Duke Drops Season-Opener at No. 10 Notre Dame, 27-13

Saturday, September 12

South Bend, Ind.

2:30 p.m.

Duke University

0-1 , 0-1

Notre Dame

1-0 , 1-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Duke

Notre Dame

Photo by: Fighting Irish Media

Duke Drops Season-Opener at No. 10 Notre Dame, 27-13

9/12/2020 9:15:00 PM | Football

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SOUTH BEND, IND. – After the start of the 2020 college football season was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Duke opened its campaign by dropping a 27-13 decision against No. 10 Notre Dame Saturday afternoon at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind.

Blue Devil quarterback Chase Brice made his Duke debut, finishing 20-of-37 for 259 yards passing and 10 carries for 10 yards and a score on the ground. Brice's 259 passing yards were the most in a Blue Devil debut since Thomas Sirk (289 yards) in 2015. Notre Dame's Ian Book went 19-of-31 for 263 yards including an interception and a touchdown.

Duke (0-1, 0-1 ACC) jumped out to a strong start, outgaining the Fighting Irish in the first quarter by a 144-yard margin (151-7). The Blue Devils struck first for a 3-0 lead on the heels of a 10-play, 79-yard drive that consumed 3:53. Brice hit sophomore wide receiver Eli Pancol for a 55-yard strike to set up a 29-yard field goal by redshirt freshman Charlie Ham at 10:54 in the first.

Pancol led the Duke receivers with a career-high 78 yards on three grabs. Two other Blue Devils also eclipsed the 50-yard mark as senior tight end Noah Gray finished with 68 yards on five receptions and sophomore wide receiver Jalon Calhoun totaled five catches for 62 yards.

Playing its first game as an ACC member, Notre Dame (1-0, 1-0) led 10-6 heading into halftime after outscoring Duke 10-3 in the second quarter. Ham put another field goal through the uprights, this time from 30 yards, with 3:20 remaining in the second quarter to cap an 80-yard drive by the Duke offense. Junior safety Lummie Young IV recorded his first career interception in the end zone to prevent an Irish score with 2:32 before halftime.

Following the half, the Irish extended their lead to 11 points with a score midway through the quarter, but the Duke offense wasn't done yet. Starting a drive on Notre Dame's 39-yard line after a 13-yard punt return by redshirt junior Josh Blackwell, Brice connected with freshman Jontavis Robertson and senior Noah Gray for back-to-back completions for 13 and 19 yards, respectively. Brice punched in a two-yard carry for paydirt and to make it a one-score game.

But the Irish scored the game's final 10 points in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.

After missing 734 days due to injury, redshirt senior cornerback Mark Gilbert returned to action to match redshirt sophomore linebacker Shaka Heyward with a team-leading seven tackles. Senior safety Michael Carter II had six stops.

Redshirt freshman punter Porter Wilson was one of 11 to make their Duke debut, averaging 45.7 yards on six punts. He pinned four inside the Notre Dame 20-yard line.

Duke returns to Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium for its home opener against Boston College next Saturday. The game kicks off at noon live on RSN.

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