Duke opened ACC play with a convincing 45-33 win over N.C. State. Good things happen when you force turnovers and the Duke defense forced four turnovers, three interceptions and a fumble, plus special teams blocked a Field Goal attempt in the win over the Wolfpack.
Darian Mensah tossed three touchdown passes to three different receivers while Anderson Castle rushed for three touchdowns in the victory.
On defense, DeShawn Stone, Tre Freeman and Moussa Kane intercepted State quarterback C.J. Bailey and Wesley Williams forced a fumble along with blocking a field goal attempt. DeShawn Stone and Caleb Weaver lead the way with 11 tackles each.
Duke evens the slate at 2-2 and is 1-0 in ACC play.
Play One: With 12 minutes and twenty-eight seconds remaining in the 1st quarter, Duke left the offense on the field on 4th and four yards to go for a 1st down. Quarterback Darian Mensah completed a 21-yard pass to tight end Jeremy Hasley. Four plays later Anderson Castle scored his first of three touchdowns to tie the score at 7-7. Duke had lined up to punt on 4th and nine but N.C. State jumped off side for a five-yard penalty so Duke decided to go for the first down instead of punting.
Play Two: With 45 seconds left in the 1st half, Tre Freeman intercepted a C.J. Bailey pass and returned it 67 yards to the N.C. State 12-yard line. Two plays later Anderson Castle scored his second touchdown to give Duke a 21-20 lead at the half.
Play Three: On the opening drive of the second half, Duke executed a four play 75-yard touchdown drive to go up 28-20. Mensah completed three passes on the drive; 18-yards to Sahmir Hagans, 15-yards to Que’Sean Brown, 33-yards to Sahmir Hagans for the touchdown. With Duke scoring on their last drive of the 1st half and the first drive of the 2nd half, momentum had clearly switched to the Blue Devils.
Play Four: With eight minutes and 32 seconds remaining in the 3rd quarter, Duke faces a 4th down and 1-yard to go at the State 37-yard line. Duke ran a play action pass and Darian Mensah threw the ball over the top of the State defense for a 37-yard touchdown pass to Cooper Barkate to expand Duke’s lead to 35-26.
Play Five: With 2 minutes and 19 seconds remaining in the game, Anderson Castle blasted through the line on 3rd and one rambling 66 yards for a touchdown.
Play Six: Moussa Kane sealed the victory with Duke’s third interception with 1:24 remaining in the 4th quarter.
