Duke Heads To Blacksburg To Take On Virginia Tech For Atlantic Coast Conference Opener
Duke and Virginia Tech are both coming off a bye week.
On Friday night the two Coastal Division teams will return to action in Blacksburg as Duke visits Virginia Tech for their Atlantic Coast Conference opener.
As for their meeting in 2018 in Durham, Virginia Tech won that game handily by a score of 31-14.
The Hokies (3-1, 1-1 ACC) accumulated 413 yards of offense, 332 of which came through the air by quarterback Ryan Willis, who finished 17-of-27 passing with three touchdowns. The Blue Devils (4-1, 0-1) totaled 327 yards as Jones was 25-of-35 for 226 yards and a touchdown. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2018/9/29/211773640.aspx
Noah Gray reeled in a 23-yard touchdown pass from Jones, capping a nine-play, 75-yard drive as Duke seized a 7-3 lead late in the first quarter. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2018/9/29/211773640.aspx
But the Hokies scored three consecutive touchdowns to gain control of the Saturday night affair in Durham. Damon Hazelton was on the receiving end of a 27-yard touchdown pass from Willis on the first play of the second quarter, and the Hokies stretched the lead to 17-7 when Dalton Keene caught a screen pass from Willis and scampered 67 yards for the score. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2018/9/29/211773640.aspx
It was 17-7 at the half and the Blue Devils forced a Virginia Tech three-and-out on the second half's first possession. Duke's ensuing drive stalled at midfield as the Blue Devils turned the ball over on downs and the Hokies capitalized, marching five plays and capping the drive with a six-yard score by Steven Peoples.
Duke carved into the lead when Deon Jackson scored from a yard out with 13:47 remaining in regulation. Looking to build on the momentum of the score, the defense forced the Hokies into a third-and-six inside the 30, but Willis moved the sticks with a 33-yard pass to Tre Turner. It was the sixth third-down conversion for the visitors in the game. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2018/9/29/211773640.aspx
The 10-play, 75-yard drive that chewed 4:39 off the clock ended with a 10-yard touchdown from Willis to Phil Patterson to put the game away.”according to https://goduke.com/news/2018/9/29/211773640.aspx
Dylan Singleton made team-high 10 tackles and Joe Giles-Harris had seven stops for Duke. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2018/9/29/211773640.aspx
Duke comes into the game with a record of 2-1 while Virginia Tech comes into the game with a record of 2-1. “according to http://theacc.com/standings.aspx?path=football
The visit to Virginia Tech will be Duke’s first conference game. Unlike Duke, Virginia Tech has already played one conference game as they opened up the season with Boston College on August 31st. Although that game didn’t go their way.
Despite 344 yards and four touchdowns passing from quarterback Ryan Willis, the Virginia Tech football fell 35-28 to Boston College in an ACC game played Saturday afternoon and a game that marked the season opener for both teams. “according to https://hokiesports.com/news/2019/8/31/football-turnovers-hurt-hokies-in-season-opening-loss-to-bc.aspx
The Hokies had won in their previous two visits to Chestnut Hill, but turnovers doomed them in this one, as the Hokies committed five of them and the Eagles scored 14 points off of those turnovers. “according to https://hokiesports.com/news/2019/8/31/football-turnovers-hurt-hokies-in-season-opening-loss-to-bc.aspx
Trailing 35-21 late in the fourth quarter, the Hokies went on an 18-play march that used 2:30 off the clock and scored on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Willis to Kaleb Smith with 2:13 remaining. But on the ensuing possession, BC tailback AJ Dillon ran for 11 yards on third-and-9, and the Eagles ran out the clock for the win.
