Upcoming Event: Football at Tulane on September 13, 2025 at 8 p.m.
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8 p.m.
Football
at Tulane
Saturday, October 22
Durham, N.C.
12:30 PM
Duke University
23
vs
24
Wake Forest
Duke Falls to Wake Forest 24-23
10/22/2011 4:00:00 PM | Football
DURHAM, N.C. - The Blue Devils scored 23 straight points to pull out of a 17-0 deficit, but Demon Deacons' quarterback Tanner Price hit receiver Chris Givens for a 66-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to lift Wake Forest to a 24-23 victory over Duke Saturday afternoon from Wallace Wade Stadium.
Givens led all receivers on the day with six receptions for 147 yards and two touchdowns with Price completing 15-of-25 pass attempts for 215 yards.
Duke (3-4, 1-2 ACC) outgained Wake Forest (5-2, 4-1 ACC) 372 to 305 for the game as the Blue Devil defense limited the Demon Deacons to just 81 yards in the second half. Quarterback Sean Renfree threw for 213 yards, while receiver Conner Vernon led the Duke corps with seven receptions for 59 yards. Running back Juwan Thompson had 11 carries for 62 yards, while quarterback Anthony Boone ran for both Duke touchdowns.
After holding Wake Forest to a three-and-out its first series, Duke's offense struggled out of the gate, punting twice and gaining just 30 yards in the first quarter. Wake Forest capitalized on the opportunity, marching 80 yards down the field for a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter. Price hit Givens, who had four catches for 84 yards on the drive, for the 26-yard touchdown pass to complete the drive.
Wake Forest added a field goal from 38 yards out to start the second quarter with a 10-0 lead, then added to that total following another Duke punt. On fourth-and-two from the Duke 25-yard line, the Blue Devils' defense appeared to have thwarted a pass from Price to Givens to give Duke possession. However, the original call was overturned, setting Wake up at the Duke four. Wake Forest tailback Brandon Pendergrass ran for the touchdown two plays later as Duke found itself trailing 17-0 late in the first half.
The Blue Devils got the ball back at the Wake Forest 46 with 1:14 left in the opening stanza, but penalties plagued Duke and the Blue Devils had to settle for a Will Snyderwine 26-yard field goal to close out the half trailing 17-3.
Renfree picked up two yards on fourth-and-inches to prolong Duke's first possession of the second half, then hit wideout Tyree Watkins for an 11-yard strike to move into Wake territory. Thompson broke off a 27 yard rush, the longest of his career, to move down to the Wake 16, but the Duke offense stalled there, resulting in a 38-yard Snyderwine field goal to cut the Wake Forest lead to 17-6 early in the third quarter.
The Blue Devil defense responded, forcing a Wake three-and-out to give Duke the ball back. Facing third-and-20, Renfree hit running back Desmond Scott for 17 yards and followed the play with a 15-yard pass to Vernon near the right sideline on fourth-and-three. Duke pushed down to the Wake Forest one-yard line before Boone rushed for the touchdown on fourth-and-one to cut the Demon Deacon lead to 17-13.
Duke's defense held Wake Forest to just one yard of offense in the third quarter and regained possession with a minute to go in the period. Thompson's leaping grab along the sideline on third down kept the drive alive and Duke took its first lead of the day on Boone's second one-yard touchdown run.
Duke took over after another Wake Forest punt and Renfree, facing third-and-long, stepped up into the pocket and hit receiver Donovan Varner for a 26-yard gain. The Blue Devils advanced to the Wake two-yard line, but Boone's pass on third down fell incomplete, resulting in a Snyderwine 19-yard field goal to give Duke a 23-17 lead with 7:14 remaining in the game.
Wake Forest needed only one play to score the game-deciding touchdown as Price connected with Givens down the right side and the Wake receiver slipped past the Duke defense to reach the end zone.
The Blue Devils' next possession resulted in a punt, but Duke got the ball back with 3:45 to go and promptly moved into Wake Forest territory. After converting four fourth downs earlier in the game, the Blue Devils could not come up with a fourth-and-six conversion at the Demon Deacon 40, and Wake Forest took over with under two minutes to play.
