Tag: duke blue devils

No. 17 Virginia and Duke chasing rare ACC championship

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Whichever team comes out on top, we’ll have a first-time Atlantic Coast Conference championship game winner this weekend.

No. 17 Virginia (10-2) has never won an outright ACC football title, last winning a share in 1995, a decade before the first ACC title game.

Unranked Duke (7-5) has won seven ACC titles, but just one of them (1989) has come since 1962.

The two teams will face off in Charlotte on Saturday night for the ACC crown and a possible College Football Playoff spot just 21 days after Virginia beat Duke 34-17 in Durham, N.C, on Nov. 15.

Cavaliers coach Tony Elliott knows the first win over the Blue Devils means nothing for this rematch.

“You’ve got to throw out what you did in the previous game,” Elliott said Sunday on an ACC media teleconference. “This game is going to come down to execution, and I’m sure we’re going to get Duke’s best effort. Since our game, (Duke) has gotten back into rhythm offensively and been able to score a bunch of points.”

For much of the season, Virginia was living on the right side of the edge. The Cavaliers rattled off four straight one-score wins, including consecutive overtime wins over Florida State and Louisville, before taking their only ACC loss to Wake Forest on Nov. 8.

But Virginia bounced back from that well, finishing the regular season with resounding wins over Duke and rival Virginia Tech to finish atop the conference.

Virginia can set a school record for wins by beating Duke, having only recorded one other 10-win season (10-3 in 1989).

The Cavaliers are a balanced team, third in the ACC in total offense (433.2 yards per game) and total defense (311.7). Chandler Morris (2,586 passing yards, 14 passing touchdowns, five rushing TDs) and J’Mari Taylor (997 rushing yards, 14 TDs) anchor the offense.

ACC officials certainly won’t be playing favorites Saturday but it would certainly be better for the league if Virginia wins the game. The Cavaliers would comfortably be in the CFP with an automatic bid.

If the Blue Devils were to win, an ACC CFP team would be at least marginally in doubt. Duke was one of five teams that finished ACC play with a 6-2 record, somewhat controversially beating out Miami — the highest-ranked ACC team at No. 12 — on a conference opponent win percentage tiebreaker to earn the spot in the title game.

While Duke largely ran through conference play, it picked up nonconference losses to Illinois and on the road against Tulane and UConn, which would likely keep the Blue Devils out of the rankings even with a win Saturday.

The current CFP format awards automatic bids to the five highest-ranked conference champions.

With American Conference title game competitors Tulane (20th) and North Texas (24th) as well as 12-1 Sun Belt team James Madison (25th) all ranked this week by the CFP committee, the ACC needs a James Madison loss this weekend or it could be left out of the CFP entirely if the Blue Devils win.

It’s safe to say Duke coach Manny Diaz does not agree with this potential outcome.

“Absolutely,” Diaz said when asked if his team deserves a CFP spot with a win this week.

” … The whole argument of should a Group of 5 conference be in the playoff at the ACC’s expense? Well, you can forget about ever booking a home-and-home game and encouraging teams to go play good competition.”

Duke quarterback Darian Mensah leads the ACC in passing yards (3,450) and touchdowns (28). Nate Sheppard has rushed for 865 yards and nine scores.

Both teams were pounded in their only previous appearances in the ACC championship game: Florida State routed Duke 45-7 in 2013 and Clemson thrashed Virginia 62-17 in 2019.

–Field Level Media

Duke’s Manny Diaz not interested in scenarios, only Wake Forest

Posted on | by Field Level Media

There’s still a path for Duke to reach the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game, but first the Blue Devils must successfully navigate Saturday’s regular-season finale against surging Wake Forest in Durham, N.C.

And Duke would still need some help to reach the ACC title game.

Duke (6-5, 5-2 ACC) must beat the Demon Deacons and receive favorable results from other games around the conference in order to play on the first Saturday in December.

“We didn’t even address it, didn’t even talk about it,” coach Manny Diaz said. “So many moons have to align, and stars and the octopus has to choose the Duke helmet. … It doesn’t matter anyway. We have to play a team that has eight wins. I just think that’s where our focus is at. If they tell us to go somewhere next week, we’ll go.”

