Sports

Duke Upsets Virginia in OT to Win ACC Championship

Lawrence Davis III @LawDavis13 @SpecMagSports

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – For the first time since 1962, Duke football is the outright ACC champion. In a dramatic affair, Duke defeated No. 16 Virginia 27-20 in overtime on Saturday night inside Bank of America Stadium to claim the program’s eighth ACC title and first outright since 1962.

Duke (8-5) used an incredibly efficient 19-of-25 passing night with two touchdowns from Darian Mensah, and 97 rushing yards and a ground score from Nate Sheppard to capture the crown. After scoring on the first possession of overtime, Duke’s defense walked off with the victory courtesy of a Luke Mergott interception.

With the victory, the Blue Devils captured their 34th win during the last four years to set the program record. Duke also earned its first win versus Virginia since 2022 and avenged a 34-17 defeat to the Cavaliers on Nov. 15.

Duke covered 75 yards on its opening drive to take a 7-0 advantage. It marked the fifth time in six games the Blue Devils had scored on their opening possession. Duke went on a marathon march with 16 plays taking 9:38 off the clock with Darian Mensah connecting with Jeremiah Hasley on a 12-yard pass on third-and-nine to finish the drive.

Virginia (10-3) evened the score at 7-7 on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Chandler Morris to J’Mari Taylor with 14:16 to go in the half. The Cavaliers had the ball on a short field following Mensah’s first interception against an ACC foe this season.

Duke would control the third quarter with another massive scoring drive, the Blue Devils took another 8:02 off the clock during its 75-yard march.

The Cavaliers went 50 yards in eight plays, spanning just over a minute, booting a 42-yard field goal with less than four minutes to play. After a defensive stop, Virginia drove 96 yards in 10 plays to tie the game at 20 and force overtime.

Duke started on offense in the extra frame.

Sheppard rushed three times for 24 yards, putting the Blue Devils at the one-yard line. Mensah found Hasley in the end zone on fourth down, giving the duo two touchdown connections for the night.

On Virginia’s first play of overtime, Luke Mergott intercepted an attempted double pass to secure Duke’s overtime victory.