Duke Visits Army After Their Bye Week Looking To Snap Their Five -Game Losing Streak

It's been awhile since Duke has won a game  as they have  lost their last five games.

Duke had their bye a week ago and now is back in action hoping to turn things around  when they visit Army @West Point Saturday.

Now in its 105th season of football, Duke travels to face Army West Point, on Saturday,
• Coming off an open date, Duke is 4-5 overall and 1-5 in the ACC following a 24-3 loss to No. 13 Virginia Tech on October 28 ... A winner of five games in a row, Army West Point is 7-2 after defeating Air Force, 21-0, this past Saturday ... The Black Knights have accepted a bid to the Armed Forces Bowl set for December 23 in Fort Worth, Texas
• Duke is 7-5 following a traditional open date in the David Cutcliffe Era
• Saturday’s game will mark the 25th on the gridiron between the two schools with Duke leading the series, 13-10-1 ... The series began in 1944 with a 27-7 Black Knight win ... Duke has won nine of the past 11 meetings, including a 13-6 decision last year in Durham
• Dating back to the 2013 season, the Blue Devils are 32-21 (.604) in their last 53 regular season games
• Duke enters the Army West Point game having won 15 of its last 25 (.600) road games dating back to 2013 ... In addition, Duke has won 21 of its last 27 (.778) games against non-ACC opponents
• LB Joe Giles-Harris is one of 18 semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award, an honor presented annually to the nation’s top defensive player ... Through nine games, Giles-Harris has compiled 86 tackles, 14.0 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one interception, one caused fumble, four pass breakups and five quarterback pressures ... In the ACC, he ranks tied for second in total tackles, third in tackles for loss and tied for 18th in sacks
• S Jeremy McDuffie is one of 13 semifinalists for the 2017 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, an honor presented annually to the nation’s top defensive back ... On the year, McDuffie has totaled 50 tackles, three interceptions and nine pass breakups ... His 1.33 passes defended per game average ranks tied for third in the ACC
• Army West Point leads the country in rushing offense by averaging 365.4 ground yards per game ... Duke ranks 40th nationally in rushing defense, allowing an average of 142.1 yards per contest "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211677189&DB_OEM_ID=4200&_ga=2.225625178.1303439648.1510152900-9462080.1507220187
• QB Daniel Jones has thrown six TD passes of 20+ yards this season to six different receivers: TE Davis Koppenhaver (28 yards vs. North Carolina), WR Johnathan Lloyd (24 yards vs. N.C. Central), WR T.J. Rahming (39 yards vs. Pitt), WR Chris Taylor (52 yards vs. Northwestern), RB Shaun Wilson (58 yards vs. Pitt) and WR Aaron Young (54 yards vs. N.C. Central)
• CB Mark Gilbert leads the ACC in passes defended per game (1.67)
• The Blue Devils have established a school single-season record with four interception returns for touchdowns in 2017 ... The previous standard of three was set in 1942, 1945 and 1949
• Led by DT Mike Ramsay (4.5 sacks), Duke ranks third in the ACC in sacks per game (2.78)
40+ & 500+ — Pass receptions and receiving yards for the third consecutive season for WR T.J. Rahming ... In 33 career games, Rahming has 160 catches for 1,892 yards
132.9 — All-purpose yards per game average for RB Shaun Wilson to rank third in the ACC
3 — Team-leading TD receptions for TE Davis Koppenhaver this season
5 — Blue Devils with at least 6.5 stops for lost yardage on the season: Joe Giles-Harris (14.0), Tre Hornbuckle (8.5), Ben Humphreys (8.5), Mike Ramsay (8.0), & Victor Dimukeje (6.5)
6 — Duke record scoring runs of 50+ yards for RB Shaun Wilson ... The previous school standard of four was held by George Clark (1944-47) and Jay Wilkinson (1961-63)
+1 — Turnover margin for Duke this season after posting a -4 ledger last season
23.5 — Career TFL in 21 games for LB Joe Giles-Harris
4 — Duke all-time record of career interception returns for TDs for CB Bryon Fields Jr. ... The scores came against Tulane (2014), Pittsburgh (2016), N.C. Central (2017) & North Carolina (2017) "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211677189&DB_OEM_ID=4200&_ga=2.225625178.1303439648.1510152900-9462080.1507220187
4 — Seasons with 3+ rushing TDs for RB Shaun Wilson, matching the school record previously set by Tom Davis (1941-42-43-44), George Clark (1944-45-46-47) and Jela Duncan (2012-13-15-16)
50-6 — Duke’s record under David Cutcliffe when leading or tied after three quarters of action
14.35 — Recorded time for S Jeremy McDuffie in the 110-meter hurdles to earn all-league honors at the 2017 ACC Track & Field Championship meet ... McDuffie also garnered All-ACC accolades in the triple jump "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211677189&DB_OEM_ID=4200&_ga=2.225625178.1303439648.1510152900-9462080.1507220187
20 & 10 — Daniel Jones is one of three QBs in Duke history to post 20+ passing TDs and 10+ rushing TDs in a career, joining Leo Hart (23 & 13; 1968-70) and Anthony Boone (38 & 16; 2011-14) ... In 21 career games, Jones has 24 passing TDs and 10 rushing TDs
2 — Players in Duke history — Brandon Connette & Daniel Jones — to record 300+ passing yards and 100+ rushing yards in a single game
Connette vs. Pitt (2013): 323 & 101
Jones vs. Northwestern (2017): 305 & 108 "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211677189&DB_OEM_ID=4200&_ga=2.225625178.1303439648.1510152900-9462080.1507220187