The Hokies actually led early in the game, taking a 14-7 advantage after a 20-yard touchdown pass from Willis to freshman receiver Tayvion Robinson. The extra point gave the Hokies the lead with 11:29 left in the first half. “according to https://hokiesports.com/news/2019/8/31/football-turnovers-hurt-hokies-in-season-opening-loss-to-bc.aspx
But the remainder of the second quarter was all BC, as the Eagles took the lead and never trailed again, converting two Tech turnovers into 14 points. BC first tied the game at 14 on a 17-yard touchdown run by Dillon with 7:58 left in the half, and moments later, took advantage of a Willis fumble that gave the Eagles great field position at the Tech 17. That drive ended with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Anthony Brown to Kobay White with 6:20 remaining in the half that gave BC a 21-14 lead. “according to https://hokiesports.com/news/2019/8/31/football-turnovers-hurt-hokies-in-season-opening-loss-to-bc.aspx
The critical turnover, though, came toward the end of the first half when Tech's Hezekiah Grimsley muffed a punt, which BC recovered at the Tech 20. Two plays later, Brown scampered into the end zone, giving the Eagles a 28-14 advantage. Tech drove into BC territory on its final drive of the hhttps://hokiesports.com/news/2019/8/31/football-turnovers-hurt-hokies-in-season-opening-loss-to-bc.aspxalf, but a Willis pass into the end zone was intercepted by BC's Joseph Sparacio. “according to
The Hokies managed to cut the lead to 28-21 on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Willis to James Mitchell with 3:09 left in the third quarter, but the Eagles answered on a 1-yard touchdown run by David Bailey with 7:53 left in the game. “according to https://hokiesports.com/news/2019/8/31/football-turnovers-hurt-hokies-in-season-opening-loss-to-bc.aspx
Tech finished with 442 yards of offense, while the Eagles ended with 432 yards. “according to https://hokiesports.com/news/2019/8/31/football-turnovers-hurt-hokies-in-season-opening-loss-to-bc.aspx
As for Duke’s previous game, they last played on September 14th at Middle Tennessee where they won in a rout.
Duke football scored on seven of its nine possessions to take down Middle Tennessee State, 41-18, Saturday night at Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/9/14/football-duke-breezes-past-middle-tennessee-state-41-18.aspx
The Blue Devils saw great output from redshirt senior quarterback Quentin Harris, who finished 24-of-27 for 237 yards and four touchdowns. His four passing scores matched Dave Brown's program record for touchdowns in consecutive games (eight), after he also had four against North Carolina A&T last week. In addition, Harris added 107 yards on 11 carries, including a career-long 65-yard run in the third quarter. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/9/14/football-duke-breezes-past-middle-tennessee-state-41-18.aspx
Junior running back Deon Jackson got Duke on the board first as he muscled his way into the end zone to give the Blue Devils the lead midway through the first half. The score capped off a 14 play, 67-yard drive that ate 6:04 of the clock. Jackson finished with 71 yards on 22 carries and a touchdown. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/9/14/football-duke-breezes-past-middle-tennessee-state-41-18.aspx
Following the score, Duke redshirt junior kicker AJ Reed surprised the Middle Tennessee special teams unit by converting on an onside kick. After the ball traveled the required ten yards redshirt sophomore wide receiver Damond Philyaw-Johnson jumped on it. The Duke Blue and White would capitalize on the good field position and add another score as Harris completed a screen pass to rookie wide receiver Jalon Calhoun who made a couple Middle defenders miss before finding the end zone. That touchdown handed Duke a 14-3 lead and it would never look back. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/9/14/football-duke-breezes-past-middle-tennessee-state-41-18.aspx
Redshirt senior wide receiver Aaron Young led the team in receiving with 106 yards on six receptions and two touchdowns. Young turned many heads with an incredible 25-yard catch in the back of the end zone late in the second quarter. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/9/14/football-duke-breezes-past-middle-tennessee-state-41-18.aspx
