Duke To Face First Test In Familiar Foe In North Western

Duke will get their first test of the 2017 season Saturday when NorthWestern who is favored by 2.5 points visits Brooks Field @Wallace Wade Stadium but they are a familiar opponent because they played last year as Duke visited North Western but unfortunately Duke came up on the short end losing 24-13. Will this year's game have a different result?

Now in its 105th season of football, Duke hosts Northwestern on September 9 at 12 noon ... The game will be broadcast live on ESPNU with Mike Couzens (play-by-play) & John Congemi (analyst) • The Blue Devils are 1-0 following their season-opening 60-7 win over N.C. Central ... The Wildcats are 1-0 after downing Nevada, 31-20
• Saturday’s game will mark the 19th on the gridiron between Duke and Northwestern, with the Wildcats leading the series, 10-8 ... Northwestern has won three straight, including last year’s 24-13 decision in Evanston ... The series dates back to 1985 ... After Duke won seven of the first nine meetings, Northwestern has won eight of the last nine • Duke will celebrate Youth Day and Durham Day versus the Wildcats
• Now in his 10th season as Duke’s head coach, David Cutcliffe is 53-61 with the Blue Devils and 97-90 overall ... Cutcliffe earned ACC Coach of the Year honors in both 2012 & 2013
• Duke owns an all-time record of 497511-31 in 104 seasons
• Dating back to the 2013 season, the Blue Devils are 29-16 in their last 45 regular season games
• The Blue Devils enter the Northwestern tilt having won 19 of their last 25 games against non-ACC opponents • Under head coach David Cutcliffe, the Blue Devils are 30-5 when allowing 20 points or less • Last week, RB Brittain Brown (10120) was one of four freshmen nationally to rush for 120+ yards, joining Ohio State’s J.K. Dobbins (29-181), Connecticut’s Nate Hopkins (20-130) and Arkansas’ Chase Hayden (14-120)
• A total of 10 true freshmen played in Duke’s season-opening triumph over N.C. Central: S Michael Carter II, OG Rakavius Chambers, DE Victor Dimukeje, K Jack Driggers, TE Noah Gray, DE Drew Jordan, RB Deon Jackson, DT Axel Nyembwe, DT Derrick Tangelo and S Marquis Waters
• Duke QB Daniel Jones enters the Northwestern contest with an active streak of 198 consecutive pass attempts without an interception ... The streak is currently the longest nationally and stands as the second best stretch in school history ... Thaddeus Lewis owns the Duke standard with 206 straight throws without an interception spanning the 2006-07 seasons • Duke RB Shaun Wilson is the only active player nationally with TDs of 80+ yards via rush, reception & return • 85-yard rush vs. Indiana, 2015 • 89-yard reception vs. N.C. Central, 2015 • 98-yard KOR vs. Indiana, 2015 • 96-yard KOR vs. Notre Dame, 2016
• Elected by their teammates, four returning starters will serve as team captains for the 2017 campaign: C Austin Davis, CB Bryon Fields Jr., QB Daniel Jones, and DT Mike Ramsay
• Next week, Duke hosts Baylor at 12:30 p.m. on RSN

3 — Career interception returns for TDs for CB Bryon Fields Jr. ... The scores came against Tulane (2014), Pittsburgh (2016) and N.C. Central (2017) as Fields joins Wyatt Smith (1988-91) and John Talley (2003-06) as the only three players in Duke history with three INT returns for TDs

12:1 — TD-to-INT ratio for QB Daniel Jones over his last eight games dating back to the 2016 season

3.5 — Tackles for loss resulting in minus-20 yards for DE Tre Hornbuckle in the season-opener against N.C. Central

14.35 — Recorded time for S Jeremy McDuffie in the 110-meter hurdles to earn all-league honors at the 2017 ACC Track & Field Championship meet ... McDuffie also garnered All-ACC accolades in the triple jump

48-4 — Duke’s record under David Cutcliffe when leading or tied after three-quarters of action

4 — Career rushing TDs of 50+ yards for RB Shaun Wilson to rank tied for first in school history along with George Clark (1944-47) & Jay Wilkinson (1961-63)

12 — Fourth quarter & OT wins for the Blue Devils over the past five seasons (games in which Duke was tied or trailing in the fourth period)

