Duke football clinched bowl eligibility with a 24-21 win over Wake Forest on Thursday night in Wallace Wade Stadium.
The Blue Devils (6-5, 4-3 ACC) trailed 21-20 with just over two minutes remaining in the game when kicker Charlie Ham made a 23-yard field goal to give Duke the lead. Wake Forest had a chance to win the game in the final seconds, but Duke cornerback Michael Carter II intercepted quarterback Sam Hartman’s pass.
The win was a big one for Duke, which has struggled this season but has now won three of its last four games. The Blue Devils will look to continue their momentum when they travel to face North Carolina State next week.
Here are some highlights from the game:
- Duke trailed 14-3 at halftime but scored 17 unanswered points in the third quarter to take a 20-14 lead.
- Wake Forest responded with a touchdown in the fourth quarter to take a 21-20 lead.
- Ham’s 23-yard field goal gave Duke the lead with just over two minutes remaining in the game.
- Hartman’s interception in the final seconds sealed the win for Duke.
Duke head coach David Cutcliffe was pleased with his team’s win, but he knows that there is still work to be done.
“We’re excited to be bowl eligible, but we’re not satisfied,” Cutcliffe said. “We’ve got to keep getting better.”
The Blue Devils will face a tough test next week when they travel to face North Carolina State. The Wolfpack are 7-3 overall and 4-2 in the ACC.
Duke will need to play its best game of the season if it wants to win in Raleigh. However, if the Blue Devils can pull off the upset, they would put themselves in a good position to make a run in the ACC Championship Game.
Source: ZoxPR.