Duke Blue Devils beat Virginia Cavaliers. Mike Elko’s team is now 4-1 and 1-0 in ACC
Coverage from Duke’s win over Virginia
Live updates from game
Under first-year coach Mike Elko, Duke has already matched its win total from last season.
Now Elko and the Blue Devils aim to top it and break a 13-game losing streak in ACC play when they face Virginia Saturday night at Wallace Wade Stadium.
The Blue Devils went winless in eight ACC games while posting a 3-9 overall record last season. Duke went 1-9 in ACC play in 2020, losing the final five league games.
Virginia has won the last seven games in its series with the Blue Devils.
The N&O’s Steve Wiseman is on site at Wallace Wade Stadium covering the game. Check back here for updates throughout the night.
Ham FG boosts Duke lead
Using nothing but running plays to melt the clock, Duke reached the Virginia 17 before Charlie Ham kicked a 34-yard field goal giving the Blue Devils a 38-17 lead over Virginia with three minutes to play in the game.
First TD for Duke sophomore
Running back Jaquez Moore broke free for a 59-yard touchdown run on his first carry of the game, giving Duke a 35-10 lead over Virginia with 14:03 to play in the game. It’s the first career touchdown for the reserve.
Virginia adds field goal
The Cavaliers moved inside the Duke 10, helped by a pass interference penalty on Duke defensive back Chandler Rivers. But the Blue Devils kept Virginia out of the end zone. Defensive tackle Ja’Mion Franklin had a big play with a third-down sack.
Virginia’s Will Bettridge kicked a 34-yard field goal cutting Duke’s lead to 28-10 with 1:08 left in the third quarter.
Leonard scores again for Duke
Riley Leonard’s second rushing touchdown, this one on a 1-yard plunge, gave Duke a 28-7 lead over Virginia with 11:13 to play in the third quarter.
Leonard’s 14-yard run and his 23-yard pass to Jalon Calhoun, sandwiched around a Virginia pass interference penalty, moved the Blue Devils inside the Virginia 10 on the drive.
Halftime update
A solid rushing attack on a rainy night helped Duke take a 21-7 halftime lead over Virginia.
Jaylen Coleman rushed for 55 yards and Jordan Waters 32 as they combined to carry the ball 20 times over the first two quarters. Duke quarterback Riley Leonard gained 31 rushing yards, including a 2-yard touchdown run. Leonard also threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Jalon Calhoun.
Waters added a 1-yard touchdown run.
Duke gained 118 rushing yards in the first half to go with Leonard’s 88 passing yards on 12 of 17 accuracy.
Virginia quarterback Brennan Armstrong completed 10 of 19 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown.
Already playing without starting linebacker Dorian Mausi (lower body injury), Duke lost key reserve defensive end Anthony Nelson (lower body injury) late in the first half. Nelson, who had four tackles with a tackle for loss in the first half, left the stadium on a cart and is not expected to play in the second half.
Cavs get on the scoreboard
Brennan Armstrong’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Perris Jones cut Duke’s lead to 21-7 with 1:12 to play in the second quarter.
Virginia miscue leads to Duke TD
After recovering a Virginia fumble on a kickoff, Duke pushed its lead to 21-0 when Jordan Waters scored on a 1-yard dive over the line into the end zone with 10:25 to play until halftime.
Duke had a short field to get the score after Blue Devils kicker Charlie Ham hit Virginia kick returner Demick Starling to force a fumble. Terry Moore recovered for Duke at the Virginia 41. Riley Leonard converted a fourth-down with pass to Jordan Moore to the Virginia 24. Jordan Moore also caught an 11-yard pass on the drive.
Blue Devils double their lead
On a drive that started with favorable field position thanks to a deflected punt, Duke drove 58 yards and Riley Leonard scored on a 2-yard touchdown run giving the Blue Devils a 14-0 lead.
Ryan Smith blocked a Virginia punt, giving Duke the ball at its own 42. Leonard broke free for a 17-yard scramble to the Virginia 30 and Virginia’s third personal foul penalty of the first quarter moved Duke to the Cavaliers 12.
Duke scores first
Riley Leonard fired a 19-yard touchdown pass to Jalon Calhoun giving Duke a 7-0 lead with 6:55 to play in the first quarter.
The play culminated an 87-yard scoring drive for the Blue Devils. Virginia was called for two personal foul penalties during the drive to aid Duke. The Blue Devils never faced a third-down play.
Pregame update
Duke will have two of its normal starters out of the lineup Saturday night against Virginia.
Linebacker Dorian Mausi (lower body injury) will not play. He has been slowed by the injury for the last three weeks. He missed Duke’s 49-20 win over N.C. A&T but returned to play on a limited basis in last Saturday’s 35-27 loss at Kansas.
Redshirt freshman Tre Freeman will start in place of Mausi.
On offense, sophomore wide receiver Jordan Moore is out of the starting lineup for the first time this season but he is in uniform and available to play. Moore took a hard hit during last Saturday’s Kansas game. He was helped from the field but returned later in the game.
Moore leads Duke with 20 catches and three receiving touchdowns this season.
Pregame reading
How to watch or stream Virginia vs Duke ACC college football game on Saturday
Duke vs Virginia first look: Odds and players to watch as Blue Devils open ACC play
Could Mike Elko take Duke football to bowl game this season? Here’s what path looks like
Duke football finally tasted defeat. What we learned from Blue Devils’ loss at Kansas
- Humble beginnings to head coach: Mike Elko’s journey to leading Duke football program
It’s ‘critically important’ Duke football improves in changing college sports landscape
This story was originally published October 1, 2022 at 7:15 PM with the headline "Duke Blue Devils beat Virginia Cavaliers. Mike Elko’s team is now 4-1 and 1-0 in ACC."