Duke Loses Upset Bid On Late Notre Dame TD

DURHAM, NC – In a thrilling matchup, Notre Dame staged a comeback securing a 21-14 victory against the Duke Blue Devils.

Duke Head Coach Mike Elko elevated the Blue Devils to another level during their 4-0 start. It marked the first time since 2018 that Duke started the season with four consecutive victories. In this year’s matchup, which was the eighth meeting between the two teams, Notre Dame led the series 5-2.

The game kicked off with a 60-yard punt from Duke kicker Charlie Ham returned by Irish running back Devyn Ford for 13 yards. The Blue Devils defense started with high momentum but couldn’t prevent quarterback Sam Hartman from making successful throws downfield to tight end Mitchell Evans. Explosive running back, Audric Estime stepped in and found the pocket to complete the first touchdown of the game.

Duke’s offense, led by dual-threat quarterback Riley Leonard, faced challenges early on as the team struggled to find momentum, missing a crucial 38-yard field goal kicked by Todd Pelino.

Notre Dame capitalized on big plays with safety Xavier Watts leading the charge. He intercepted a pass from Leonard, setting the stage for a 12-yard run. Duke managed to stay on their feet however, a game-changing sack from the Irish sapped the team’s energy for the remainder of the first half. The Blue Devils on the offensive line needed to tighten up their game, especially since Leonard completed only 3 out of 7 passes coming out of the first quarter.

Finishing the first half, The Irish racked up 7 penalties which cost them 40 yards at the end of the first half, while the Blue Devils had not received any. For Duke, the concern was not about avoiding penalties, but rather about containing Notre Dame, who remained sharp on both offense and defense. The score at the half stood at 10-0 in favor of Notre Dame.

Duke’s offense rallied, led by running back Jaquez Moore and Jordan Waters, who secured a touchdown from a 1-yard run. Despite their efforts, Leonard faced difficulties, managing only 30 rushing yards and throwing his first interception, breaking a streak of six games without one.

The defense kept the Blue Devils in the game with linebacker Jeremiah Lewis recording 7 tackles in total,  3 of which were solo, and Tre Freeman right behind with 6 tackles, 2 of which were solo. Leading in receiving, Jalon Calhoun with 3 receptions for 41 yards, and Jordan Moore caught 2 passes for 38 yards.

Entering the second half, the Blue Devils’ offense managed to overcome the Irish, thanks to the efforts of running back Jaquez Moore, who made significant contributions to advance to the end zone. Eventually, running back Jordan Waters rushed in for 1 yard securing a touchdown for the Blue Devils.

In the fourth quarter, Leonard found his stride, running for 33 yards. Alongside these significant plays, Waters made a 7-yard dash, only to be brought down at the 1-yard line. In the subsequent drive, a 3-yard pass to Moore concluded in a rapid touchdown.

Despite the Blue Devils’ efforts to hold the Notre Dame, The Irish offense had other plans. Duke’s defense disrupted plays but, unfortunately, endured two penalties, costing the Blue Devils 28 yards. Hartman then capitalized on this opportunity by completing a game-winning pass to Estime for a 30-yard touchdown run and right after proceeded through to execute a two-point conversion to secure the victory 21-14.

In the final offensive play, Leonard sustained a leg injury after being sacked.

Coach Elko discussed the Duke football program’s history and its progression as he took on the role of head coach.

“I think it’s allowing us to expedite the process of building the brand of Duke football to the level of what we hoped it could get to,” he stated.

With a 4-1 record, The Blue Devils take on the NC State University Wolfpack back at Wallace Wade Stadium, on Saturday, October 14, 2023.