Duke Athletics

16

Florida St.
F.S.U

1-6, 1-5

23

Winner

Duke
DU

6-1, 2-1

Florida St.
F.S.U

1-6, 1-5

16

23

Winner

Score per quarter

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	F
F.S.U Florida St.	3	3	7	3	16
DU Duke	7	10	3	3	23

Game overview: Football | 10/18/2024 11:16:00 PM

DURHAM, NC – Duke collected 11 tackles for loss with six sacks and forced four turnovers for 17 points as the Blue Devils defeated Florida State 23-16 on Friday night at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium.

Defensive back junior Chandler Rivers started Duke’s turnover trend with a 36-yard interception return for a touchdown, giving the Blue Devils a 7–3 lead late in the first quarter.

Florida State committed a turnover on each of its next two offensive snaps – a fumble forced by a graduate linebacker Ozzie Nicholas and recovered by graduated defensive end Ryan Smith that resulted in a 2-yard touchdown run by a graduate running back Star Thomasfollowed by an interception by Nicholas that set up a 27-yard field goal by junior kicker Todd Pelino.

Duke held a 17-3 lead thanks to the Blue Devils’ three straight wins.

Late in the fourth quarter, with Duke holding a seven-point lead, Florida State advanced to the 31-yard line before the Blue Devils’ fourth forced turnover – a fumble forced by a graduate nose tackle Christian Rorie and recovered by freshman tackle Preston Watson.

Nicholas and senior linebacker Cameron Bergeron led Duke’s defensive effort with nine takedowns apiece while being a graduate linebacker Alex Howard recorded a pair of sacks and a second defensive end Wesley Williams contributed 2.5 stops for a 1.5-sack loss.

Thomas finished the night with 88 ground yards, averaging 4.2 yards per carry, while Pelino converted all three field goal attempts and both extra point kicks to score 11 points.

Duke improves to 6-1 overall and 2-1 in ACC play, while Florida State drops to 1-6 overall and 1-5 in conference play.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Florida State got on the board first, thanks to a short field goal just over four minutes into the game.
• A blocked field goal by Wesley Williamsat 4:08, kept the score at 3-0. Duke’s defense then turned up the pressure, starting with a pick-6 by Chandler Riversgiving Duke the 7-3 lead. The Blue Devils defense immediately followed up with another takeaway, such as Ozzie Nicholas forced a fumble on the first play of the ensuing Florida State Drive.
• Duke’s ground game recorded the next score, as Star Thomas hit the ball from two yards out on fourth down, giving Duke a 14-3 lead with 11:43 left in the second quarter.
• A third straight Florida State game that ended in a turnover came via an interception Ozzie Nicholas – his second career choice. Duke changed the takeaway to points, like Todd Pelino smashed through a field goal from 27 yards out, giving the Blue Devils a 17-3 lead.
• The Seminoles converted their second field goal of the half, this time from 53 yards, to cut Duke’s lead to 11, 17-6, with 1:46 left before halftime. The visitors returned the second half kickoff for a touchdown and drew within four, 17-13. Duke responded with a 10-play drive, capped by a 44-yard field goal by Pelino.
• Another Florida State field goal, from 38 yards out, put the Seminoles back within four minutes, 20–16, with less than 12 minutes left in the game.
• A long run by Thomas brought the Blue Devils to the edge of the red zone, where Pelino converted his third field goal of the game, from 39 yards, to push Duke back in front by a touchdown, 23-16.
• Florida State moved the ball to Duke’s 33-yard line and threatened to tie the game, but the Blue Devils forced their fourth turnover of the night, this time on a fumble forced by Christian Rorie and restored by Preston Watson with 5:18 left on the fourth quarter clock.
• The Seminoles regained possession with 2:43 left in the fourth quarter at their own 41-yard line, still trailing by seven points. After advancing to the Duke 38-yard line, the Blue Devils collected their sixth sack to force Florida State to second-and-19. Duke’s 11th tackle for loss on fourth down clinched the Blue Devils’ sixth win of the season.

NEXT

• Duke hosts No. 21/23 SMU this Saturday, October 26. Kickoff is at 8 p.m. on ACC Network.

For more information about Duke Football, follow the Blue Devils on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching “https://goduke.com/news/2024/10/18/DukeFOOTBALL.”



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