Eric Boggs 
Duke loss in overtime to SMU.
In a thrilling overtime clash, Duke’s defense shone bright but ultimately fell short, as No. 22 SMU escaped with a narrow 28-27 victory. Despite forcing six turnovers—three interceptions and three fumbles—and an inspiring goal-line stand, Duke’s offense struggled to capitalize, leading to a heartbreaking defeat in a high-stakes matchup Saturday night at Wallace Wade Stadium.
Head coach Manny Diaz praised his team’s resilience amid a storm of emotions after the game. “For those guys in that locker room, it’s a lot of emotions—sadness, anger, confusion. But there’s immense pride to be part of a team that battles like our guys do. I’m proud to be their head coach,” Diaz said.
The contest intensified in the fourth quarter, where SMU’s quarterback Kevin Jennings fumbled on a scramble, giving Duke possession in the red zone with a chance to secure the win. Yet, Duke’s missed opportunities mounted as kicker Todd Pelino’s 30-yard field goal attempt was blocked by SMU’s Jahfari Harvey as regulation expired.
Heading into overtime, Duke’s defense had proven its grit, forcing turnovers on SMU’s final three drives of regulation. But the Blue Devils’ offensive struggles proved costly. SMU opened the extra period with a 24-yard touchdown by Brashard Smith, who rushed for 117 yards and two scores on the night. Duke responded with a touchdown strike from quarterback Maalik Murphy to receiver Eli Pancol. Electing to go for the win rather than a tie, Murphy’s attempt to connect with Pancol on a two-point conversion missed by inches, sealing the Mustangs’ victory.
Murphy demonstrated composure, completing 27 of 48 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns, showing significant improvement from his last outing. Pancol was a standout with 11 catches for 138 yards, while running back Star Thomas contributed 65 rushing yards and a touchdown, helping Duke rally in the game’s closing minutes.
SMU’s explosive offense, ranked 11th in FBS scoring, ultimately overpowered Duke, racking up 469 total yards. Jennings, who accounted for 299 yards of offense and two touchdowns, managed to keep SMU’s offense afloat despite the mounting turnovers. Reflecting on the close call, SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee noted, “We should’ve lost that game five different times late. If we played it 100 times, we’re probably losing 99 of them the way it unfolded. But our guys just kept fighting.”
According to StatsPerform, SMU became only the second FBS team this century to win while losing the turnover margin 6-0, joining 2011 Marshall. The result highlighted the challenge of converting defensive takeaways into points, as Duke struggled to convert any of its opportunities.
SMU (7-1, 4-0 ACC) extended its win streak to five games and may see a boost in the AP Top 25, potentially breaking into the top 20. Duke (6-2, 2-2), meanwhile, will look to regroup ahead of a challenging road trip to face No. 6 Miami.
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