Duke beats UConn 41-7, securing a 4-0 start to the season
Posted September 21, 2023 2:01 p.m. EDT
Updated September 24, 2023 11:47 p.m. EDT
 18Duke Blue Devils |
41 |
 UConn Huskies |
7 |
| Final | |
Storrs, Conn. — STORRS, CONN. —
The Duke Blue Devils continued their hot start to the season, beating the UConn Huskies 41-7 Saturday to move to 4-0.
Riley Leonard threw for 248 yards, completing 23 out of 34 passes with one rushing touchdown of his own.
Yellow Laundry:
The game started off with tons of flags, including a disqualification on UConn LB Jaxon Mitchell, after he hit Riley Leonard out of bounds.
A ton of holding calls by the Huskies, as well as a couple of roughing the passer penalties helped the Blue Devils get in the red zone early.
Defensive Domination:
Defensive Tackle Aeneas Peebles had two sacks on QB Ta’Quan Roberson, while a fumble six by DeWayne Carter was picked up and ran 26 yards to the house for the Blue Devils.
The Huskies had a hard time starting up the run game from Roberson, specifically because of how dominant the Blue Devils defense was – covering every hole and space on the field.
A handful of drops from UConn receivers also did not help their case when going against Duke’s defense.
Chasing WATERfalls & Touchdowns:
Jordan Waters had a stellar performance against the UConn defense. He had seven carries, 18 yards, and two rushing touchdowns throughout the game.
Riley Leonard picked up his passing game in the second quarter, sending Jordan Moore into the end zone for the receiving touchdown as well.
Once they start, they are not able to stop. Especially, when it comes to Riley Leonard’s legs; The scramble never stops.
Field Goals were a problem for both teams late in the third as the wind and rain picked up. Both Pelino and McFadden missed wide left on both tries, but were able to solitify extra points for both teams in the fourth.
UP NEXT: Duke takes on Notre Dame next Saturday, September 30 at 7:30 pm.
Scoring Summaries:
Quarter 1:
Duke: RB Jordan Waters rushing touchdown (T.Pelino kick), 6:16. Drive: 5 plays, 44 yards, 1:58 Key Plays: UConn Linebacker Jackson Mitchell was disqualified from the game early in the quarter for targeting, and gained Duke a first down for roughing the passer. The red zone for Duke came up fast after this penalty. Duke 7, UConn 0.
Quarter 2:
Duke: T. Pelino - 50 yd field goal. RB Jordan Waters 10 yard rushing touchdown (T. Pelino kick), 12:25. Riley Leonard 3 yard rushing touchdown (T. Pelino kick), 4:55. Key Plays: Opening the second, Riley Leonard converts a 4th & 12 for Jalon Calhoun with a 7 yard pass. UConn fumble recovered by Nick Morris puts duke near the end zone once again. Aeneas Peebles sacks UConn QB Ta'Quan Roberson for a loss of 11 yards. Riley Leonard loses the ball as he is scrambling on 2nd & 20, but a Duke defender was able to recover it. Duke 27, UConn 0.
Quarter 3:
Duke: Aeneas Peebles gets his second sack of the night on Ta'Quan Roberson - loss of five yards. Todd Pelino kick no good at 45 yards (wide left). Defensive touchdown by DT DeWayne Carter (T. Pelino kick), 100 yards, 7:13. Jordan Moore receiving touchdown (T. Pelino kick), 22 yards, 3:01. UConn: Joe McFadden FG attempt kick no good - 42 yards (wide left). Key Plays: Victor Rosa, gain of 39 yards at Duke 28 yard line. DB Durante Jones had a late hit on Riley Leonard in the middle of the third - giving the Blue Devils 15 yards and an automatic first down. RB Jalen Mitchell fumbles, recovered by DeWayne Carter for a touchdown. Duke 41, UCONN 0.
Quarter 4: UConn: 1 yard rushing touchdown. Duke 41, UConn 7.
Preview:
Duke heads to Connecticut Saturday for one of those games coaches love to warn players about.
The 18th-ranked Blue Devils are chasing their first 4-0 start since 2018 and have a big game coming next week at home against No. 9 Notre Dame.
UConn, on the other hand, has started 0-3 after a six-win season a year ago.
It would be, as the cliché goes, easy for the Blue Devils to overlook the Huskies.
But Duke also started out 3-0 last year, then followed that up by losing three of four.
Coach Mike Elko has been pushing his team to think about doing a better job handling the middle chunk of the season.
“Last year we didn’t handle that part of the season really well,” Elko said, adding: “I think we have an opportunity to show some growth here this week, and that’s the big challenge.”
The Huskies also are looking back at last season, when they started 1-4 and then won five of their next six games.
UConn coach Jim Mora, who like Elko is in his second season at his current job, would like to see a repeat or, at the very least, movement in a positive direction.
“We’re rebuilding something that we all know has not been great for a long time,” he said. “I don’t think it’s ever just a straight upward trajectory.”
CLIMBING THE RANKINGS
Duke opened the season unranked, but moved into the AP Top 25 after drubbing Clemson for the first time since September 2018. The Blue Devils have climbed to their highest ranking since reaching No. 16 in November 1994.
RUN GAME
Duke’s run game has carried the load, from QB Riley Leonard’s scrambling ability to the tandem of Jordan Waters and Jaquez Moore.
Leonard has twice flirted with 100-yard rushing days (98 yards and a score against Clemson, 97 yards and two scores against Northwestern. Waters has scored two touchdowns in each of the past two games, while Moore (176 yards, two scores) has also been effective.
There’s also the potential boost from Jaylen Coleman’s eventual debut after missing the first three games due to injury.
NEW OLD QUARTERBACK
UConn quarterback Ta’Quan Roberson is hoping to play a second straight complete game for the first time since high school.
The junior transfer from Penn State won the starting job a year ago, but suffered a knee injury on the Huskies second drive of the season. He lost a three-way competition for the job this season to Maine transfer Joe Fagnano, but got it back when Fagnano went down with a season-ending shoulder injury against Georgia State.
In his first start of the season last week, the dual-threat QB completed 15 of 32 passes for just 170 yards and no touchdowns against FIU. He ran just eight times for a total of eight yards.
Mora said they’ve been tweaking the offense a bit to better match Roberson’s style.
“I think we have a better feel now for what we need to do with him,” Mora said.
FEW SCORES
Duke has allowed 28 points in three games, which is tied for fifth in the Bowl Subdivision ranks (9.3 per game). Most impressively, they’ve allowed just seven points after halftime – coming in the final minutes of last week’s 38-14 win against Northwestern.
That performance includes holding preseason Atlantic Coast Conference favorite Clemson to just one second-quarter touchdown.
MILITARY APPRECIATION
UConn will wear special red, white and blue helmet decals resembling a sergeant’s stripes for its Military Appreciation Day. More than 650 members of UConn’s veterans affairs program have been invited to the game. Six people will be sworn in to the national guard during the break after the first quarter and two veterans from UConn will be recognized for their service.
