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Duke - Notre Dame: Game Day Open Thread

Blue Devils face their second CFB Playoff team from last season
Shawn Krest|
Duke - Notre Dame: Game Day Open Thread
Duke - Notre Dame: Game Day Open Thread

Duke welcomes the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to Wallace Wade Stadium for a 7:30 kickoff. 

The Blue Devils are 4-4 and coming off their second bye week of the season. Coach David Cutcliffe preaches every year, "They remember what you do in November," and this season, the November performance will determine if Duke makes a bowl for the third straight year. The Blue Devils need to win at least two of their final four--home against the Irish, Syracuse and Miami and at Wake Forest.

Notre Dame will try to shake out of a mini-tailspin that's occupied the last three weeks. The Irish struggled against a USC team that's middle-of-the-road this year and won in the final minute over Virginia Tech last week.

In between the Irish were pounded by Michigan, 45-14, ending any hope they had of making the College Football Playoff for a second straight year.

This is the second playoff team from last season (out of four) that Duke has played this season. The Blue Devils opened in Atlanta against Alabama, suffering a 42-3 defeat.

The Blue Devils say the weather will not be a factor. It's expected to be in the mid-30s by kickoff and flirt with freezing before the game is over.

Quarterback Quentin Harris said that he played his high school ball in the Northeast (Connecticut), so he's used to cold weather, although he said he prefers the usually mild North Carolina climate.

David Cutcliffe said that the team practices early in the morning, due to Duke's class schedule. That gives the team plenty of experience in dealing with the chill, as they've had to suit up and play with frost on the ground and a nip in the air.

There are three bowl scouts in attendance with press box seats. The Chick Fil-A Peach Bowl sent two representatives, and the Belk Bowl sent one.

Scouts from the Jacksonville Jaguars and Atlanta Falcons are also expected to be in attendance.

Just announced in the press box: Kickoff will be at 7:35, no "slide" to later due to TV conflicts.

Fashion update: Duke wearing blue jerseys, blue pants, white helmets with "Duke" script. Notre Dame has white jerseys, gold pants, golden domes.

Injury updates for Duke: WR Jake Bobo will not play. LB Brandon Hill will not play. Special teamer Javon Jackson will not play.

Notre Dame calls heads. Coin comes up heads. Irish take the ball first, will head toward the closed end of the field.

Josh Blackwell is back after missing last game and a half due to injury. Gets a PBU on third down.

Ugly looking punt from Duke's Austin Parker that didn't look like it got more than 15 feet off the ground. Got a healthy bounce and roll, though, and it goes down as 42 yards in the box score. Each team has had it once and not done much.

Notre Dame with three long passes--two to Finke, one to Claypool. Duke tightens up near the red zone, getting two hurries and a TFL. An offsides penalty on third down gives Notre Dame another chance, however, and Book passes 18 yards to Finke for the touchdown. 7-0 Irish 8:02 to go in the first

Second drive ends the same as the first: Facing third and short, Duke runs into the middle of the line and gets stuffed. Punts on fourth and short.

Blackwell misses a tackle near the line, and RB Jahmir Smith continues for a 40-yard gain on first down. Notre Dame is in the red zone already.

Book finds a wide open Claypool over the middle for the seven-yard score. 14-0 Notre Dame, and Duke needs to find something that works on either side of the ball or this will get ugly fast.

Duke has 27 yards of offense. Notre Dame has had a run (40) and a pass (30) gain more than that.

Duke trying to stretch the Notre Dame defense horizontally. Plays to the outside resulted in some missed tackles on the first Duke drive, but the Irish have adjusted. They laid some big hits on the edge on this latest Duke three and out (its second in three drives).

First quarter ends. Duke down 14-0. Blue Devils are giving up big plays on defense and not moving the ball on offense. Yardage is 175-26.

Second quarter

Quarter opens with Notre Dame facing a third and 10. Book throws incomplete, but Irish get a second chance due to another offside penalty.

Notre Dame has had seven third-down plays and gained 52 yards. Duke has run 13 plays (on all downs) and gained 35.

Let's see what the other beat writers are saying!

Book rushes for 45 through a gaping hole on an RPO. Leonard Johnson picks up a pass interference in the end zone on first down. C'Bo Flemister, who is not on the Notre Dame four-deep chart at running back, runs it in for the score. 21-0 Irish.

Duke gets positive yardage to start a drive for the first time since the second drive of the game. And lineman Robert Kraeling is down after the play.

Harris passes to Harding for six yards and a first down, snapping the five-drive 15-and-out string. Large Bronx cheer from the crowd after they move the chains.

Notre Dame passes for a first down, but replay shows receiver stepped out before catching it. Next snap is a 78 yard pass to inside the Duke five, but holding brings it all the way back.

Third down, Book avoids a sack in the end zone and throws incomplete. So you just know Duke was offside. Dimukeje picks up his second flag of the game.

Duke's offense has gained 15 yards on seven third-down snaps. Duke's defense has given Notre Dame 15 yards on three third down offsides.

A 22-yard punt gives Duke the ball at the Notre Dame 39. It's the first time Duke has been past midfield.

Harris hits Young for 29 yards and Duke is on the board! Notre Dame leads 21-7 with 2:55 to go in the first half.

Duke's not dead yet. Rumph hits Book as he throws and Shaka Heyward picks off the pass. Duke in business at the Notre Dame 46.

Duke passes on a chance to run one more play from the 26, lets clock run down to 2 seconds before calling time out. Crowd kind of disgruntled with the decision. Reed from 44 is no good, making the crowd even less gruntled. It's 21-7 at the half.

Third quarter

Since Notre Dame took the ball first, Duke starts the second half with possession. Runs a fake punt that picks up a holding penalty, moving Duke across midfield. Third straight possession the Blue Devils have done that.

And on the next snap, Harris throws an interception. Miscommunication with Bracey, who was 5 yards downfield and still running hard. Troy Pride was all alone to pick it off.

Irish turn the interception into a Book to Finke touchdown pass. 28-7 Irish. 9:10 to go in the third.

Fourth quarter

We head to the fourth with Notre Dame up 28-7. Since the interception, Duke has again been unable to move the ball.

A 53-yard run by Book tops his 45-yarder from earlier. Sets up a field goal. 31-7 Irish.

Irish add another score to make it 38-7. Duke lost a total of three games by 30+ points in the five years from 2014 to 2018. This will be their third loss of 30+ this season.

It's a final. Duke drops to 4-5 and needs to win two of three to get bowl eligible.

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Shawn Krest
SHAWN KREST

Shawn Krest has covered Duke for the last decade. His work has appeared in The Sporting News, USA Today, CBSSports.com, ESPN.com and dozens of other national and regional outlets. Shawn's work has won awards from the USBWA, PFWA, BWAA and NC Press Association.

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