As for Duke's last game, they lost their fifth straight to Virginia Tech in Blacksberg on October 28th.

Josh Jackson  threw for a touchdown and ran for another on Saturday night to lead No. 13 Virginia Tech to a 24-3 win over Duke. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22672&SPID=1843&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211675648

Jackson hit Sean Savoy with a 26-yard pass just before halftime to give the Hokies (7-1, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) a 17-3 lead. He scored on a 6-yard run in the third quarter, all but cementing Virginia Tech's third victory in a row on a night when it rained for most of the second half and footing became increasingly uncertain. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22672&SPID=1843&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211675648

The Blue Devils (4-5, 1-5) lost their fifth in a row. They had less than 100 yards of offense until late in the third quarter when quarterback Daniel Jones  broke free for a 33-yard run. But Jones threw incomplete on fourth-and-14 from the Virginia Tech 28 to turn the ball over. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22672&SPID=1843&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211675648

The Hokies missed several opportunities in the first half, twice failing to get the necessary yardage on fourth-down plays. But Duke running back Shaun Wilson  was called for a personal foul on third-and-6 from Duke's 6 late in the half. The play went for no gain,  Austin Parker was forced to punt with his feet nearly on the line at the back of the end zone and the Hokies converted the mistake into a touchdown. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22672&SPID=1843&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211675648

Jackson hit Eric Kumah for 16 yards, then spiked the ball to stop the clock. He finished with the pass to Sean Savoy to make it 17-3. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22672&SPID=1843&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211675648

THE TAKEAWAY
Duke: When the Blue Devils won four in a row to start the season, Jones' running ability seemed a big part of their identity in those games, including a 108-yard, two-touchdown performance against Northwestern. Without much of a running game to speak of aside from Jones occasionally taking off, Duke managed just 98 yards in the first half despite holding onto the ball from longer than Virginia. That's not the kind of production that will get them to a bowl game. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22672&SPID=1843&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211675648

Virginia Tech: The Hokies weren't overly effective on offense, but Jackson, a redshirt freshman, continues to avoid silly mistakes. He now has 17 touchdown passes against only four interceptions. If he remains efficient, Bud Foster's defense certainly gives them a fighting chance in the next two games at Miami and at Georgia Tech. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22672&SPID=1843&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211675648

As for Army West Point who has a record of 7-2 they shutout Air Force last Saturday.

– The Army West Point football team blanked service-academy rival Air Force on Saturday afternoon, 21-0. "according to http://goarmywestpoint.com/news/2017/11/4/football-army-one-step-closer-to-cic-trophy-with-27-0-victory.aspx?path=football

The Black Knights are now one step closer to winning the Commander-In-Chief's trophy, which will be decided on Dec. 9 when Army and Navy clash in the annual Army-Navy Game presented by USAA. "according to http://goarmywestpoint.com/news/2017/11/4/football-army-one-step-closer-to-cic-trophy-with-27-0-victory.aspx?path=football

With the outcome, the Cadets shut out the Falcons for the first time in program history. The Black Knights' win marked the first time Air Force has been shut out since 1992 and the first time the Falcons have been blanked at home since 1980. "according to http://goarmywestpoint.com/news/2017/11/4/football-army-one-step-closer-to-cic-trophy-with-27-0-victory.aspx?path=football
 
