Duke football scores 21 unanswered to take down rival North Carolina

Duke football is now 5-0 to start the season for the first time since 1994 with its home win over rival North Carolina yesterday. It was another late-game surge for the Blue Devils after a mediocre first half, but the Blue Devils were able to generate some offense in the second half to come up with the win.

It was an underwhelming first half for the Blue Devils as it found itself down 17-0 at the halftime break. Third-down conversions continued to be a major issue as the team didn't find its first first-down conversion until with about four and a half minutes to go in the first quarter. This first down also came on the first play of the drive where quarterback Maalik Murphy found wide receiver Jordan Moore for an eighteen-yard completion. After the completion, Duke went three-and-out from there.

The Blue Devils would end up punting on each of its first-half drives besides its last that ended in a missed field goal try. It converted just one first down through the entirety of the first quarter.

Duke was able stop the run fairly effectively, but UNC was able to get through with the pass and ended the first half up 17-0.

After Duke held UNC on its first offensive possession to force a punt, it was blocked and UNC recovered it and was actually able to maintain possession. It was able to get down the field to kick a field goal and make the score 20-0. Duke was just 1-72 over the last twenty seasons when trailing by twenty or more points in a game, and it went against all odds to come back against the Tar Heels who were trying to spoil Duke's season.

This was definitely the most effective we've seen the Duke run game so far this season. It wasn't able to get going through the middle in the first half as North Carolina's solid front seven held Duke well. In the second, new plays and dump-off passes to the backs became a huge momentum shifter in this contest.

Once Duke got the ball for its first possession of the second half, it became a story Duke football fans have become very familiar with this season. Out of nowhere, the Duke offense had new life and was able to find rhythm it couldn't in the first half.

After Murphy was able to find Moore and wideout Eli Pancol on back-to-back plays, running back Star Thomas took control. After consecutive runs for ten and nineteen yards, Murphy dumped it off to Thomas a few plays later and Thomas took it 29 yards all the way to the end zone to get the Blue Devils on the board.

The Duke crowd wasted no time bringing the energy back into the stadium. These fans have seen Duke find new life in games before, and they were hoping this was no different.

After forcing a UNC three-and-out on the next possession, the offense continued to surge. Murphy found his top target Moore again for an eight-yard completion then on the next play for a monster 43-yard connection to completely shift the tides of this game.

Duke continued to feed Thomas and he found positive yards each time to continue the downfield drive. After a pass interference call where Murphy was looking for Sahmir Hagans in the end zone, that set the team up at the goal line for a Thomas rushing score to make the tally 20-14.

After a couple more defensive stands from the Duke defense, Duke was finally able to take the lead midway through the fourth quarter.

After a bit of a botched punt, Duke took over right at mid field. Thomas continued to be the star as Murphy found him on the first play of the drive for a sixteen-yard completion then Thomas ran it up the middle for another nineteen yards.

Sophomore running back Peyton Jones then came in to relieve Thomas, and the Duke run attack was still able to find holes. After a five-yard run, Jones was handed the ball off again on the next play and found a hole through the left side, taking it twenty yards for the touchdown to put the Blue Devils up 21-20. It was an absolute frenzy from the crowd as once again, Duke had made a miraculous comeback after it looked dead in the water for a half.

Duke was able to keep UNC out of the scoring column for the rest of the contest, highlighted by a Tre Freeman interception to seal the game. Duke is 5-0.

This was a massive victory for the Blue Devils that will now begin to put them in the conversation to be ranked in the AP Poll. There were again some avoidable mistakes on both sides of the ball, such as miscommunications or overthrows. Duke was only 2-14 on third down and had nothing going in the first half. Thomas seems to be emerging as a true "star" in his lead role in the backfield. He tallied his third straight game with over one hundred rushing yards, concluding yesterday's game with 166 yards and a touchdown on a monstrous thirty carries. He's also proving to be a dual-threat back as we see him involved in the passing game.

But nonetheless, Duke was again able to put on a late-game heroics show and take down its arch-rival and protect home field. Now Duke looks to its next ACC foe as it will travel to take on Georgia Tech next weekend.