Blue Devils come up empty with big stakes, lose to UVA
DURHAM – Duke came into Saturday’s home game against Virginia with dreams of reaching the ACC championship game.
For too much of the game, the Blue Devils played like a team that will be fortunate to make a bowl game.
Virginia surged past Duke 34-17 at Wallace Wade Stadium. It lifts the Cavaliers into a favorable position to reach the ACC championship and drops Duke to a .500 record, the Blue Devils needing to win at least one of two remaining games to reach a bowl game.
Duke (5-5, 4-2 ACC) didn’t have a first down until 20 minutes into the game, allowed UVA (9-2, 6-1) to convert 11 of its first 15 third-down conversions and was outgained by more than 300 yards through the first three quarters.
The Blue Devils got one first down and punted to start the second half, down two touchdowns.
On the ensuing drive, UVA went 87 yards in 10 plays. The Cavaliers converted three third downs, the last of which came on passes of 29 and 18 yards. A play after the last conversion, Chandler Morris threw a 20-yard touchdown to Trell Harris.
Harris had eight catches for 161 yards. Morris, who was knocked out of last week’s loss to Wake Forest, passed for 316 yards and two touchdowns.
Virginia went ahead 31-3 with J’Mari Taylor’s 78-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter.
The Blue Devils scored two touchdowns to make things quasi-interesting — at least respectable — in the fourth quarter. Cooper Barkate hauled in an 11-yard pass from Darian Mensah and Tre Freeman had an 18-yard interception return.
Will Bettridge made a 42-yard field goal with 5:42 left to make it a three-score game at 34-17.
UVA’s lead was 17-3 at halftime. The Blue Devils were fortunate it wasn’t a wider margin.
To start the game, the Cavaliers marched 75 yards on 14 plays, with three third-down conversions and one on fourth down. The first third-down conversion was a 25-yard pass on third-and-10; the fourth-down conversion was after first-and-20; the last third-down conversion was a 19-yard run on third-and-7.
Duke’s defense forced stops the next three times it was on the field. Those were a punt, an interception by Chandler Rivers and a fourth-down stop.
The Blue Devils’ offense didn’t get moving while its defense got stops. Duke didn’t have a first down until 5 minutes into the second quarter. Those drives started at the 16-, 13- and 12-yard lines.
On Duke’s fourth possession, it finally moved the ball and picked up first downs. Todd Pelino’s 49-yard field goal made it a 7-3 game.
Virginia answered with a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. That one started with a 29-yard pass and featured another two third-down conversions, including a 12-yard touchdown throw to tight end Sage Ennis.
Duke’s next possession was its fourth three-and-out of the first half. UVA took over with 1 minute left, got a 56-yard catch and run on its second play, and tacked on Bettridge’s 44-yard field goal for a 17-3 lead at halftime.
