Duke football continues to make remarkable strides.
The Blue Devils traveled across the country to Berkeley, California, for a Saturday night showdown with the Cal Golden Bears — and left with an emphatic 45–21 win that pushed their record to 4–2 overall and a perfect 3–0 in ACC play. After falling behind early 21–7, Duke erupted for 38 unanswered points in what turned into a dominant performance in all three phases of the game.
Defensively, Duke was relentless. The Blue Devils sacked Cal quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele six times and picked off four passes, suffocating the Golden Bears’ offense after the first quarter. On the offensive side, Duke piled up 443 total yards and thrived in key moments, converting multiple third downs that extended drives and led directly to touchdowns.
Play One: With just over four minutes left in the first quarter, on 3rd-and-2, quarterback Darian Mensah found tight end Jake Taylor for a 16-yard gain and a first down. Three plays later, running back Nate Sheppard powered into the end zone on a 12-yard run, cutting Cal’s lead to 14–7.
Play Two: Early in the second quarter, with Cal leading 21–14 and driving at the Duke 46, freshman safety Andrew Pellicciotta made a game-changing interception — the first of four on the night for Duke’s defense. That turnover completely flipped momentum and began Cal’s unraveling. Sagapolutele threw the first three interceptions, while backup Devin Brown added the fourth on his lone attempt of the night.
Play Three: Facing 3rd-and-9 with just over two minutes remaining in the half, Mensah delivered again — connecting with Que’Sean Brown for 23 yards and a crucial first down. Two plays later, running back Anderson Castle broke through for a touchdown, giving Duke its first lead at 28–21.
Play Four: Less than a minute before halftime, freshman linebacker Elliot Schaper sacked Sagapolutele to force a Cal punt. Duke capitalized quickly, driving downfield in six plays before kicker Todd Pelino nailed a 25-yard field goal to push the lead to 31–21 at the break.
Play Five: In the fourth quarter, Schaper struck again — this time intercepting Sagapolutele with under seven minutes left, marking Duke’s third pick of the game. Two plays later, Nate Sheppard sealed the victory with a dazzling 46-yard touchdown run, closing the scoring at 45–21.
From start to finish, it was a statement win for Duke — one that showcased balance, resilience, and growing confidence on both sides of the ball. After spotting Cal an early two-touchdown lead, the Blue Devils responded with poise and precision, proving that this is a team learning how to dominate rather than simply compete.
With their offense clicking and the defense forcing turnovers at will, Duke’s steady rise under the national radar may be coming to an end. The Blue Devils are improving by leaps and bounds — and the rest of the ACC is officially on notice.
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