Revisiting the three keys to the game:
- Keep the Energy High:The Blue Devils got off to a slow start, falling behind 14-0 to Wake Forest, but were able to swing the momentum in their direction behind two first half touchdown passes by quarterback Anthony Boone. Boone would continue his strong performance when he threw a 58-yard bomb to wide receiver Jamison Crowder to tie the game at 21. The defensive squad contributed the back-to-back fourth quarter sacks by defensive end Kenny Anunike that fired up the defense, and a forced fumble by freshman safety Deondre Singleton added fuel to the fire. All-ACC cornernerback Ross Cockrell sealed the deal with a late interception.
- Take Risks Offensively: Offensive coordinator Kurt Roper showed more willingness to put the ball in the hands of Anthony Boone, who played well against Miami, but struggled in the Oct. 26 game at Virginia Tech and the Nov. 9 game against North Carolina State. Roper demonstrated this trust, leaving Boone in on goal-line situations, and he subsequently threw touchdowns of 10 yards to Jamison Crowder and four yards to Max McCaffrey.
- Continue to Dominate on Special Teams: The Blue Devils had somewhat of a rough day on special teams. Will Monday had two short punts that set up the Demon Deacons with good field position, while kicker Ross Martin’s 48-yard field goal in the fourth quarter sailed wide right of the goalpost. The good news for the special teams unit was that it did not give up a punt return for a touchdown, as it had in the previous two games.
Three key plays:
- Boone drops back, scrambles out of the pocket and throws on the run to Crowder who jukes a defender, breaks a tackle and trots into the endzone for a 10-yard touchdown catch. Crowder’s touchdown put Duke on the board, cutting the Wake Forest lead to just one touchdown.
- With 9:52 to play in the third quarter, Boone fakes the handoff and throws a bomb to Crowder who hauls it in and is tackled into the endzone for a 58-yard touchdown. Crowder’s second touchdown of the day allowed the Blue Devils to re-tie the game 21-21.
- The Demon Deacons are driving into Duke territory with 2:30 to play in the game and quarterback Tanner Price’s pass is intercepted by Ross Cockrell. This allowed the Blue Devils to run out the clock, as Wake Forest would not regain possession.
Three key stats:
- Wake Forest scores zero points in the fourth quarter. Duke clung to a 28-21 lead going into the final quarter, and the Blue Devil defense was a huge reason why that score stood for the remainder of the game. It forced two fourth quarter turnovers that stalled promising Wake Forest drives put Duke in control of the game.
- Anthony Boone throws zero interceptions. Boone completed 82.8 percent of his passes and did not throw an interception in his second straight game. On a day where the ground game had trouble amassing yards, Boone’s ability to stimulate the offense through the air was the difference-maker for the Blue Devils.
- The Demon Deacons only gained 248 total yards. The Wake Forest offense only scored 14 points and could not get into a rhythm, especially in the second half, against a much improved and confident Duke defense.
And the Duke game ball goes to… Anthony Boone
Boone had one of his best games of the season, ripping apart the Demon Deacon secondary, completing 24-of-29 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns. He also added 57 yards on the ground coming on just seven carries. Boone affirmed his role as the Blue Devils’ starting quarterback and improved to 9-0 as a starter.
And the Wake Forest game ball goes to… Tanner Price
Price did not play at his best, but was still the best player on the field for Wake Forest. He threw for 124 yards and touchdown, while adding another touchdown and 45 yards on the ground. His dual-threat capabilities kept the Duke defense on its toes right up until the very end.
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