5 observations and more from the first half of Duke football vs. Florida State

After its bye week and game at home in Durham, Duke football looks to get back on track against Florida State. In the first half, the Blue Devils overwhelmed the Seminoles three times on three consecutive drives and took a 17-6 lead into the locker room:

Five observations

Sales galore: Head coach Manny Diaz emphasizes the importance of an aggressive defense that terrorizes opponents and forces negative plays. In the first quarter alone, the Blue Devils forced two turnovers on consecutive drives. After a momentous pick-six from Chandler Rivers gave Duke a 7-3 lead, Ozzie Nicholas took the ball from Glenn on a quarterback keeper, giving the Blue Devils the ball deep into Seminole territory and eventually another touchdown led. Then, on Florida State’s first possession of the second quarter, Nicholas made another big play, picking off Glenn for his second – and Duke’s third – turnover in less than six minutes of play.

Special teams are the focus: Despite having two weeks to prepare, both offenses had little success in the first quarter of Friday’s matchup, so it was ultimately the special teams that decided the opening minutes. The first notable play came midway through the first quarter when the Seminoles caught the Blue Devils napping and faked a punt for a 31-yard gain. However, after a few bad passes from quarterback Brock Glenn, the Seminoles settled for a field goal attempt. This time it was Duke with a great special teams play as the snap failed and the kick was blocked by Wesley Williams, leaving the score at 3-0.

Dominant defensive line: While the Blue Devils offense continued its trend of sleepy starts in the first half, the defense came into its own. During the first half, Diaz’s linemen wreaked havoc in the backfield, often forcing Glenn to make rushed and inaccurate throws, including the pick-six that put Duke on the board. While the Blue Devils only sacked the opposing quarterback three times, their constant pressure helped force Florida State into demoralizing mistakes.

Hectic battles: Duke’s offensive woes, particularly in the run game, continued Friday night. After three consecutive 100-yard games from star Thomas, the veteran running back averaged just 28 yards on 2.2 yards per carry in the first half. Due to Duke’s inability to gain traction on the floor, it often found itself faced with third-and-long situations that the Blue Devils routinely failed to convert. For Duke’s fast-paced offense to shine in the second half, a strong running game will need to take center stage, so Thomas and the offense will be hoping to improve as the game progresses.

Differences in the red zone: On its first drive, Florida State reached the red zone in just two plays but failed to convert, settling for a 23-yard field goal from Ryan Fitzgerald. Conversely, after a forced fumble in Seminole territory, quarterback Maalik Murphy connected with receiver Samir Hagans on a crucial third-and-six and brought the ball to the 11-yard line. Then, on a rare fourth-and-1, Thomas burst through the line of scrimmage and dove to reach the end zone, giving the Blue Devils a 14-3 lead.

Using the numbers

With the Blue Devils unable to move the ball on offense, it was Duke’s defense that scored the game’s first touchdown. On third-and-9 from his own 36-yard line, Glenn attempted to connect with receiver Jalen Brown on a comeback route, but Rivers instinctively skipped the pass and quickly returned the interception 36 yards for the score. Duke fans will remember that Rivers also hit a pick-six in the team’s last game against Florida State. The Beaumont, Texas native obviously enjoys playing against the Seminoles.

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