Wake Forest (8-3, 4-3) arrives with three straight victories.

“The way they play in all three phases and how tough and physical they play,” Diaz said. “They have an edge about them.”

With a 3-1 record this month, Wake Forest is assured of its first winning mark in November since 2008.

“Excited about another rivalry game,” said Jake Dickert, who’s the winningest first-year coach in Wake Forest history. “We got to make sure we reset to finish the season the way we’re capable of finishing the season.”

Wake Forest receiver Carlos Hernandez racked up 197 yards on five receptions in last week’s 52-14 non-conference romp past Delaware. Running back Demond Claiborne had a light workload last week, so with 849 rushing yards this year he should be refreshed in pursuit of the 1,000-yard rushing mark.

Last year, Duke beat Wake Forest on a touchdown on a pass play on the last snap of the regular-season finale. That gave the Blue Devils a three-game winning streak in the series.

Duke linebacker Tre Freeman could be back for Saturday’s game after he wasn’t quite ready in his injury rehab to play against North Carolina.

“I feel the signs would be positive for him Saturday (vs. Wake Forest),” Diaz said. “I can’t be certain.”

The Blue Devils are 2-3 in home games, with both victories against in-state opponents (Elon and NC State).

–Field Level Media

Aug 28, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) goes to throw the ball against the Elon Phoenix during the first half at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images

Duke takes high-octane offense on road against Cal

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The Duke offense is piling up points and the defense is forcing miscues over the past two games.

The Blue Devils will try to maintain their sudden prowess and stretch their winning streak to three games when they take on Cal on Saturday night in Atlantic Coast Conference play at Berkeley, Calif.

Duke (3-2, 2-0 ACC) scored a combined 83 points in its past two games as it outgunned visiting North Carolina State 45-33 two weekends ago and then mauled host Syracuse 38-3 in a stellar effort last Saturday.

Duke racked up 504 yards at Syracuse and forced three turnovers. The week before, NC State had four turnovers. Over that two-week span, the Blue Devils committed no turnovers.

Blue Devils coach Manny Diaz likes the improvement he’s seeing on both sides of the ball after a lackluster 1-2 start.

“The players like that consistency and structure where you’re not driving the steering wheel across all the way,” Diaz said. “If we keep doing our job, the terms will come. If we keep protecting it, we won’t turn the ball over on offense. And again, that’s always, as everyone knows, that’s the first key to winning any game.”

Duke quarterback Darian Mensah has played solidly with 1,573 yards and 13 touchdowns against two interceptions. The Tulane transfer has thrown multiple scoring passes in all five games.

Cal (4-1, 1-0) is coming off a 28-24 road victory over Boston College. Linebacker Luke Ferrelli intercepted a pass in the end zone with 19 seconds left to seal it.

“I’m super excited, but we definitely have a lot to do as a team to get better,” Ferrelli said. “The main thing for us is to get past adversity.”

Perhaps that was achieved as Cal was drubbed 34-0 at San Diego State the previous weekend.

Freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele bounced back from a shaky game against the Aztecs — he threw a season-worst two interceptions to go with a season-low 44.7 percentage — to pass for 254 yards with two touchdowns and one pick against the Eagles.

“We’ve seen him so much now since January, we’re not all that surprised,” Golden Bears coach Justin Wilcox said of Sagapolutele’s bounce-back performance. “Is it unique to have a freshman with that poise and be able to make the throws? Yeah, it is. He’s just going to get better and better.”

The Golden Bears and Blue Devils have played twice previously — in 1962 and 1963. Duke won 21-7 at home in the first meeting and the teams played to a 22-22 tie in Berkeley the following season.

–Field Level Media

Nov 2, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Maalik Murphy (6) throws the football against the Miami Hurricanes during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Duke shifts focus to Virginia Tech in home finale

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Looking for a strong finishing stretch to the Atlantic Coast Conference campaign, Duke hosts Virginia Tech in its home finale Saturday night in Durham, N.C.

“It’s going to be a special night for everybody,” Blue Devils coach Manny Diaz said. “It’s always an emotional moment with the pregame ceremonies, but you’ve got to be able to snap back and focus on a very good Virginia Tech football team with a lot of talent. We’ve been fortunate to have extra time to prepare for this week.”

