DURHAM – Duke football moved up 242 yards on the ground and scrambled for four scores in a 38-17 triumph over Virginia on Saturday night at Streams Field at Wallace Swim Arena in the Blue Villains’ ACC opener.
Sophomore quarterback Riley Leonard completed the night 18-of-24 passing for 129 yards and represented three scores as Duke beat the Cavaliers interestingly since the 2014 season and won the program’s most memorable ACC game since Oct. 10, 2020 versus Syracuse.
In a clash of first-year lead trainers, Mike Elko saw his Blue Villains limit Virginia to only 93 yards surging in improving to 4-1 generally and 1-0 in the ACC. Tony Elliott’s Cavaliers tumbled to 2-3, 0-2.
How It Worked out
The Blue Villains controlled a significant part of the initial half, constructing a 21-7 benefit at the break.
Leonard represented two of those scores as he associated with senior Jalon Calhoun for 19-yard score halfway through the primary quarter prior to hastening in from two-yards out with 13 seconds left in the edge.
Leonard again found jackpot to open the final part, giving Duke a 28-7 benefit with 11:13 left in the third.
The Cavaliers answered driving 47 yards over the course of the following five minutes, yet the Blue Demon safeguard held their guests to simply a 34-yard field objective to make it a 28-10 ballgame.
Sophomore Jaquez Moore then, at that point, broke free for a vocation long 59-yard score run for his most memorable profession score to start off the final quarter.
Virginia replied back with a Brennan Armstrong five-yard score hurry to slice the lead to 35-17 with 10:30 leftover in the game however a 34-yard field objective from Duke’s Charlie Ham eventually put the game far off.
Notables
Riley recorded his second profession multi-score hurrying game.
Redshirt junior Jaylen Coleman drove the Duke rushers with a vocation high 97 yards on 19 conveys.
Redshirt senior Shaka Heyward incorporated a game-high 13 handles for his 10th vocation twofold digit tackle execution.
Heyward added one tackle for misfortune, to move into a bind with Scott Youmans for fifteenth all-time with 30 in his profession.
Redshirt senior Ja’Mion Franklin recorded Duke’s solitary sack and a profession high two pass separations.
Calhoun enrolled a profession high 43-yard dropkick return.
The Blue Fallen angels acquired 200 or more surging yards against Virginia interestingly since October 6, 2010.
Duke held the Cavaliers to only 93 yards surging, denoting the third time this season the Blue Demons held a rival to under 100 yards hurrying.
The last time Duke began 1-0 in ACC play was to begin the 2019 season.
Up Next
The Blue Villains are back out and about when they head to Atlanta, Ga., on Saturday, Oct. 8 for a matchup with Georgia Tech at 4 p.m. The game will be communicated on RSN.
Georgia Tech crushed Pittsburgh on Saturday night, 26-21.