The independent news organization of Duke University
Although there were a few COVID-19 scares early in the week, for the first time since Week 3, all scheduled games were played.
The inability of the Blue Devils to punch it in was a microcosm of everything that went wrong Saturday against the Wolfpack.
Facing off against an N.C. State offense averaging over 34 points per contest, Duke was stout for most of the game. However, without much time to rest, the Wolfpack found a groove that was able to carry them to their first victory in the series since 2008.
Despite each offense showing signs of getting into a rhythm at various points, both defensive lines were able to weather the storm and bring pressure on a relatively consistent basis.
Here are our beats' takes on the Blue Devils’ road matchup at N.C. State, which pits the Wolfpack as a five-point favorite.
Duke enters Saturday's in-state showdown as a 4.5-point underdog.
Ball security is once again a focus for the Blue Devils on Saturday.
Due to their placement in opposite divisions during a normal ACC season, this will likely be one of the few matchups between Duke and N.C State in this decade.
As the saying goes, records are meant to be broken.
For the first time in seven years, bitter rivals meet again.
Duke will face off with its in-state rival on the heels of an impressive offensive performance against Syracuse.
Columnist Derek Saul dug beyond the basic box score to find some answers for Duke's offense, charting all 395 offensive plays that Duke has run this season to figure it out.
In this week of action, several former Blue Devils highlighted their skills and packed up the stat sheet.
"Don’t let your circumstance change your standard, but let your standard change your circumstance,” Taylor says.
Saturday was a great day to be a running back wearing Duke’s road whites.
One if by land and two if by sea—there must’ve been only a single lantern in the Chapel today, because the Blue Devils were marching via the ground game.
The next time Deon Jackson and Mataeo Durant drink a glass of orange juice, they’ll be reminded of the best rushing performance of their collegiate careers.
The Blue Devils showed some offensive promise, and despite some costly turnovers lead 24-14 heading into the locker room.
Our beats are relatively optimistic heading into Saturday's matchup against Syracuse.
This week presents a prime opportunity for Duke to earn its first win.
