The Blue Devils were executing well for most of the half against Northwestern, but some late slip-ups at the end of the half took the shine off an otherwise strong start.
After two quarters of play, Duke leads the No. 23 Wildcats 7-3 Saturday at Wallace Wade Stadium. Quarterback Thomas Sirk scored the lone touchdown for the Blue Devils with a five-yard run and finished the half 13-of-20 for 86 yards with an interception. Duke has outgained Northwestern 175-57 thus far but a pair of late turnovers prevented it from stretching its lead further.
A Shaun Wilson fumble late in the second quarter gave the Wildcats the ball at the Duke 35 yard line. On the ensuing Northwestern drive, Duke’s defense continued to stand firm, holding the Wildcats to a field goal that cut the lead to 7-3.
Duke’s offense began the game clicking. After a 20 yard run by Shaquille Powell on the opening drive, however, the offense stalled and Northwestern forced a Blue Devil punt.
On the Wildcats' opening drive, an interception by Devon Edwards and a 24-yard return on set Duke up in scoring range. Sirk and Duke’s offense then settled in. A five-yard rushing touchdown-—the first touchdown Northwestern has surrendered this season—by Sirk capped off a five-play, 26-yard drive.
Toward the end of the first quarter, however, the Blue Devils' offense lost its rhythm, as Northwestern forced four consecutive punts.
Defensively, Duke defenders swarmed around the football through and forced Northwestern punts in the first quarter. Although the Wildcats nailed x and x yard runs between the tackles, the Blue Devil ends and defensive backs contained Northwestern’s running backs on the outside.
With five and half minutes left in the second quarter, Duke’s offense regained its steam. Following a 32-yard reception to senior wide receiver Max McCaffrey, Sirk completed 15-yard pass to sophomore running back Shaun Wilson. But the drive ended, when Northwestern defensive linemen Dean Lowry deflected a Sirk pass to himself for the interception.
Here are some observations from the first half:
- The Blue Devils won the field position battle in the first half. Two of Duke’s drives started from beyond their 35 yard line.
- Duke’s smaller defensive line has so far won the battle up front against Northwestern’s big offensive line.
- Northwestern defensive lineman Ifeadi Odenigbo said this past Monday that Duke would not score a touchdown against the Wildcats. Odenigbo’s prediction proved wrong just six minutes into the game. Odenigbo redeemed himself, however, when he recovered Wilson’s fumble late in the second quarter.
- Duke’s defense gave Northwestern quarterback Clayton Thorson several different looks. The Blue Devil defensive backs were aggressive, mostly pressing against Northwestern’s receivers.
- Duke punter Will Monday has struggled to pin the Wildcats within their own 10 yard line.
- Sirk’s interception with four minutes to go in the first half was his first of the season.
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