Duke football starts fast, rolls past Charlotte 49ers in nonconference game in Durham
The Duke Blue Devils spent two weeks contemplating what was a disappointing first half of their football season.
They figured a few things out during that time and pounded the Charlotte 49ers 53-19 Saturday in a crowd-free, nonconference game at Wallace Wade Stadium.
Duke (2-5), which hadn’t played since losing to N.C. State on Oct. 17, dominated Conference USA’s Charlotte (2-3) in every facet of the game, outgaining the 49ers 401-348 and setting up two touchdowns after a pair of blocked punts by Isaiah Fisher-Smith.
Duke was especially punishing running the ball, rolling up 274 yards, including 104 and two touchdowns from Mataeo Durant and 101 and two scores from Deon Jackson.
The Blue Devils also had just one turnover -- an interception thrown by Gunnar Holmberg. That was notable because they had committed 22 in their first six games, most in the nation.
Duke’s defense, while not completing shutting down the 49ers, did just enough to keep Charlotte quarterback Chris Reynolds (18 of 34, 171 yards, one touchdown) in check. Defensive end Chris Rumph II had three of Duke’s five sacks of Reynolds, including two on one possession in the third quarter.
Charlotte had won two consecutive games, but Duke got up quickly on the 49ers, leading 24-0 early in the second quarter. The Blue Devils wasted no time getting their offense going, scoring on the second play from scrimmage on a 65-yard run by Jackson.
The Blue Devils then took advantage of a rough stretch for Charlotte. Fisher-Smith blocked a Connor Bowler punt, giving the Blue Devils the ball at the 49ers 31. Durant scored his first touchdown four plays later on a 3-yard run.
After another 49ers punt, Duke went up 17-0 on a 32-yard field goal by Charlie Ham with 2:01 left in the first quarter.
Duke got another huge running play — a 60-yarder up the middle by Durant — early in the second quarter. That led to a 10-yard touchdown run by Duran with 12:17 left in the first half and a 24-0 lead by Duke.
The 49ers got their only points of the half when Micaleous Elder scored on a 5-yard run with 4:21 left. The 49ers went 91 yards on 17 plays on the drive.
The 49ers got the ball back on downs after Duke’s next possession, but any glimmer of momentum Charlotte might have had was snuffed out when Rumph sacked Reynolds on third down.
The following play, a fourth-and-19, ended with backup quarterback Dom Shoffner (Reynolds had left the game after his helmet came off during the previous play) coming up way short and fumbling anyway.
Duke went up 31-7 in the third quarter on a 5-yard run by Jackson after Fisher-Smith had blocked his second punt.
Charlotte made it 37-19 in the fourth quarter on a 2-yard run by Harbison. The 49ers went for a two-point conversion that would have potentially made it a two-possession game, but after offensive tackle D’mitri Emmanuel dropped what was ruled to be a lateral from Reynolds, Duke’s Jeremiah Lewis returned it for a defensive point after and two more points for the Blue Devils.
Duke outgained Charlotte 241-174 in the first half, with 162 of those rushing yards coming on the ground.
Charlotte safety Ben DeLuca had six tackles, tying him with former linebacker Jeff Gemmell for the program record of 306.
The 49ers return to Conference USA play next Saturday at Middle Tennessee State. Duke plays host to North Carolina.
This story was originally published October 31, 2020 at 10:36 PM with the headline "Duke football starts fast, rolls past Charlotte 49ers in nonconference game in Durham."
