No. 22 Duke struggled for much of the game, but broke the game open late in the fourth quarter en route to a 27-10 victory at Syracuse in the Carrier Dome Saturday afternoon. Both teams struggled to move the ball most of the game, but the Blue Devil special teams unit and defense outlasted the Orange to secure Duke's eighth win of the season.
Offense: C+
Pass: Redshirt senior quarterback Anthony Boone had his second-lowest yardage output of the year with 161 yards. However, he was able put Duke on the scoreboard twice with two long touchdown passes to redshirt senior wide receiver Isaac Blakeney. The Weddington, N.C., native went 15-of-33, and threw his fourth interception of the year against an injury-riddled Syracuse defense. It was certainly a lackluster day for the Blue Devil signal caller, but as he typically has throughout his storied career, Boone delivered when he had to and got the necessary help from Blakeney.
The 6-foot-6 speedster finished the day with 94 yards receiving and both of Duke’s offensive scores, scoring in the first half from 22 yards out to put the Blue Devils up 10-3 and from 54 yards out with 7:13 left in the game to seal the win. If Blakeney can continue providing big plays, Duke will be tough to stop in its final three games of the season.
Rush: It was not a spectacular day for the Blue Devils on the ground either, as Duke’s running back quartet rushed for less than 100 yards total. Junior Shaquille Powell rushed for 68 yards, senior Josh Snead rushed for 17 yards and true freshman Shaun Wilson had seven yards. The Blue Devils were held to less than 100 yards for just the second time; the first was Sept. 27 in the team's only loss at Miami.
X’s and O’s: Duke started out slow, and head coach David Cutcliffe and offensive coordinator Scottie Montgomery were unable to find the rhythm that led to the Blue Devils' 51-point outburst last week at Pittsburgh. But Duke was finally able to get a few big plays late in the game by opening up the playbook and using its talent on the edge.
Defense: A
Pass: Duke’s secondary was stout, and held Syracuse’s quarterbacks to a mere 105 yards passing on just 3.3 yards per attempt. Defensive back Breon Borders intercepted Orange quarterback Austin Wilson twice on deep balls. Wilson went 11-of-19 and backup quarterback Mitch Kimble was 6-of-13. Duke also prevented the Orange from reaching the end zone through the air, as well. Wilson's passer rating was just 7.8 as the Blue Devils bounced back after allowing Pittsburgh's Tyler Boyd to wreak havoc a week ago,
Rush: Duke held Syracuse to a respectable 119 yards on the ground, but the unit did however let up a rushing touchdown. Orange star running back senior Prince-Tyson Gulley was held to 42 yards on nine carries. Kimble, coming off the bench, also had 42 yards rushing for the Orange, including an eight-yard score. Nonetheless, the Blue Devils did a better job of containing the run against Syracuse than more highly-ranked ACC rivals Clemson and Florida State, who each let up exactly 80 yards to Gulley.
X’s and O’s: Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles called a successful game for the Blue Devils, which featured constant pressure and disguised coverages meant to take advantage of Syracuse’s inexperience at quarterback. Knowles’ strategy worked, as Duke was able to force a pair of turnovers, and the Orange were only able to convert a quarter of its third down opportunities.
Special Teams: A+
The play of the game was senior wide receiver Jamison Crowder’s 52-yard punt return touchdown to break a 10-10 tie in the fourth quarter. The explosive 5-foot-9 receiver’s elegant return gave Duke all the momentum as it outscored the Orange 17-0 to close out the game. Sophomore DeVon Edwards was solid returning kick-offs as well, with two returns for a total of 42 yards.
Senior kicker Ross Martin also drilled two mid-range field goals and converted all of his extra point attempts to extend his perfect field goal and extra point percentages for the season. Senior punter Will Monday continued to plead his campaign for the Ray Guy Award with an average of 45.1 yards per punt on seven punts. Once again, Duke's special teams set the team apart late in a crucial conference contest and gave the team the edge it needed.
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Jacob Weiss is a Trinity senior. His column, "not jumping to any conclusions," runs on alternate Fridays.