Takeaways Not Enough In 'Cuse Loss To Duke

Saturday, October 10

Syracuse, NY

12:30 PM

Syracuse University

1-3 , 1-3

Duke

1-4 , 1-4

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Duke	10	14	6	8	38
Syracuse	7	7	7	3	24

10/10/2020 4:01:00 PM | Football

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The Syracuse defense recorded four takeaways and quarterback Tommy DeVito tossed two long touchdown passes Saturday, but Duke's strong rushing game led the Blue Devils to a 38-24 win over the Orange in an Atlantic Coast Conference game at the renovated Carrier Dome.

Defensive back Rob Hanna, linebacker Geoff Cantin-Arku and defensive end Cody Roscoe recovered fumbles and linebacker Mikel Jones recorded an interception as the Orange had a 4-0 edge in turnovers. DeVito tossed a 79-yard touchdown to wide receiver Taj Harris and a 53-yard score to tight end Luke Benson.

The Orange entered the game rated second nationally in takeaways (10) and third in turnover margin (+6), and those rankings are likely to improve. No FBS team has more takeaways than Syracuse's 70 since the start of 2018.

Syracuse fell to 1-3 overall and in the ACC, while Duke improved to 1-4 overall and in the ACC.

DeVito completed 13 of 26 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns, before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with an injury.. Running back Sean Tucker gained 53 yards on 12 carries, while Harris caught six passes for a single-game best 138 yards and one touchdown.

Duke quarterback Chase Brice, a transfer from Clemson, completed 22 of 38 passes for 270 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Running backs Deon Jackson (169 yards on 30 carries) and Mataeo Durant (163 yards on 23 carries with two touchdowns) combined for 332 rushing yards as the Blue Devils ran for 363 yards and had a 645-286 edge in total yards.

The Orange offense came to life early in the second half after Duke kicker Charlie's Ham's second field goal gave the Blue Devils a 27-14 lead. DeVito and Harris teamed up for a 23-yard completion, and on the next play DeVito found tight end Benson in the flat and he raced untouched into the end zone for a 53-yard touchdown that pulled the Orange within one score, 27-21.

Syracuse notched its fourth takeaway of the game on Duke's next possession. The Blue Devils drove to the Orange 18, but Jones intercepted Brice at the 12-yard line for his third theft of the season.

The Syracuse defense rose to the occasion again late in the third quarter, when it stopped Duke on a first-and-goal from the 1 and the Blue Devils had to settle for Ham's field goal that made it 30-21. Defensive tackle McKinley Williams made the big play in that sequence, dropping Jackson for a 2-yard loss on second down.

DeVito completed five consecutive passes to move the Orange into Duke territory before leaving the game due to an apparent lower body injury. Andre Szmyt's 48-yard field goal narrowed Duke's lead to 30-24 with 10 minutes left in the game.

Trailing 7-0 early in the first quarter, the Orange evened the score on their second play of the game. On second-and-14 from the Syracuse 21, DeVito hit Harris in stride at midfield and Harris cruised down the right sideline to complete the 79-yard touchdown – the second longest completion of DeVito's career.

After the Blue Devils went ahead 10-7, the Orange defense recovered fumbles on the next three Duke possessions. On the play after Jackson ran 50 yards to move the ball into Orange territory, Cantin-Arku separated Jackson from the ball and Hanna pounced on it at the Syracuse 32 to thwart that drive.

On Duke's next possession, the Syracuse defense scored its second touchdown of the season. Defensive back Cam Jonas blitzed untouched from the edge and rammed Brice, who lost the ball. Cantin-Arku picked it up at the 28 and rumbled into the end zone to give the Orange a 14-10 lead.

Syracuse recovered its third fumble of the first half after backup quarterback Gunnar Holmberg replaced Brice for a series. A shoddy exchange between Holmberg and Durant led to a free ball that Roscoe smothered at the Syracuse 46-yard line to temporarily preserve the Orange lead.

Up Next

The Orange will conclude their three-game homestand when they host the Liberty Flames (4-0) at 12 p.m. Saturday (ACC RSN / YES locally).