Rookie wide receiver Eli Pancol made one catch for the Blue Devils and scored an 11-yard touchdown to help the Duke offense. The Pendleton, Ind., native, scored his second touchdown in as many games. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/9/14/football-duke-breezes-past-middle-tennessee-state-41-18.aspx
Sophomore running back Mataeo Durant added 10 carries for 47 yards for the Blue Devils. His carries were highlighted by a 22-yard rush in the opening half. Junior tight end Noah Gray added five catches for 33 yards as well.”according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/9/14/football-duke-breezes-past-middle-tennessee-state-41-18.aspx
Defensively, senior safety Dylan Singleton and senior linebacker Koby Quansah led the team with eight total tackles apiece. This was the third consecutive game that Singleton led the Blue Devils in tackles. Redshirt junior linebacker Brandon Hill followed the pair with six tackles.”according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/9/14/football-duke-breezes-past-middle-tennessee-state-41-18.aspx
Redshirt sophomore defensive end Chris Rumph II led the team with two sacks for five yards and four tackles for a loss of ten yards. In addition, Rumph II tied redshirt senior defensive tackle Trevon McSwain for tops on the team with three quarterback hurries. Hill added the largest sack of the night, tackling the Middle Tennessee quarterback 16 yards behind the line of scrimmage in the fourth quarter.”according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/9/14/football-duke-breezes-past-middle-tennessee-state-41-18.aspx
Reed scored six points on the night with a 49-yard kick in the second quarter and a 26-yard strike in the third. Redshirt senior punter Austin Parker booted the ball twice for 84 yards at 42 yards per kick.”according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/9/14/football-duke-breezes-past-middle-tennessee-state-41-18.aspx
Like Duke, Virginia Tech won their previous game as they topped Furman on September 14th.
Tré Turner scored second half touchdowns rushing and receiving, helping Virginia Tech rally to a 24-17 nonconference victory over Furman on Saturday at Lane Stadium. “according to https://hokiesports.com/news/2019/9/14/football-turners-touchdowns-help-tech-rally-past-furman.aspx
The win marked Tech's second straight and moved the Hokies to 2-1 on the season. Furman fell to 1-2. “according to https://hokiesports.com/news/2019/9/14/football-turners-touchdowns-help-tech-rally-past-furman.aspx
The Hokies trailed 14-3 at halftime after Furman converted two Virginia Tech turnovers into touchdowns, but the Hokies scored on their first two possessions of the second half to grab the lead, and then Turner's 29-yard touchdown run with 5:04 remaining sealed the win. “according to https://hokiesports.com/news/2019/9/14/football-turners-touchdowns-help-tech-rally-past-furman.aspx
Tech tailback Keshawn King rushed for 119 yards in his first collegiate start, and his 54-yard run on the second play of the second half got the Hokies going. The play set up a 3-yard touchdown run by James Mitchell that cut the Furman lead to 14-10 with 10 minutes left in the third quarter. “according to https://hokiesports.com/news/2019/9/14/football-turners-touchdowns-help-tech-rally-past-furman.aspx
A fumble by Furman's Devin Wynn on the ensuing possession was costly, with the Hokies converting on Ryan Willis' 2-yard touchdown pass to Turner with 8:12 left in the third. That score enabled Virginia Tech to grab a 17-14 lead, and it never trailed again. “according to https://hokiesports.com/news/2019/9/14/football-turners-touchdowns-help-tech-rally-past-furman.aspx
Turner's 29-yard touchdown run gave Tech some breathing room. The Hokies allowed a Furman field goal late, but recovered an onsides kick in the final minute and ran out the clock.”according to https://hokiesports.com/news/2019/9/14/football-turners-touchdowns-help-tech-rally-past-furman.aspx
Turner, a receiver, rushed for 68 yards and caught four passes for 29 yards. Willis completed 17 of 21 for 123 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. “according to https://hokiesports.com/news/2019/9/14/football-turners-touchdowns-help-tech-rally-past-furman.aspx
Devin Abrams paced Furman (1-2) with 72 yards rushing on 10 carries. The Paladins only had 231 yards of offense. “according to https://hokiesports.com/news/2019/9/14/football-turners-touchdowns-help-tech-rally-past-furman.aspx
Kick-off is set for 7:00pm from Lane Stadium@ Worsham Field. The game will be televised on ESPN.