The undefeated Duke football team (3-0) marched into Kenan Memorial Stadium — and North Carolina has yet to find a way to slow it down.
Coming into their fourth game of the season, the Blue Devils were averaging 240.7 yards per game on the ground. One half into their annual meeting against the Tar Heels, Duke is on its regular pace, garnering 119 yards rushing on 24 runs.
Duke sports an interchangeable one-two punch with senior Shaun Wilson and redshirt first-year Brittain Brown in its backfield. Duke took most of its offensive snaps out of the shotgun or pistol, and its two running backs have been effective in read-option scenarios, especially when they’ve been able run outside the hash marks.
Sophomore quarterback Daniel Jones tallied 102 yards and one touchdown on 9-17 passing.
Duke totaled 222 yards of total offense in the first half.
Ratliff-Williams breathes Tar Heels back to life
For most of the first half, the Tar Heels couldn’t pay the field officials to move the chains. With just a minute left before the break, North Carolina had only recorded 76 yards of total offense — 47 of which came in the form of a flea flicker in the first quarter.
And then, Anthony Ratliff-Williams happened.
With 22 seconds left in the second quarter — and right after a blocked field goal that would have put the Blue Devils up two scores — the Tar Heel offense was finally able to electrify its home crowd.
