone is here to break down the victory with three key takeaways, stats and a look ahead:
Three key takeaways
1. Struggles with consistency
Duke’s second home game of the season saw better pace at the start, with the Blue Devils scoring their earliest touchdown of the season on their first possession. Quarterback Maalik Murphy completed 14 passes in the first half for 152 yards, improving from his Northwestern performance of only seven completed for 52 yards. The offensive improvement, coupled with a solid defensive showing and a good boot by kicker Todd Pelino, translated to an early 17-0 lead.
However, following an interception by UConn linebacker Langston Hardy which resulted in a 64-yard touchdown, both the offensive and defensive squads seemed to falter and lose confidence. Nearly half of Murphy’s incomplete passes took place during the third quarter alone and the defense allowed UConn to score twice in successive possessions. After a much-needed break, the Blue Devils entered the fourth quarter with momentum comparable to the start of the game and secured a 26-21 lead that would turn out to be decisive. While Duke’s mid-game performance didn’t ultimately cost it the win, consistency will be crucial against tougher opponents.
2. Defense rebounds in fourth quarter
Duke’s defense struggled to maintain its strong first-quarter performance during the second and third periods of the game. The Blue Devils lost control of the field following Hardy’s pick-6 in the second quarter. Duke was unable to stop UConn from dominating the third quarter with two additional touchdowns, putting the Huskies in the lead.
Despite a disappointing third quarter, Duke’s defense had a spectacular rebound in the fourth quarter. The Blue Devils successfully regained the lead in the top of the fourth quarter with a touchdown from Murphy to wide receiver Que’Sean Brown. They then kept their edge throughout the remainder of the game with an interception by safety Terry Moore and by forcing UConn to punt. The final four minutes of the game were particularly tense with the visitors getting a bit too close to the Blue Devils’ end zone for comfort, but the defense rose to the occasion. Duke ran out the clock in the final four minutes, successfully stopping several last-minute UConn attempts with the help of safety Jaylen Stinson to continue its undefeated season.
3. Offensive standout
Brown showed out for this game, receiving 11 passes for 87 yards including a clutch touchdown with 11:49 left in the game that secured the Blue Devils the win. In Duke’s games against Elon and Northwestern, Brown had respectively -3 and 4 yards, yet was able to lead the team in receptions and yards this game. New additions to the offense, both freshmen and transfers, seemed to be working well with older members. It will be interesting to see how their chemistry develops throughout the season as the Blue Devils begin to face tougher opponents with more robust defenses.
Three key stats
1. 409 total yards
While the Huskies had more rushing yards than the Blue Devils, Duke made up for it in spades with an impressive 267 passing yards to UConn’s 135. While Duke has a preference for passing rather than running the ball, its 142 rushing yards this game were nothing to scoff at. Additionally, running back Star Thomas claimed 122 of them in an impressive display.
2. 47 and 53-yard field goals
Pelino’s field goals tacked on 6 points for Duke, one of which was a 53-yard career record for the North Carolina native. Combined with two successful extra points, his efforts contributed to nearly a third of Duke’s overall points and helped shape an effective offense Saturday night.
3. 3 penalties
The Blue Devils kept it clean for most of the game, earning only three flags compared to UConn’s seven. Contrasting with nine penalties at Northwestern, this relatively tidy performance demonstrated improved control under pressure. Notably, Duke did not receive a single penalty in the fourth quarter despite tensions running high.
Looking ahead
Next week, the Blue Devils will travel to Murfreesboro, Tenn., to challenge Middle Tennessee State. It will be the schools’ first matchup since 2019, when Duke won comfortably in the Blue Raiders’ territory with a score of 41-18. Now, the Blue Devils will look to defend their unblemished record on the road.
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