The outcome is going to have a huge impact on the pecking order in the middle of the ACC standings.

Duke (7-3, 3-3) has won only two of its last four games, while Virginia Tech (5-5, 3-3) has dropped two in a row and still needs another win to reach bowl eligibility. Both teams were off last weekend.

The Blue Devils are 4-1 this year in Durham. The Hokies are 2-3 in road games, with two of the setbacks in overtime (vs. Vanderbilt and Syracuse) and another in a controversial finish at Miami.

“A good opponent in Duke, at night, at their place, Senior Night,” Hokies coach Brent Pry said. “They’ve got a couple of good wins under their belt and they’ve lost a couple of closes ones. We’ll have our hands full.”

Former Duke standout defensive lineman Aeneas Peebles, who spent four seasons with the Blue Devils, is using his final season of eligibility with Virginia Tech. He has logged three sacks this year.

Duke has a bit of an unusual situation with running back Jaquez Moore, who’s ready to return to action following an injury. But he’ll play in only one of the final two regular-season games so he can qualify for a redshirt season. The Blue Devils finish at Wake Forest on Nov. 30.

Moore has played in three games, most recently in late September against North Carolina.

“We think he’s one of the best players on our roster and we’re excited at the idea that we’ll have a chance to welcome him back next year,” Diaz said.

Duke is 15th in the ACC in rushing offense at 99.6 yards per game. Virginia Tech is next-to-last in the ACC in rushing defense, allowing 158.5 yards per game on the ground.

–Field Level Media

Nov 9, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils wide receiver Que'Sean Brown (14) makes the catch against the North Carolina State Wolfpack during the first half at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Duke scores touchdowns, NC State settles for field goals in Blue Devils’ win

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Maalik Murphy threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as Duke snapped a two-game losing streak by winning 29-19 at North Carolina State on Saturday in Raleigh, N.C.

Duke (7-3, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) handled the task defensively by holding the Wolfpack without a touchdown until the fourth quarter.

Todd Pelino kicked two long field goals for the Blue Devils, who have defeated NC State in back-to-back seasons.

Kanoah Vinesett kicked four field goals for NC State (5-5, 2-4), which played in its home finale. The Wolfpack was coming off victories against ACC newcomers Cal and Stanford but couldn’t pull off another triumph against a longtime neighboring foe.

Murphy was 22 of 31 for 245 yards in the air, but Duke gained just 31 rushing yards.

The Blue Devils managed 276 yards of total offense, barely outgaining NC State’s 268.

Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey was 16 of 39 for 184 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Murphy broke a tie in the third quarter with a 3-yard touchdown run for a 19-12 edge. Then he connected with Sahmir Hagans for a 9-yard touchdown pass to complete the first possession of the fourth quarter.

NC State finally got going and Bailey pass to Wesley Grimes for a 16-yard touchdown on fourth-and-8 as the Wolfpack closed within 26-19 with 9:01 remaining in regulation.

The teams traded punts before Duke chewed up almost four minutes from the clock to set up Pelino’s 49-yarder for the final points.

Duke started strong by scoring in a variety of ways. The first points came on a safety when Bailey was sacked by Wesley Williams and Aaron Hall in the end zone.

Pelino kicked a 50-yard field goal and then Murphy hooked up with Jordan Moore for a 45-yard touchdown play as the Blue Devils built a 12-0 lead.

NC State came back in pieces with second-quarter field goals of 30, 28 and 37 yards. The last of those was a gift following a Duke fumble and with just one second left in the half, making the score 12-9.

Vinesett was good from 25 yards out to tie the score early in the third quarter.

–Field Level Media

Nov 2, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack running back Jordan Waters (7) celebrates a touchdown in the second half against the Stanford Cardinals during the second half at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

NC State bids to continue ascent in encounter vs. Duke

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North Carolina State and Duke have been going in opposite directions in recent weeks heading into their Atlantic Coast Conference game Saturday afternoon in Raleigh, N.C.

The Wolfpack (5-4, 2-3) have won two in a row to get their season back on track going into their home finale.

“We have 20 players on our team that are out of eligibility,” North Carolina State coach Dave Doeren said. “After this game, they’ll never walk through that tunnel with their uniform on again to play a game.”

