Strong First Half Lifts Duke to 41-23 Victory

Saturday, October 12

Durham, N.C.

12:30 p.m.

Duke University

Georgia Tech

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Strong First Half Lifts Duke to 41-23 Victory

10/12/2019 4:18:00 PM | Football

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DURHAM, N.C. — Duke football scored 38 consecutive points in the first half to cruise to a, 41-23, victory over Georgia Tech on Saturday afternoon on Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium.

The Blue Devils move to 2-1 in ACC play heading into a two-game road stretch at Virginia and North Carolina.

Duke quarterback Quentin Harris went 11-of-20 for 176 yards through the air, rushed for another 38, and added a touchdown. Defensively, Koby Quansah and Brandon Hill both had 11 tackles apiece, while Victor Dimukeje earned a career-high three sacks on the day.

The three sacks for Dimukeje were tied for second in Duke's single-game history and are the most since 2016 and the most in an ACC game since 2003.

Georgia Tech (1-5, 0-3) opened the scoring by marching 75 yards down the field, including converting a 3rd-and-12 play en route to a 19-yard touchdown pass from James Graham to Jerry Howard Jr. for the early advantage.

Duke (4-2, 2-1) responded with 38 consecutive points to take a 38-14 lead into halftime. The Blue Devils outgained the Yellow Jackets, 268-93, heading into the break after Georgia Tech's opening score, getting 121 yards on the ground and 147 through the air.

After having to settle for a 33-yard field goal, the Blue Devils found the end zone in the final minute of the first quarter with an Eli Pancol rush to take a 10-7 lead. Pancol capped the 55-yard drive with a three-yard run to the left side of the end zone. The carry was the first of the wide receiver's career, marking his first rushing touchdown and his third overall score of the season. Three of Pancol's four touches this year have resulted in six points for the Blue Devils.

The Duke defense and offense continued to fire on all cylinders. The Blue Devils forced four punts and a turnover on downs and added four more touchdowns to extend its lead to 38-7 with 3:10 remaining in the second quarter.

Deon Jackson dashed into the end zone twice during that time, while Harris punched the ball in for six after Mataeo Durant was tripped up at the 1-yard line after a career-long 38-yard scamper up the middle. Durant finished the half with a team-best 62 yards on eight carries. The sophomore running back completed the afternoon with 74 yards.

Duke's special teams also got into mix, blocking a punt and running it back for another six points. Xander Gagnon came off the left edge to block the punt and Javon Jackson scooped up the ball for the 14-yard return – Duke's first blocked punt for a touchdown since 2012.

The scoring slowed in the second half for the Blue Devils as Duke took its foot off the gas and settled for a second field goal from AJ Reed. Georgia Tech landed in the end zone once and tacked on a field goal, but couldn't make up the 24-point halftime deficit.

The Blue Devils travel to Charlottesville next Saturday to take on No. 20-ranked Virginia. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m., on the ACC Network.

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