Duke Wins on Senior Night, 31-28, Over Virginia Tech

Courtesy GoDuke.com

DURHAM, N.C. – The Duke football team took an early lead and went on to secure its fifth one-score win of the season with a 31-28 victory over Virginia Tech on Saturday, Nov. 23. Quarterback Maalik Murphy tossed three touchdowns en route to a career-high 332 passing yards and became the program’s single-season touchdown passes record holder.

Eli Pancol, playing in his final game at Wallace Wade Stadium, tallied career-highs with 188 receiving yards and three touchdown receptions. Pancol amassed 175 of those yards in the first quarter, becoming just the second FBS player this season to record at least 175 receiving yards in a single quarter this season.

On defense, Duke swarmed the Virginia Tech offense, registering 14 TFL’s, including eight sacks. Chandler Rivers forced and recovered a fumble in one play and Joshua Pickett grabbed his first interception of the season.

With the win, Duke secured its third consecutive eight-win season, marking just the second time the program has accomplished that feat, joining the 2013-14-15 seasons.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Following a quick stop by Duke’s defense, the Blue Devils’ offense struck immediately, as Maalik Murphy connected with Eli Pancol for an 86-yard touchdown pass on Duke’s first offensive play of the contest. Murphy went back to Pancol on Duke’s next drive, as the duo put another touchdown on the board, this time with a 77-yard pitch and catch.
• Virginia Tech’s passing game responded right back, with a 65-yard touchdown to cut Duke’s lead in half, 14-7, with just over four minutes remaining in the first quarter. The visitors forced the first turnover of the game, with an interception right before the end of the first 15 minutes of play.
• The Hokies knotted the score at 14 with a trick play shortly into the second quarter and took their first lead of the night following a field goal with just under eight minutes before halftime.
• Pancol’s third touchdown catch of the half, from seven yards out, pushed Duke back in front, 21-17. The touchdown pass by Murphy was the redshirt sophomore’s 25th of the season, setting a new program record for passing TDs in a single season.
• With Virginia Tech driving in the last minute of the opening half, Chandler Rivers brought a blitz, forcing and recovering a fumble to send Duke into the halftime break with its lead intact.
• The Blue Devils started the second half with a seven-play touchdown drive that consumed just over three minutes and made the score 28-17. Star Thomas capped the 74-yard march down the field with a rushing score from two yards out, giving the graduate his sixth rushing touchdown of the year.
• Senior Joshua Pickett picked off the Virginia Tech quarterback with just under seven minutes to play in the third quarter, logging his first interception of the season and second of his career and setting up Duke’s offense inside Hokie territory. Todd Pelino drilled a 42-yard field goal to help the Blue Devils take advantage of the forced turnover, pushing Duke’s lead to 31-17.
• Virginia Tech booted a 38-yard field goal at the start of the fourth quarter to narrow Duke’s advantage to 11, 31-20. The Hokies got within one possession, 31-28, on their next trip down the field, with a rushing touchdown and two-point conversion.
• The Blue Devils defense closed out the victory with back-to-back defensive stops.

UP NEXT

• Duke closes the regular season at Wake Forest on Saturday, Nov. 30. The Blue Devils and Demon Deacons kick off at noon on ACC Network.

For more information on Duke Football, follow the Blue Devils on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching “DukeFB”.
 
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