14 — Nation's-best AFCA Academic Achievement Awards earned by Duke

1,992 — Career snaps played by OT Gabe Brandner, Duke’s most experienced offensive lineman

213 — Combined tackles in 2016 for LBs Joe Giles-Harris (107) and Ben Humphreys (106)

120 — Rushing yards on 10 attempts for rookie RB Brittain Brown last week against N.C. Central to become the first Blue Devil since Desmond Scott in 2009 to record 100+ ground yards in a collegiate debut

3,308 — Career all-purpose yards for RB Shaun Wilson, who sits 692 yards shy of becoming the eighth player in Duke history to reach the 4,000-yard plateau

5 — Games with 10+ tackles in 2016 for LB Joe Giles-Harris, who finished with a team-high 107 stops to rank fourth nationally among freshmen in total tackles ... Giles-Harris carded a season-best 16 tackles in Duke’s 2827 upset win over No. 15 North Carolina on November 10

5-6 — Duke’s all-time record in OT games

As far as Duke's last game went they cruised to victory over North Carolina Central to start the season 1-0.

Duke redshirt sophomore quarterback Daniel Jones threw for 213 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for a third, while Brittain Brown chipped in 120 yards on the ground to lead the Blue Devils to a 60-7 victory over NC Central in Saturday night football action on Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211665065&DB_OEM_ID=4200

The 60 points are the most by a Duke team since the Blue Devils’ 67 in the season-opening win over Richmond in 1949. Duke moves to 1-0 on 2017, while NC Central falls to 0-1. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211665065&DB_OEM_ID=4200

Jones’ 213 yards pushed his career total to 3,049 yards, making him the 16th quarterback in Duke history to amass over 3,000 yards. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211665065&DB_OEM_ID=4200

Shaun Wilson ran for 59 yards on nine carries and one touchdown and Aaron Young led the receiving corps with five catches for 89 yards and a touchdown. Seven different Blue Devils in all found the end zone. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211665065&DB_OEM_ID=4200

Wilson opened the scoring for the Blue Devils, capping a seven-play 51-yard drive, with a one-yard plunge into the end zone. Wilson accounted for 45 of the yards on the drive, rushing for 41 and making one catch for four more. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211665065&DB_OEM_ID=4200

Bryon Fields Jr added a defensive touchdown five seconds later, intercepting a short NC Central pass and running it back 28 yards untouched to give the Blue Devils the 14-0 lead just 3:39 into the contest. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211665065&DB_OEM_ID=4200

The Blue Devils’ offense and defense continued to fire on all cylinders through the next 11 minutes, with Brown registering his first career touchdown on his second career carry. Defensively, Duke held the Eagles to 42 yards and only one first down in the opening quarter. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211665065&DB_OEM_ID=4200

Jones dashed for his first rushing touchdown of 2017 just 34 seconds into the second period and Young caught a 54-yards strike from Jones to give Duke the commanding 40-0 advantage midway through the frame. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211665065&DB_OEM_ID=4200

NC Central responded one play later with an 81-yard run from Isaiah Totten down the right side and into the end zone to put the Eagles on the board. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211665065&DB_OEM_ID=4200

Redshirt freshman running back Quentin Harris capped the first-half scoring with a three-yard scamper to send the Blue Devils into the half up 47-7. Overall, Duke amassed 344 yards of offense in the first half with 188 coming on the ground and 156 through the air. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211665065&DB_OEM_ID=4200

Jonathan Loyd and Noah Gray added touchdowns in the second half and the Blue Devil defense held NC Central to just 24 yards of offense in the final 30 minutes en route to the 60-7 victory. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211665065&DB_OEM_ID=4200

Joe Giles -Harris led the defensive charge with eight tackles, including four solo stops. Dylan Singleton and Tre Hornbuckle had six tackles apiece with Hornbuckle adding in a forced fumble. On special teams, Austin Parker kicked seven extra points and a 32-yard field goal. "according to http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211665065&DB_OEM_ID=420

As far as NorthWestern's last game, they got away from Nevada winning 31-20. Redshirt junior quarterback Clayton Thorson passed for two touchdowns then ran for two more in the fourth quarter as Northwestern rode a strong second-half performance to a season-opening 31-20 win over Nevada Saturday afternoon at Ryan Field. "according to http://www.nusports.com/news/2017/9/2/football-b1gcats-pull-away-for-31-20-win-over-nevada.aspx?path=football

