What seemed to be an easy tune-up ended up a close call for the Louisville Cardinals, defeating the Duke Blue Devils 24-14.
The final score doesn’t truly do justice to the sloppy contest that was a few mistakes
short on Duke’s part of a major upset. Duke’s game plan of keeping Louisville
quarterback and Heisman hopeful Lamar Jackson nearly worked. Using long-winded
drives to control the clock, the Blue Devils dominated the ball for 37 minutes, compared to 22 for Louisville. Quarterback Daniel Jones craved the Cardinals defense for short gains, going 14-21 for 129 yards and two touchdowns.
Unfortunately, the Blue Devils running game faltered, rushing for 110 yards as a backfield on 39 carries. These numbers would be respectable against most teams, but not against the high-powered offense of the Cardinals, especially since the Blue Devils knew they would have to play mistake-free.
Per usual, Jackson dazzled for the Cardinals, creating several highlight plays via his arm and his legs. Duke’s consistent pressure in the pocket forced Jackson to think on his feet, scrambling 21 times for 144 yards and one touchdown.
Nevertheless, Jackson’s athletic abilities made way for his arm, connecting with six receivers for 181 yards and a touchdown on 13-26 passes. Running back Jeremy Smith’s 80-yard touchdown in the third quarter would prove costly for Duke in the close contest.
Despite Duke’s disciplined offensive performance, they failed to put points on the board late. When kicker Evan O’Hara missed a 46-yard field goal with two minutes to go to give Louisville a 6-point lead, Duke had a chance to win. Unfortunately, the Blue Devils faltered under pressure, making way for a Jackson touchdown to put the game out of reach.
Louisville will prepare for a home matchup versus fellow ACC foe North Carolina State on October 22. Duke gets a bye week to recover before taking on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
