Duke Defeats Wake Forest, 23-17

Courtesy of Goduke.com

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – A 39-yard Duke touchdown on the final play of the game secured a 23-17 win over Wake Forest on Saturday, Nov. 30. Maalik Murphy’s pass to Jordan Moore, with time expiring, capped off the 14-point comeback and gave the Blue Devils nine regular-season wins for the seventh time in program history.

The touchdown on the final play of the game was Duke’s fourth final-snap victory in program history and first walk-off touchdown. The 39-yard strike joins David Pugh’s 27-yard field goal versus Maryland (Oct. 5, 1968), Matt Brooks‘ 53-yard field goal versus Clemson (Nov. 13, 2004) and Todd Pelino’s 26-yard field goal versus Wake Forest (Nov. 2, 2023). 

With the victory, Duke defeated NC State, North Carolina and Wake Forest in the same season for the first time since 2013, when the Blue Devils downed the Wolfpack, 38-20, the Demon Deacons, 28-21, and the Tar Heels, 27-25, with all three games in November.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Duke’s defense held strong on the first drive of the game, forcing a Wake Forest punt less than three minutes into the contest. The Demon Deacons clanged a field goal off the left upright on their second drive and the game remained scoreless.
• Star Thomas sprinted down the field for 20 yards on the final play of the first quarter, giving the graduate over 2,000 career rushing yards at the FBS level. The Blue Devils capped the drive with the game’s first points, with Todd Pelino driving a 45-yard field goal through the uprights with 13:39 on the clock in the second quarter.
• Wake Forest responded with a scoring drive of its own, punching in the first touchdown of the afternoon just over three minutes later. The Demon Deacons tacked on a field goal five minutes later and took the 10-3 lead into halftime.
• The hosts forced a turnover early in the third quarter and capitalized, scoring a touchdown with exactly nine minutes remaining in the frame. The Blue Devils responded before the end of the quarter, with Thomas rushing in for a score from three yards out to narrow the margin to one possession, 17-10.
• Duke forced a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and took over on the opposing 45-yard line. Behind 30 yards on the ground from Jaquez Moore, Duke eventually tied the score at 17-17 via a one-yard rushing touchdown by Maalik Murphy.
• After Wake Forest forced a Duke punt with just over three minutes to play, the Blue Devils’ defense gave the ball back to Duke’s offense with 1:22 remaining. Murphy and the offense picked up 37 yards on six plays, setting up Murphy’s 39-yard pass to Jordan Moore on the final play of the game.

UP NEXT

• Duke will learn its bowl destination on Sunday, Dec. 8., with further information available on goduke.com/bowlcentral following the announcement.

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