Duke Edges Northwestern in Double-Overtime Thriller, 26-20

Duke emerged victorious in a thrilling double-overtime battle against Northwestern, securing a 26-20 win on the road. For the second consecutive week, an ACC team traveled to a Big Ten stadium and came away with a narrow victory, following Duke’s gutsy performance at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium.

The Wildcats started strong, with Cam Porter leading the charge. Porter rushed for 93 yards and two touchdowns, setting the tone early with a 44-yard run that led to a field goal, giving Northwestern a 3-0 lead. Duke responded quickly, capitalizing on a Northwestern turnover when quarterback Maalik Murphy connected with Eli Pancol for a 16-yard touchdown.

Despite both teams struggling offensively, Northwestern regained the lead after Duke muffed a punt, allowing Porter to power in from the four-yard line to give the Wildcats a 10-7 edge at halftime. Duke fought back in the second half, tying the game with a 49-yard field goal from Todd Pelino, and the game remained close as both teams exchanged late field goals to send it to overtime tied at 13.

In overtime, Northwestern struck first with Porter’s second touchdown, but Duke’s offense, led by Murphy, answered right away with a touchdown pass to Jordan Moore. Duke struck quickly again in the second overtime as Murphy found Pancol in the end zone for a three-yard score, though they failed to convert the two-point attempt.

Northwestern had a chance to respond, but a failed fourth-down pass sealed Duke’s victory, marking the Blue Devils’ first overtime win since 2015. Murphy finished with 242 passing yards and three touchdowns, while Moore shined with 121 receiving yards and a crucial overtime touchdown.

Despite a laundry list of mistakes, including a muffed punt, blocked punt, and missed field goal, Duke’s resilience showed through. “Our ability to persevere and overcome was remarkable,” said first-year Duke coach Manny Diaz. Injuries to key players, including running back Jaquez Moore and tight end Jeremiah Hasley, only added to the adversity.

For Northwestern, Porter was a standout, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Duke’s dynamic duo of Pancol and Moore, who combined for all three of Duke’s touchdowns. The Wildcats’ defense made big plays, but Duke’s timely execution proved decisive.

The win pushes Duke to 2-0, continuing their strong start, while Northwestern falls to 1-1 after the hard-fought loss.

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Eric Boggs

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