Small Details Jagged Duke in Their Latest Defeat

The Duke Blue Devils were in another heated battle in Week 11 of the College Football season. Only this time, the Blue Devils could not come out on top at the end. Duke fell short in a heartbreaker to the UConn Huskies. It was a game that went back and forth.

Duke has their opportunities to win this game, but just did not make the right plays when they needed to. It was not in their cards to pull off another late win in this game.

Duke came into Week 11 with a lot of momentum from their previous game. They used all they could, but it was not their day at UConn over the weekend. Duke knew it was going to be a great challenge going up to UConn in that environment, but it was one they had full confidence in.

It was just the little mistakes that were costly at the end of the game that Duke is going to look back and say we should have had that play here and other there.

Nov 8, 2025; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz watches from the sideline as they take on the UConn Huskies at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Duke Falls in Dramatic Fashion

"Duke head coach Manny Diaz said this week that the offensive line had to be solid and limit contact in the backfield. UConn (7-3) entered the game as one of the nation’s leaders in sacks and tackles for loss," said Jadyn Watson-Fisher of The Herald Sun.

“Give full credit to Connecticut. They were fully deserved winners of the game tonight,” said Duke head coach Manny Diaz.

“We knew the first time you put the film on early in the week that this was an outstanding football team. Coach [Jim] Mora has done a great job. The quarterback is the real deal. We didn’t have to show up here at 3:30 to find that out. We were well aware of that."

Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz high-fives players Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, during the NCAA football game against the Clemson Tigers at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“It was a loss where in all three phases, we just made too many mistakes to come and beat a quality opponent on the road.”

“If we just got one more stop and could have run the ball with that five-point lead in the fourth quarter, who knows? But we didn’t,” Diaz said. “That’s why we were defeated.”

Nov 8, 2025; East Hartford, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies wide receiver Skyler Bell (1) makes the touchdown against Duke Blue Devils cornerback Landan Callahan (21) in the second half at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

“It starts with turnovers and holding onto the ball,” Hasley said. “That’s our No. 1 goal each and every game, to not give up the ball. It’s very frustrating that we didn’t get the outcome we wanted, but kudos to UConn, because they came out and played.”

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