Thorson completed 28 of 38 passes for 352 yards and Bennett Skowronekposted career bests of eight receptions and 123 receiving yards. Thorson's completion and passing yardage totals both matched career highs. Senior Justin Jackson contributed 109 rushing yards and 42 rushing yards. "according to http://www.nusports.com/news/2017/9/2/football-b1gcats-pull-away-for-31-20-win-over-nevada.aspx?path=football

The Wildcats got on the scoreboard first as Thorson found Macan Wilson streaking down the middle of the field for a leaping 33-yard touchdown reception with 7:13 remaining in the first quarter to put NU up 7-0. "according to http://www.nusports.com/news/2017/9/2/football-b1gcats-pull-away-for-31-20-win-over-nevada.aspx?path=football

However, Nevada answered right back on the next drive, going 75 yards in eight plays capped by an 11-yard pass from Ty Gangi to Wyatt Demps. "according to http://www.nusports.com/news/2017/9/2/football-b1gcats-pull-away-for-31-20-win-over-nevada.aspx?path=football

Missed opportunities in the red zone and big plays by the Wolf Pack hurt the 'Cats the remainder of the half. "according to http://www.nusports.com/news/2017/9/2/football-b1gcats-pull-away-for-31-20-win-over-nevada.aspx?path=football

Northwestern failed to connect on a 22-yard field goal attempt and had a fumble at the Nevada 10-yard line that prevented the Wildcats from further denting the scoreboard in the opening half. "according to http://www.nusports.com/news/2017/9/2/football-b1gcats-pull-away-for-31-20-win-over-nevada.aspx?path=football

Meanwhile, Nevada took advantage of big plays, getting a 41-yard touchdown pass from Gangi to McLane Mannix before Spencer Pettit tacked on a 31-yard field goal with 36 seconds left in the second quarter as the visitors eventually took a 17-7 halftime lead. "according to http://www.nusports.com/news/2017/9/2/football-b1gcats-pull-away-for-31-20-win-over-nevada.aspx?path=football

Northwestern came out of the intermission and scored on its first possession of the second half as freshman Charlie Kuhbander connected on a 23-yard field goal to bring the 'Cats within a touchdown. "according to http://www.nusports.com/news/2017/9/2/football-b1gcats-pull-away-for-31-20-win-over-nevada.aspx?path=football

The Wildcats tied the game when Thorson hooked up with redshirt freshman Riley Lees on a 19-yard scoring strike with 6:16 remaining in the third quarter. "according to
http://www.nusports.com/news/2017/9/2/football-b1gcats-pull-away-for-31-20-win-over-nevada.aspx?path=football

Nevada regained the lead, 20-17 when Pettit hit a 33-yard field goal with 10:13 remaining. NU answered back by marching 75 yards in 11 plays, capped by a scoring rush by Thorson on 4th and 1 to give the hosts a 24-20 lead with 5:28 left. "according to
http://www.nusports.com/news/2017/9/2/football-b1gcats-pull-away-for-31-20-win-over-nevada.aspx?path=football

A solid kick return allowed the Wolf Pack to start its ensuing drive at its own 39. However, the interior of the Northwestern line led by Tyler Lancaster stuffed Gangi on a rush on 4th and 1 and the Wildcats took over with 3:29 remaining. "according to http://www.nusports.com/news/2017/9/2/football-b1gcats-pull-away-for-31-20-win-over-nevada.aspx?path=football

The 'Cats sealed the game when Thorson hooked up on a 41-yard completion on 3rd and 7 that got the ball down to the Nevada 3. Three rushes late by Thorson, the quarterback punched the ball in from a yard out to wrap up the scoring with 52 seconds to go. "according to
http://www.nusports.com/news/2017/9/2/football-b1gcats-pull-away-for-31-20-win-over-nevada.aspx?path=football

As for Duke's last game, they cruised past North Carolina Central

David Cutcliffe's 10th season at the helm of Duke started off Saturday on a high note as they thrashed North Carolina Central in the opener in the Bull City Classic at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium.

Kick-off is set for 12:00 pm on ESPNU. "according to http://www.goduke.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=4200&SPID=1843&SPSID=22666

ACC, College Football, Big TenAbigail BaggettSeptember 9, 2017NorthWestern, DukeComment

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Duke To Face First Test In Familiar Foe In North Western