EVANSTON, In poor health.—The street, the wind, the group — many elements might have defined Duke’s stumbling begin towards Northwestern. The Blue Devils got here out of the gate wanting weaker than they did in Week 1, and the storm was nonetheless brewing.
However after two overtimes, an overturned fumble and a rabbit on the sphere, Duke would emerge victorious 26-20 from the rollercoaster of a recreation. Quarterback Maalik Murphy threw two touchdowns in additional time play, together with a game-winning one to graduate receiver Eli Pancol. Within the wet, gritty battle that performed out on the shores of Lake Michigan, it was Blue Satan perseverance that shone brightest.
“The sport’s not received within the first quarter,” Jordan Moore mentioned, who related with Murphy for the primary of the 2 additional time touchdowns. “It’s received within the fourth — or in additional time.”
With 3:25 remaining within the fourth quarter and the Blue Devils down three, Duke’s offense went to work.
Murphy launched a deep cross to Jordan Moore, who couldn’t fairly come down with the catch. His subsequent cross to Javon Harvey transformed to a primary down, and Duke was on the 33-yard line with two minutes left on the clock. Moore caught a cross on the precise to transform once more, and the Blue Devils appeared poised to proper the evening’s struggling ship.
Then got here a would-be fumble by Murphy, nevertheless it was overturned after assessment. Duke inched as much as the 4-yard line and was compelled right into a subject purpose try.
Todd Pelino booted the ball by way of the goalpost and tied the sport 13-13 with 15 seconds on the clock. Duke headed into additional time.
Northwestern scored on a rush to the left by working again Cam Porter, making the additional level with ease. Then it was Duke’s flip — and Murphy related with a cross to Moore on the primary play. Pelino kicked the purpose.
Second additional time.
One other deep cross from Murphy to Moore, adopted by a throw to Pancol, delivered Duke (2-0) its landing. The Blue Devils led 26-20, however their two-point conversion try failed after Murphy couldn’t join with Nicky Dalmolin.
Duke compelled Northwestern (1-1) right into a fourth down, the place quarterback Mike Wright threw an incomplete cross to Frank Covey IV and cemented the Blue Devils’ victory.
“I’m in awe of their effort, of all of the adversity that we went by way of tonight,” head coach Manny Diaz mentioned. “Our potential to persevere and overcome was exceptional.”
In the beginning of the ultimate quarter, which started in a 10-10 tie, either side had struggled to remain afloat. Duke managed to maintain Northwestern out of the top zone, however was left trailing after a subject purpose by Jack Olsen shifted the needle to 13-10.
Though the offense struggled, graduate linebacker Alex Howard continued to position strain on Wright within the ensuing performs, finally notching 14 tackles and a pair of.5 for loss. Then Murphy launched a sequence of profitable passes that inched the Blue Devils nearer to field-goal vary. However after preventing by way of tough waters to the 34-yard try, the sometimes dependable Todd Pelino’s kick sailed proper and left the crew floundering.
The primary jiffy of the second half had been a whirlwind of their very own — full with a rabbit on the sphere that momentarily stalled play. The Blue Devils, lagging by three, tried to proper the ship after a disheartening first two quarters.
A sack and a blocked punt marred Duke’s first drive of the third quarter, however the protection managed to maintain Northwestern away from the top zone and power a 29-yard subject purpose try, which Olsen knocked off the upright. It appeared like an opportunity for the Blue Devils to show the sport round, however Murphy’s subsequent deep cross to the left was intercepted on the Duke 45-yard line.
The Wildcats gave it proper again. Moore recovered a fumble by working again Caleb Komolafe and as soon as once more, the Blue Devils appeared in preventing kind. They transformed to their first 1st down of the half and continued trudging downfield, with a quick look by Henry Belin IV in quarterback working performs. Pelino booted a 49-yard subject purpose to tie the sport at 10 with seven minutes remaining within the third quarter.
“I do really feel the blocked punt, interception sequence within the third quarter was very important,” Diaz mentioned. “It was an insane effort by the protection…. From that second on, we’d achieve momentum.”
On their following possession, Murphy accomplished one cross to Moore for 14 yards, then one other for 9. A fourth down try appeared promising, however the Blue Devils had been left fishing for achievement after an incomplete cross dropped by Nicky Dalmolin.
The Blue Devils appeared to be a step off from the get-go. Their early defensive minutes had been porous at finest, together with an opening-drive 44-yard rush, and so they allowed Northwestern a subject purpose at first of the primary quarter. Duke’s very first offensive drive backed it into two successive third-down conversions.
Terry Moore’s leaping interception was the spotlight of the primary half, offering a glancing hope that the Blue Devils might shut down a resilient Wildcat crew. Murphy adopted it up with a rifle down the center, and Pancol carried the ball house to catapult Duke forward of the Wildcats. The additional level was good, and Duke rested comfortably at 7-3 by way of the top of the primary quarter.
Nevertheless, drive after stalled drive chilled Duke’s momentum, after which Northwestern’s Joseph Himon II recovered a muffed punt. Wildcat working again Cam Porter rushed up the center to attain a landing, and all of the sudden the rating was 10-7 towards Duke with six minutes remaining within the half.
The Blue Devils additionally suffered a blow when tight finish Jeremiah Hasley went down with a leg harm earlier than the half and needed to be helped off the sphere in a medical cart. Rain on the tail finish of the second quarter set a grim stage, with Duke down three going into the locker room.
The Blue Devils return house to face UConn Saturday at 6 p.m.
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Abby DiSalvo is a Trinity sophomore and assistant Blue Zone editor of The Chronicle’s one hundred and twentieth quantity.