Duke's last possession began with less than a minute remaining and a late Wake interception cemented the win for the Demon Deacons.
The Blue Devils play host to the Hokies next weekend with game time for Duke versus Virginia Tech set for 12:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 29.
-d-u-k-e-
Givens led all receivers on the day with six receptions for 147 yards and two touchdowns with Price completing 15-of-25 pass attempts for 215 yards.
Duke (3-4, 1-2 ACC) outgained Wake Forest (5-2, 4-1 ACC) 372 to 305 for the game as the Blue Devil defense limited the Demon Deacons to just 81 yards in the second half. Quarterback Sean Renfree threw for 213 yards, while receiver Conner Vernon led the Duke corps with seven receptions for 59 yards. Running back Juwan Thompson had 11 carries for 62 yards, while quarterback Anthony Boone ran for both Duke touchdowns.
After holding Wake Forest to a three-and-out its first series, Duke's offense struggled out of the gate, punting twice and gaining just 30 yards in the first quarter. Wake Forest capitalized on the opportunity, marching 80 yards down the field for a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter. Price hit Givens, who had four catches for 84 yards on the drive, for the 26-yard touchdown pass to complete the drive.
Wake Forest added a field goal from 38 yards out to start the second quarter with a 10-0 lead, then added to that total following another Duke punt. On fourth-and-two from the Duke 25-yard line, the Blue Devils' defense appeared to have thwarted a pass from Price to Givens to give Duke possession. However, the original call was overturned, setting Wake up at the Duke four. Wake Forest tailback Brandon Pendergrass ran for the touchdown two plays later as Duke found itself trailing 17-0 late in the first half.
The Blue Devils got the ball back at the Wake Forest 46 with 1:14 left in the opening stanza, but penalties plagued Duke and the Blue Devils had to settle for a Will Snyderwine 26-yard field goal to close out the half trailing 17-3.
Renfree picked up two yards on fourth-and-inches to prolong Duke's first possession of the second half, then hit wideout Tyree Watkins for an 11-yard strike to move into Wake territory. Thompson broke off a 27 yard rush, the longest of his career, to move down to the Wake 16, but the Duke offense stalled there, resulting in a 38-yard Snyderwine field goal to cut the Wake Forest lead to 17-6 early in the third quarter.
The Blue Devil defense responded, forcing a Wake three-and-out to give Duke the ball back. Facing third-and-20, Renfree hit running back Desmond Scott for 17 yards and followed the play with a 15-yard pass to Vernon near the right sideline on fourth-and-three. Duke pushed down to the Wake Forest one-yard line before Boone rushed for the touchdown on fourth-and-one to cut the Demon Deacon lead to 17-13.
Duke's defense held Wake Forest to just one yard of offense in the third quarter and regained possession with a minute to go in the period. Thompson's leaping grab along the sideline on third down kept the drive alive and Duke took its first lead of the day on Boone's second one-yard touchdown run.
Duke took over after another Wake Forest punt and Renfree, facing third-and-long, stepped up into the pocket and hit receiver Donovan Varner for a 26-yard gain. The Blue Devils advanced to the Wake two-yard line, but Boone's pass on third down fell incomplete, resulting in a Snyderwine 19-yard field goal to give Duke a 23-17 lead with 7:14 remaining in the game.
Wake Forest needed only one play to score the game-deciding touchdown as Price connected with Givens down the right side and the Wake receiver slipped past the Duke defense to reach the end zone.
The Blue Devils' next possession resulted in a punt, but Duke got the ball back with 3:45 to go and promptly moved into Wake Forest territory. After converting four fourth downs earlier in the game, the Blue Devils could not come up with a fourth-and-six conversion at the Demon Deacon 40, and Wake Forest took over with under two minutes to play.
Duke's last possession began with less than a minute remaining and a late Wake interception cemented the win for the Demon Deacons.
The Blue Devils play host to the Hokies next weekend with game time for Duke versus Virginia Tech set for 12:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 29.
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Players Mentioned
QB
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QB
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RB
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RB
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B
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WR
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WR
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