The Blue Devils (6-3, 2-3) have lost back-to-back games against nationally ranked opponents, falling to SMU and Miami.

“I think we’ve shown that in spurts we can play with anybody,” Duke coach Manny Diaz said.

The Blue Devils led in the second half of both of their most recent ACC road losses, to Georgia Tech and Miami (53-31 last Saturday). So there’s plenty to build on for Duke.

“To go challenge ourselves to go be in this position again,” Diaz said.

North Carolina State’s last two games have resulted in triumphs against ACC newcomers Cal and Stanford, but now the Wolfpack have a date with a neighboring rival.

Last year, Duke defeated the Wolfpack 24-3 at home, though North Carolina State responded by winning its next five games.

For Wolfpack running back Jordan Waters, he’ll try to be on the winning side for the second year in a row but in a different uniform. He played in parts of five seasons for Duke before transferring to North Carolina State. He’s the Wolfpack’s leading rusher with 375 yards, while his five total touchdowns (four rushing, one receiving) rank second on the team.

North Carolina State has been humming on offense as freshman quarterback CJ Bailey continues to adjust to being the clear-cut starter. He has thrown for 11 touchdowns compared with four interceptions. The Wolfpack’s 59-28 victory against Stanford last week marked the most points the team has scored against an ACC foe.

Duke’s offense has been erratic at times. But Diaz said signs of growth came in the past two games when the opponents switched out of man-to-man coverages in the secondary. Yet now, he said, the Blue Devils must show a better attack against zone coverages.

Diaz was a North Carolina State assistant coach for six seasons (2000-05) under former coach Chuck Amato.

Because they were in opposite ACC divisions for years, this will be just the fourth time in Doeren’s 12 seasons that the Wolfpack play Duke. The home stadiums for the teams are 22 miles apart.

“Now we get to play every year,” Doeren said. “That will add to that.”

–Field Level Media

Nov 2, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Duke Blue Devils wide receiver Sahmir Hagans (2) is tackled by Miami Hurricanes linebacker Francisco Mauigoa (1) during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

No. 5 Miami turns up offense in 4th quarter, surges past Duke

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Cam Ward passed for 400 yards and five touchdowns as the fifth-ranked Miami Hurricanes remained undefeated, rallying to beat the visiting Duke Blue Devils 53-31 in an ACC matchup on Saturday afternoon in Miami Gardens, Fla.

The Hurricanes, who entered the game ranked No. 1 in the nation in scoring average (46.8), exceeded that total as they rallied from an 11-point third-quarter deficit.

Hurricanes wide receiver Xavier Restrepo had eight catches for 146 yards and three touchdowns. On his third TD, he broke Miami’s career record for catches and yards.

Miami (9-0, 5-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) got the best of Duke coach Manny Diaz, who spent six years with the Hurricanes, including three as their head coach. This was Diaz’s first game against Miami.

The Hurricanes, who are off to their best start since going 10-0 to begin 2017, intercepted Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy three times. Murphy also lost one fumble.

Duke (6-3, 2-3) was led by running back Peyton Jones, who scored one rushing touchdown and one receiving TD in totaling 132 yards from scrimmage (71 rushing, 61 receiving).

The Hurricanes led 14-7 after one quarter, but Duke surged ahead in the second period.

In fact, the Blue Devils tied the score 14-14 on Murphy’s 27-yard pass to Sahmir Hagans, who used a legal pick to get wide open.

Miami grabbed a 17-14 lead on Andres Borregales’ 29-yard field goal with 4:51 left in the second quarter.

Duke went ahead for the first time, 21-17, on Murphy’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Jones.

The Blue Devils took the second-half kickoff and scored on a fourth-and-1 play as Murphy threw an 8-yard TD pass to Jordan Moore, who was left open on a Miami blitz. It was Duke’s fourth TD drive — all of them at least 75 yards – in five possessions.

Miami scored on its next possession as Restrepo beat double coverage for a 3-yard TD pass. Ward ran in a two-point conversion to cut Miami’s deficit to 28-25.

