Sun Bowl Champs: Seven Critical Plays For Duke

Another dramatic win for Duke

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What is the story about?

Darian Mensah passed for 327 yards and four touchdowns, and Nate Sheppard rushed for 170 yards and one touchdown as Duke outlasted Arizona State 42-39 in an exciting Sun Bowl. Wide receiver Que’Sean Brown caught 10 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns. The Duke offense ran up 539 yards of Total Offense in the victory.

The Blue Devils defense forced three turnovers, two fumbles and an interception, converting one of the fumbles into seven points, while the Luke Mergott interception sealed the win.

Duke led 28-24 at the half then expanded the lead to 35-24 in the 3rd quarter before Arizona State scored 15 straight points to go up 39-35 with 12 minutes and 31 seconds left in the game. Duke scored the deciding touchdown at the two minutes and 10 seconds mark and held on for the win.

Duke won the Turnover Margin three to one with the one Duke turnover being a meaningless interception at the end of the 1st half.

Play One: With one minute and 47 seconds remaining in the game, on 2nd down and 10 at the Arizona State 39-yardline, middle linebacker Mergott intercepted a Jeff Sims pass over the middle and immediately fell to the ground securing possession for Duke’s offense to run out the clock. This play was the third Arizona State turnover forced by the Blue Devils defense.

Play Two: Arizona State had a 39-35 lead and the ball with two minutes and 42 seconds remaining in the game. On 1st down and 10, running back Demarius Robinson rushed up the middle for 14-yards but he lost possession of the ball while being tackled and Duke safety Ma’Khi Jones recovered the ball to give Duke life. This play was the second Arizona State turnover forced by the Blue Devils defense.

Play Three: On the first possession of the 3rd quarter, Arizona quickly advanced the ball to the Duke 21-yardline. On 1st down and 10, quarterback Jeff Sims completed a pass to wide receiver Jalen Moss for 13-yards but Moss fumbled and Duke recovered. Defensive backs Caleb Weaver and Jaden Francois combined to force and recover the fumble. This play was the first Arizona State turnover forced by the Duke defense.

Play Four: With two minutes and ten seconds remaining in the game and Duke down 39-35, quarterback Mensah threw his fourth touchdown pass of the game. On 2nd down and five at the Arizona State 17-yardline, Mensah threw a quick sideline pass to wide receiver Que’Sean Brown who dashed 17-yards to the end zone. Wide receiver Sahmir Hagans delivered a critical block to clear the path for Brown.

Play Five: On Duke’s second possession of the game, on 3rd down and four, Mensah went deep to wide receiver Que’Sean Brown for 69-yards and a touchdown to tie the game at 7-7.

Play Six: With six minutes and six seconds remaining in the 1st half, on 3rd down and eight on the Arizona 14 yardline, Duke executed a little razzle dazzle. Mensah moved to the left presnap so the snap went directly to the running back. Mensah took a hand-off on a jet sweep then tossed a forward pass to tight end Jeremy Hasley who went down the sideline and dove into the end zone for a touchdown to give Duke a 21-14 lead.

Play Seven: With seven minutes and five seconds remaining in the 3rd quarter, on 2nd down and eight, quarterback Mensah scrambled left then took off running for a 34-yard gain to the Arizona State 13-yardline. Four plays later running back Nate Sheppard barrelled up the middle for a touchdown and a 35-24 Duke lead./