Duke football cannot come up with big play in fourth straight defeat

The Duke football team fell once again for its fourth straight defeat to start the 2020 season.

Duke played football. Duke lost said football game. It’s the fourth straight loss for Duke to open the 2020 season.

This time, the Blue Devils fell back at Wallace Wade Stadium to the Virginia Tech Hokies, who were without 21 players and their defensive coordinator because of the coronavirus.

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Virginia Tech also was without its four starting cornerbacks, but the Blue Devils were unable to move the ball downfield until the fourth quarter, and Duke could not come up with the big play it needed to get its first victory.

The Blue Devils were gifted a touchdown to open the game after Virginia Tech muffed a punt, which rolled into the end zone. Duke fell on the ball for a score following its second three-and-out of the ball game.

Chase Brice and the Blue Devils didn’t score the rest of the half but only trailed 10-7 as Virginia Tech had just as many issues as Duke at the quarterback position.

Hendon Hooker was supposed to be available to play, according to VT head coach Justin Fuente, and he was dressed. But it was Braxton Burmeister who was the signal-caller, and Duke was unable to take advantage of his mistakes.

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Burmeister was just 9-of-25 for 163 yards with a touchdown, interception, and a costly fumble, which the Blue Devils could not take advantage of.

Brice and the Duke offense got the chance they needed after a handoff was botched between Burmeister and Kahlil Herbert, but a three-and-out for the Blue Devils was the icing on the cake Virginia Tech needed as the Hokies came down and scored after the punt, thanks to a 60-yard touchdown rush from Herbert.

Herbert ran all over the Blue Devils with 208 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries.

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Chase Brice had a better day thanks to his second half, 22-for-39 for 271 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.

At 0-4 on the season, Duke will have a winnable game next week on the road against Syracuse. But nothing can be for sure with this group of Blue Devils.