Then, after Murphy was intercepted, Miami took a 32-28 lead on tight end Elija Lofton’s 2-yard run up the middle. That capped a 38-yard short-field drive helped by that interception by OJ Frederique.

Duke cut its deficit to 32-31 on Todd Pelino’s 24-yard field goal with 13:51 remaining in regulation.

However, Miami scored on its next possession to take 39-31 lead with 12:56 left in the fourth. On that play, Ward lobbed a 49-yard TD pass to Jacolby George.

With 7:36 left, Restepo then broke both of those records with a catch-and-run TD of 66 yards, giving Miami a 46-31 lead with 7:36 to go, and the Hurricanes cruised from there.

–Field Level Media

Oct 20, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; SMU Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings (7) throws the ball against the Temple Owls during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

No. 22 SMU takes high-powered offense on road vs. Duke

Posted on | by Field Level Media

If No. 22 SMU is going to contend for the Atlantic Coast Conference championship, there obviously are going to be big games along the way.

Count Saturday night against host Duke at Durham, N.C., among those.

SMU (6-1, 3-0) is riding a four-game winning streak and is trying to stay unblemished in league play along with Clemson, Miami and Pitt.

Duke (6-1, 2-1) is in the mix as well, but the Blue Devils need to take care of business Saturday in their penultimate home game of the season.

SMU has 34 or more points in four consecutive games. The Mustangs are 22-1 under coach Rhett Lashlee when racking up 30 or more points.

Despite the production, there wasn’t a sense from the Mustangs that all of it has been smooth.

“A lot of things to clean up as we get ready to go play a big-time defense,” Lashlee said.

Much of SMU’s firepower comes from dual-threat quarterback Kevin Jennings, a sophomore who posted a career-high 322 passing yards in SMU’s 40-10 victory over Stanford last Saturday.

So disrupting what Jennings is able to do is among the priorities for Duke’s defense.

“To put pressure on somebody where they had to throw to win,” Blue Devils coach Manny Diaz said.

Part of the plan for Duke will come with using a steady diet of fresh linemen on defense.

“You got to get subs in all the time, especially with the tempo they play,” Diaz said. “They’ve got a lot of weapons on offense, but football always starts with the big guys up front.”

SMU has lost tight end RJ Maryland for the season with a knee injury, Lashlee said Tuesday.

Duke defensive back Chandler Rivers and linebacker Ozzie Nicholas were picked as ACC Players of the Week at their respective positions based on performances in a 23-16 win over Florida State last week.

On offense, there were snags for the Blue Devils, particularly with the passing attack. After reviewing the footage, Diaz said it was nothing “to hang in the passing game Hall of Fame.”

Duke is trying to figure out the tight end position after it was revealed that Nicky Dalmolin is out for the season with a lower leg injury. Jake Taylor played 55 snaps in the Florida State game as his replacement.

The Blue Devils could have receiver Jordan Moore available for a heavier workload considering he was limited to special situations against Florida State.

The Blue Devils notched a piece of history by defeating Florida State. That was the first time in 23 all-time meetings that Duke beat the Seminoles.

SMU has won eight straight road games, matching Texas for the longest streak in the country. Saturday’s game will be the Mustangs’ third straight road assignment.

Duke is 15-2 at home across three seasons.

“Wallace Wade (Stadium) is just a difficult place for folks to come and play,” Diaz said. “That’s what the facts say. … The more you win at home, the more special home games you get.”

Duke and SMU haven’t met since 1956. The Mustangs are 2-0 all-time in the series.

SMU, a first-year ACC member after being in the American Athletic Conference, is going for its 13th consecutive victory in conference play dating to November 2022. The 12-game string for league games already is a program record.

–Field Level Media

Sep 21, 2024; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Jacolby Criswell (12) reacts with wide receiver J.J. Jones (5) in the first quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

North Carolina draws archrival Duke after embarrassing loss

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Looking ahead to Saturday’s game at Duke is the top priority for North Carolina after last week’s disturbing result and a hectic few days.

Tar Heels coach Mack Brown said it’s a good time to play the neighboring Blue Devils in Durham, N.C., because the Tar Heels need to bond together for a common cause.

Duke (4-0) will play its third home game, while the Tar Heels (3-1) will arrive wounded after a 70-50 home loss to James Madison.

