With their team coming off a wild 58-55 loss to Pittsburgh, Blue Devil fans may need a little reassurance that their team can pull out the close wins that are often the difference between a winning season and a losing one. But they don’t have to search too far back in the archives to find an example—in 2011, Duke rallied in the fourth quarter to cap off a 31-27 comeback victory over Florida International.
The Blue Devils were tied 17-17 with the 3-1 Golden Panthers at halftime, but Florida International reeled off 10 points in a two-minute span between the third and fourth quarters to take the two-score lead. After a 14-play drive resulted in a field goal with 12 seconds left in the third quarter, the Duke offense went three and out to give the ball back to the Panthers with 14:04 left in the game. Florida International wasted no time at all, marching 78 yards in just three plays to score a touchdown and put the Blue Devils in a 10-point hole.
Duke answered right back with a three-play touchdown drive of their own. Set up by a 54-yard completion from quarterback Sean Renfree to senior wide receiver Donovan Varner. A six-yard touchdown run by Juwan Thompson moved the Blue Devils to within a field goal.
Duke got their chance to take over the game when the defense came up with a huge turnover in Panther territory, putting the offense in a position to take the lead for good. With the ball at the Golden Panther 36-yard line and fewer than eight minutes left to play, Duke defensive end Jordan Dewalt-Ondijo sacked Florida International quarterback Wesley Caroll, forcing a fumble that was recovered by safety Anthony Young-Wiseman and returned to the nine-yard line.
On the very next play, Thompson produced his second rushing touchdown of the quarter and put the Blue Devils ahead by what turned out to be the final score of 31-27.
This put Duke, now 3-2, over .500 for the last time that season, as the Blue Devils would close out the schedule with seven straight losses.
Many members of the 2011 team who were so crucial to the thrilling victory at FIU are still on the current team, including Thompson, DeWalt-Ondijo and Young-Wiseman. They’ve proven that they know how to lead comebacks and perform when the game is on the line, which should help Duke moving forward, beginning this week against Troy.
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