Duke Quarterback Review: Assessing Darian Mensah’s Performance vs. California

The Duke Blue Devils and California Golden Bears entered Week 6 with promising records under the lights at California Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 4. The Blue Devils went into the game on a two-game winning streak, which included scoring 83 combined points during that span.

Mensah’s production in each of those contests was massively impressive, as he threw for over 260 yards and accounted for at least two touchdowns, while completing at least 67.9% of his passes in each game.

Sep 27, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) runs out of the pocket in the first quarter against the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Would the former Tulane quarterback be capable of carrying over that success against a Golden Bears’ defense that had been moderately susceptible against the pass leading up to this matchup? Let’s take a look at how Mensah fared in his sixth start as the Blue Devils’ quarterback.

Mensah’s Stat Line

Sep 27, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) calls a play in the first quarter against the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

In the 45-21 win over California, the sophomore quarterback completed 22-of-30 pass attempts for 265 yards and two touchdowns. Completing 73.3% of his passes, which was his third-highest mark this season, showed how efficient he can be when he is afforded time in the pocket.

This is even more impressive when considering that the Blue Devils faced a 14-point deficit in the first quarter after the Golden Bears orchestrated two clock-chewing drives.

Sep 6, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz during the fourth quarter against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Mensah’s completion percentage was not a product of checking the ball down underneath, as he averaged 8.8 yards per attempt. Despite facing a wave of adversity out of the gate, Mensah closed out the first half with five straight scoring drives. The Blue Devils’ offensive avalanche spurred a 24-point swing and earned Duke a 31-21 lead at halftime.

Oct 4, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) throws on the run against the California Golden Bears during the fourth quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

It was a decisive performance for Mensah, who connected on multiple intermediate throws across the middle of the field to open receivers. Duke is currently fourth in the ACC standings, a position that was not expected heading into the season.

If Mensah continues this play, the Blue Devils are a dark horse to win the conference. Miami and Georgia Tech have proven to be real commodities and should be taken seriously across the nation.

Sep 27, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) runs out of the pocket in the second quarter against the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Who Helped Mensah the Most

While Mensah connected with eight different options in the passing game, Que’Sean Brown and Cooper Barkate were the two standouts in that department. Brown provided the explosive element for the offense, securing six passes for 104 yards and one touchdown.

Sep 20, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils wide receiver Cooper Barkate (18) celebrates a touchdown during the third quarter against the NC State Wolfpack at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Meanwhile, Barkate served as the go-to option on third down in the second level of the defense, collecting five receptions for 66 yards and one touchdown on a contested catch in the back of the endzone.

What’s Next for the Blue Devils

Duke is not riding the wave of a three-game winning streak into a bye week that will hopefully not break the momentum of the offense’s dominance over the last month.

Sep 13, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets running back Jamal Haynes (1) runs the ball against the Clemson Tigers in the third quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

After the bye, the Blue Devils host 13th-ranked Georgia Tech on Saturday, Oct. 18. It will be the first true test for Duke, which has yet to face a ranked opponent in 2025. A win over the Yellow Jackets would shake up the top of the ACC and prove that Duke could be a legitimate threat in the conference.

Stay tuned to Duke Blue Devils On SI for more Duke basketball recruiting news.