It was also Army's first shutout of a service-academy opponent since a 27-0 victory over Navy on Nov. 29, 1969. Army's last shutout of any opponent came in a 55-0 win over Fordham on Oct. 29, 2011. "according to http://goarmywestpoint.com/news/2017/11/4/football-army-one-step-closer-to-cic-trophy-with-27-0-victory.aspx?path=football

Saturday's contest was controlled by Army from start to finish. The Black Knights limited the Falcons to a season-low 190 total yards. The Cadets also held the No. 2 rushing offense in the nation to just 95 yards on the day. "according to http://goarmywestpoint.com/news/2017/11/4/football-army-one-step-closer-to-cic-trophy-with-27-0-victory.aspx?path=football

Senior quarterback Ahmad Bradshaw rushed for 265 yards in the game, which broke Army's all-time quarterback single-game rushing record. The mark was previously held by Trent Steelman when he posted 212 against Eastern Michigan on Oct. 20, 2012. "according to http://goarmywestpoint.com/news/2017/11/4/football-army-one-step-closer-to-cic-trophy-with-27-0-victory.aspx?path=football

Kell Walker and Darnell Woolfolk were Army's next best rushers with 67 and 54, respectively, on the day. "according to http://goarmywestpoint.com/news/2017/11/4/football-army-one-step-closer-to-cic-trophy-with-27-0-victory.aspx?path=football

James Nachtigal and Cole Christiansen led the defense with 10 tackles each. Nachtigal, Alex Aukerman and Kenneth Brinson all added sacks, while Aukerman recorded two tackles for a loss of eight yards. "according to http://goarmywestpoint.com/news/2017/11/4/football-army-one-step-closer-to-cic-trophy-with-27-0-victory.aspx?path=football



ARMY GAME NOTES AND HIGHLIGHTS

• Bradshaw ran for a career high 266 yards, including 164 in the first half.
• Bradshaw has eclipsed the 1,000 yard rushing mark this season and was the first player to do so since Larry Dixon in 2014.
• Bradshaw now has 2,425 rushing yards in his career.
• With his impressive game, Bradshaw passed recently inducted Army West Point Hall of Famer Charlie Jarvis for eighth all-time on the career rushing list.
• The senior is now tied for 11th in Army history with 21 rushing touchdowns.
• He also now has 10 career 100-yard rushing games, which is tied for seventh all-time.
• Walker recorded the second multi-touchdown game of his career with the other coming in a victory over Rice earlier this season.
• Brinson recorded a sack and now has 7.5 in his career.
• Aukerman added his sixth sack of the season and has 13.5 in his career, which is tied for third in Army history with Cameron Craig.
• Christiansen has a career-best 10 tackles with seven in the opening half.
• The Black Knights did not punt in a game for the second time this season and they are 2-0 in those contests. The last time they did not record a punt was during their season-opening victory over Fordham. "according to http://goarmywestpoint.com/news/2017/11/4/football-army-one-step-closer-to-cic-trophy-with-27-0-victory.aspx?path=football

HOW IT HAPPENED

• On the second play from scrimmage, Bradshaw rushed for 48 yards to put the Black Knights in good field position at the Air Force 24-yard line. Three plays later Bradshaw finished off the five-play, 75-yard drive with a 21-yard touchdown run for his 21st career score.
• Midway through the second quarter, Air Force had moved the ball into Army territory. The Black Knights then pressured the Falcons to throw two incomplete passes and rush for a loss of two yards to force the home team into a punting situation. After a 25-yard punt, the Cadets took over from their own 25. The Black Knights slowly chipped away a few yards here and a few yards there before Walker found the end zone following a 27-yard scamper. Blake Wilson then converted the PAT to hand Army a 14-0 edge.
• The Black Knights came up with a huge stop from their own 16-yard line on fourth down with just under 10 minutes remaining when Rhyan England hurried Air Force quarterback Arion Worthman into throwing an incomplete pass. The Cadets took over and used 7:44 off the clock to punch one last score in. During the 14-play, 84-yard drive, Army converted on three third downs. Walker was the man to push it across the goal line and with the score he notched his second multi-touchdown game of the season. "according to http://goarmywestpoint.com/news/2017/11/4/football-army-one-step-closer-to-cic-trophy-with-27-0-victory.aspx?path=football

Kick-off is set for 12:00pm. The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22672&SPID=1843&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=211677189