That outcome spawned an array of upheaval regarding Brown’s longevity and a long list of defensive deficiencies. Reports that Brown offered to step down were rebuffed by the winningest active Division I coach.

“I love my job and I want to keep doing it,” Brown said. “Excited about the future and love my job. Love these kids, and I love this place, and that’s why I hate losing so much. … Let’s go, let’s move forward. Can’t wait to get back to work and go play Duke.”

Brown and his coordinators have provided the only explanations for what happened in the James Madison game and the challenges of facing Duke. Tar Heels players weren’t available for comment after Saturday’s game or leading up to the Duke game.

“Obviously, a lot of things to fix,” Brown said. “We couldn’t have done more things wrong in a game.”

It’s the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both programs.

Duke first-year coach Manny Diaz said playing a longtime rival to start league play is a big deal.

“All other types of distractions which really aren’t the focus of what actually will matter Saturday at 4 o’clock which is how well we block, how well we tackle, how well we throw, how well we catch,” Diaz said.

Jacolby Criswell became the third North Carolina starting quarterback of the season in the James Madison game. Turnovers hurt the Tar Heels, but Criswell gave a boost to the offense.

“I think it’s all there,” Brown said. “This offense can be really, really good after what we saw from Jacolby.”

Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy, who’s in his first season in the program, threw three touchdowns last week against Middle Tennessee.

However, Diaz said the Blue Devils can’t be content with airing it out against North Carolina. Duke running back Star Thomas has exceeded the 100-yard rushing mark in each of the past two games

“Not just the way that he can see holes, but what he does when he gets downfield,” Diaz said. “His toughness is inspiring our football team.”

Duke’s defense is averaging 11 1/2 tackles for loss. That could be troublesome for North Carolina’s offensive line.

“We’ve got our hands full,” Brown said.

North Carolina prevailed 47-45 in double overtime against Duke in Chapel Hill last year to claim the Victory Bell.

–Field Level Media

Aug 30, 2024; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Maalik Murphy (6) goes to throw the ball against the Elon Phoenix during the second half at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images

Middle Tennessee standing in way of 4-0 start for Duke

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Duke aims to finish nonconference play with an unblemished record when it visits Middle Tennessee State for a Saturday afternoon clash in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

The Blue Devils (3-0) also eye their second consecutive 4-0 start and momentum heading into a Sept. 28 tilt against rival North Carolina in their Atlantic Coast Conference opener.

But first up are the Blue Raiders (1-2), who, like Duke, are led by a first-year head coach.

Despite this being the second head coaching stints for both Middle Tennessee’s Derek Mason and Duke’s Manny Diaz, they have never faced each other from opposing sidelines. Diaz was an assistant at Middle Tennessee nearly two decades ago, serving as the defensive coordinator there from 2006-09.

While Duke is coming off its third straight win after a 26-21 victory over UConn last weekend, MTSU hopes to bounce back from a 49-21 loss to Western Kentucky that Mason put on himself and no one else.

“At the end of the day, I don’t blame players, I blame me,” Mason said. “My shoulders are big enough. What we will do as a staff and as a team is hold each other accountable. Because that’s where the winning gets done.”

Middle Tennessee’s issues have shown up on defense, where it ranks 129th out of 133 FBS teams with 42 points allowed per game. Even in its lone win against FCS side Tennessee Tech, the Blue Raiders allowed 25 points.

Duke hasn’t had a problem finding the end zone, especially in crucial moments. Each of the Blue Devils’ past two wins — against UConn at home and on the road against Northwestern — required late-game comebacks.

“A lot that we have to improve on, but it’s always more fun to improve when you’re winning than when you’re not winning,” Diaz said. “(Undefeated) and eventually, going into league play where you know you’re going to be in tough games, you know you’re going to be in close games.

“What they have learned through these last couple of weeks is going to really bode well as we get further down into our season.”

The Blue Devils have been powered on offense by Texas transfer Maalik Murphy, who has thrown for 801 yards with eight touchdowns and leads all ACC quarterbacks in pass attempts with 122.

MTSU has a strong passing attack as well, led by Nicholas Vattiato who threw for 456 yards and three TDs against Western Kentucky.

–Field Level Media