
2018 Independence Bowl: Danny Dimes secures a spot in the first round
David Cutcliffe’s final bowl game appearance came in 2018, Daniel Jones’s final season at Duke. The Blue Devils went 3-5 in ACC play, but managed a flawless non-conference record and finished the season 8-5 after a 56-27 win over Temple in the Independence Bowl.
Daniel Jones threw for five touchdowns and 423 yards in the blowout victory and that performance cemented his place as a first-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft. Jones was eventually selected sixth overall by the New York Giants, the second quarterback taken in the draft behind No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray.
2018 was Cutcliffe’s final winning season at Duke. His teams went 5-7, 2-9, and 3-9 in the next three years before he was replaced by Mike Elko.