DURHAM – Duke rolled up 420 yards of offense and sophomore quarterback Riley Leonard accounted for four touchdowns in a 49-20 victory over North Carolina A&T at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday night.
Leonard, who gave way to backup Henry Belin IV for the game’s final 25 minutes, finished the night 11-of-12 passing for 155 yards and two touchdowns. The Fairhope, Ala., native also rushed for two scores, including a career-long 56-yard sprint that put Duke up 35-6 in the third quarter.
The hosts led 28-6 at the half, and opened a margin as wide as 42-6 with 8:34 remaining in the third quarter.
Duke’s 3-0 record is its best start to the season since 2018 when it started 4-0. Head coach Mike Elko also becomes the first Duke football coach since Fred Goldsmith in 1994 to win his opening three games.
How It Happened
- Duke built a 14-0 lead after receiving touchdowns by junior Nicky Dalmolin and sophomore Jordan Moore.
- The Blue Devil defense then added to the scoring when junior Aeneas Peebles found the North Carolina A&T quarterback for a sack fumble. Redshirt junior DeWayne Carter scooped up the loose ball and rushed it 35 yards into the end zone to extend Duke’s lead to 21-0.
- The Aggies registered their first points of the game following a 21-yard field goal early in the second quarter.
- Duke continued with its strong offensive showing when Leonard crossed the goal line from 2-yards out to cap an eight-play, 69-yard drive.
- Just before the break, the Aggies tallied another field goal, a 41-yarder, to cut into the Duke lead at 28-6.
- The Blue Devils started the second half by scoring on their first two drives to extend their edge to 42-6.
- North Carolina A&T outscored Duke in the final frame, 14-7, but the deficit proved to be too much.
Notables
- Saturday’s game marked the third consecutive in which Duke scored a touchdown on its opening drive. The Blue Devils are now 13-1 since 2017 when that happens.
- Duke has outscored its opponent 45-0 in opening quarter.
- The Blue Devils’ seven touchdowns were the most since 2021 when they scored seven against Kansas.
- Leonard started the game 11-of-11 passing for 155 yards with two touchdowns.
- Leonard registered his first career multi-score game after leading Duke’s rushing attack with 66 yards on five carries with two touchdowns.
- Moore has scored a receiving touchdown in each of Duke’s opening three games.
- Peebles tallied his first sack of the year and now has three in his Blue Devil tenure.
- Carter earned his first career fumble recovery and ran it back 35 yards for his first career score.
- Carter’s touchdown marked Duke’s first defensive score of the year and first since 2018 against Baylor.
- Rookie Vincent Anthony Jr. recorded his first career fumble recovery during the third quarter.
- Redshirt senior Jaylen Coleman found the end zone for the third-straight game.
- Sophomore Sahmir Hagans led the wide receivers with 48 yards on two receptions.
- Sophomore Jordan Moore and junior Nicky Dalmolin accumulated 37 and 38 receiving yards, respectively, and both found the end zone for their third and first receiving scores of the year.
- Freshman Eric Weatherly tallied his first score in his first collegiate game.
- Redshirt freshman Nick Morris Jr. led the Blue Devils in tackles with seven.
- Sophomore Brandon Johnson added six tackles, one sack and a forced fumble.
Up Next
- Duke heads on the road to Lawrence, Kansas, on Saturday, Sept. 24 for a matchup with the Jayhawks at 12 noon. The game will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1.
- Kansas defeated Houston 48-30 on Saturday and bring also a 3-0 record into the matchup.
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