Duke heads into Saturday’s road trip to Georgia Tech with a different kind of look than the one most people expected a few weeks ago. The Blue Devils are 3-0 in ACC play, one of three unbeaten teams left in the league, and they’ll try to keep that run going after the bye week when they kick off conference road play at 3:30 pm ET on ESPN2.
The matchup gives Duke a chance to test itself against a Yellow Jackets team that is 1-3 overall, 0-1 in the ACC, and still searching for traction against Power Conference opponents. Duke has cleaned up and improved in just about every phase through four games, though there are still some loose ends to tighten before the schedule gets harder.
One of the biggest reasons to like Duke’s position here starts on the ground. Georgia Tech is last in the ACC in rushing yards allowed per game at 189.0, a number that also sits 123rd in the FBS.
That’s a dangerous place to be with Nate Sheppard coming to town. The Duke star ranks third in the country with 644 rushing yards, and the bye week should help him even more after he handled only nine carries against William & Mary the week before.
Even on that limited workload, he still produced 116 yards and a touchdown.
Sheppard is not carrying the run game alone, either. Duke can lean on CJ Campbell and Jayvian Tanelus as well, and Manny Diaz’s offense figures to keep its identity centered on the run. If the Blue Devils control the pace the way they want to, this could turn into another big afternoon for Sheppard and the backs behind him.
The other side of the ball brings a chance for Duke’s pass rush to make noise. Georgia Tech quarterback Alberto Mendoza has already been sacked 10 times this season, while Duke has recorded 11 sacks of its own.
That sets up a matchup where the Blue Devils should have room to be disruptive, and the unit overall could take a noticeable step forward. Keep an eye on sophomore Bryce Davis, who looks ready for a breakout performance.
Duke’s run defense has been stout, allowing just 63.8 rushing yards per game, the third-fewest in the ACC. Still, Georgia Tech brings a back who has been consistently productive in Justice Haynes.
He ranks second among ACC running backs in rushing yards per game at 98.3 and sixth in total rushing yards with 393, while averaging 5.4 yards per carry. Haynes has taken at least 14 carries in every game so far and has added 11 catches for 47 yards and two more touchdowns as a receiver.
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Dukes Frustrating Collapse Exposed Two Problems Fans Cant Ignore
Dukes first loss of the season came in Atlanta, where a 28-25 defeat to Georgia Tech left the Blue Devils with plenty to sort through beyond the final score. Walker Eget and linebacker Luke Mergott were among the players who made their presence felt, and Duke actually handled itself well on third and fourth downs, showing enough composure in key spots to stay in the game deep into the afternoon.
Still, the details that tilted the result were hard to ignore. Penalties in the first half repeatedly put Duke behind schedule, and the inside running game never matched the kind of push the Blue Devils needed to control the flow of the game. For a team that had started clean and confident, the loss exposed two issues that will linger until Duke proves it can play cleaner and generate more consistent production between the tackles. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Faces Its First Real Test With Unbeaten Start On The Line
Dukes unbeaten start has given Manny Diaz and his team some early momentum, but the next step looks far more revealing than the first four games. At 4-0, the Blue Devils head into Week 6 with a trip to Georgia Tech looming, and the matchup carries extra weight after the Yellow Jackets came into Durham last season and left with a win.
This time, Duke arrives with a defense that has been tougher and a rushing attack that has helped stabilize the offense. Georgia Tech comes in at 1-3 and is looking for a lift of its own, which makes this a useful checkpoint for Duke before the schedule gets any less demanding. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Let A Winnable Road Game Slip Away In Painful Fashion
For much of the afternoon in Atlanta, Duke had the kind of road game it needed to finish and move on, with Nate Sheppard doing plenty to keep the Blue Devils in front of the conversation. Playing through a foot injury, the running back carried a heavy load and turned in a standout all-around effort, finishing with 99 rushing yards, two touchdowns and 91 receiving yards as Duke tried to stay clean in the ACC race.
Instead, the Blue Devils let a winnable game unravel in painful fashion. Penalties kept handing Georgia Tech extra chances, and when Duke still had a path to force overtime, freshman kicker Gavin Strange missed the late field goal try that would have tied it. The 28-25 loss drops Duke to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in league play, a frustrating result in a game that was there to be taken. [Read more 🡒]