The Duke Blue Devils won their eighth game of the 2024 college football season on Saturday night, a 31-28 triumph over the Virginia Tech Hokies, but the journey to that victory contained highs and lows that would draw envy from playwrights.
Duke scored on two of its first four offensive plays thanks to 86-yard and 77-yard connections between quarterback [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag] and fifth-year wideout [autotag]Eli Pancol[/autotag]. Pancol, in his final game in front of the Durham crowds, ended with a career-high 188 yards on five receptions, and he caught a third touchdown in the second quarter.
Murphy also set a new personal record with 332 yards, and that second-quarter touchdown gave him the school’s single-season record, but his day contained some bumps and bruises. The redshirt sophomore threw interceptions on back-to-back possessions in the middle of the first half, turning what looked like a romp back into a shootout.
Struggles aside, Murphy’s three touchdowns to Pancol and another scoring drive to open the second half proved to be enough for another victory in the end.
Check out the best Duke football photos from the last game at Wallace Wade Stadium this season.