Duke Falls 27-17 To N.C. State Despite 18 Tackles From Tauiliili

Saturday, November 8

Durham, N.C.

3:30 p.m.

Duke University

NC State

Featherston: Duke Defense Setting The Tone

Duke Falls 27-17 To N.C. State Despite 18 Tackles From Tauiliili

11/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football

By: Michael Tomko, GoDuke.com

DURHAM, N.C. ? Senior co-captain Michael Tauiliili led the Duke defense with a career high 18 tackles with one tackle for a loss, but it wasn't enough as the Blue Devils fell to N.C. State 27-17.

"It sounds good but the ultimate statistic I want is a win in my last four games and we just dropped one," Tauiliili said. "I am definitely looking forward to coming back tomorrow night and getting the team together and going to work."

The Blue Devils fall to 4-5 on the season and 1-4 in the ACC, while the Wolfpack improved to 3-6 while picking up their first ACC win of the season.

Russell Wilson led the way for the Wolfpack throwing two touchdowns while completing 13-of-25 for 218 yards.

Thaddeus Lewis completed a career high 37-of-52 for 317 yards, which is the second highest total of his career, and two touchdowns. The 37 completions is the second most in a single game in Duke history behind only Ben Bennett with 38. His two touchdown passes gives Lewis 46 for his career, moving him within two of a tie for second place all time with Spence Fischer and Steve Slayden.

But like Tauiliili, Lewis's main goal is to get a win and not personal statistics with Lewis saying after the game, "If you don't win then it doesn't mean anything."

Eron Riley was once again the favorite target of Lewis, catching nine passes for 89 yards. Jay Hollingsworth was effective catching the ball out of the backfield snagging seven passes for 80 yards, but a number of crucial short yardage plays cost the Blue Devils in the end.

The Blue Devils failed to come away with any points three times after moving the ball inside the red zone. Duke turned the ball over in the red zone the first time with 12:07 left in the second quarter at the N.C. State 10-yard line and again later in the third quarter with 5:32 remaining at the Wolfpack 1-yard line. The third turnover inside the 20 came with 4:34 left in the ball game. Lewis completed his pass to Riley, but it was short of the first down. Overall the Blue Devils were 0-for-4 on fourth down.

"The next step was making some decisions not to kick field goals," David Cutcliffe said. "I kind of had told our team going in that we were going to be very aggressive. I thought we migh have to be. I felt like we needed touchdowns to win and not field goals."

The Wolfpack, who never trailed, scored first on a 22-yard field goal from Josh Czajkowski with 9:17 remaining in the first period. Wilson orchestrated the drive for N.C. State completing passes of 16 and nine yards and rushes of four and three yards.

Trailing 3-0 early the Blue Devils moved the football methodically down the field moving the football 63 yards in 16 plays taking 7:33 with Nick Maggio connecting on a 29 yard field goal to tie the game. Lewis completed 8-of-9 on the drive for 61 yards connecting with Donovan Varner, Raphael Chestnut, Riley, Tielor Robinson and Tony Jackson.

On the ensuing kickoff, N.C. State used a little trickery to break away for a 93 yard touchdown on the return. T.J. Graham fielded the kick at the Wolfpack 6-yard line running left and handing the ball off to J.C. Neal at the 11, who reversed the field and broke away down the right sideline for the score putting State back up 10-3.

On the next possession the Blue Devils moved the ball all the way down to the Wolfpack 10-yard line before turning the ball on downs. Lewis completed passes to Hollingsworth, Johnny Williams and Riley on the drive.

After taking over on downs on their 11-yard line Wilson led his offense 89 yards over 12 plays. Wilson hooked up with Anthony Hill after a play-action fake for a 2-yard touchdown. The Duke defense was unable to get off the field on a 3-and-7 from their 30-yard line when Wilson found Hill, who was being blanketed by Glen Williams, for a 25-yard completion making it first and goal from the 5.

Trailing 17-3, the Blue Devils responded with a 6-play 67-yard touchdown drive of their own. With 5:41 left in the half, Lewis found Huffman streaking down the middle of the field for the 26-yard touchdown. Lewis got the drive started with a 22-yard rush that moved the football into Wolfpack territory.

With 2:59 remaining in the second quarter and leading 17-10 the Wolfpack added one more scoring drive before the half this time moving the football 67 yards over 6 plays. The scoring drive was capped off by a 32-yard touchdown catch by Jarvis Williams from Wilson. Williams caught the ball down the left sideline around the 5-yard line muscling his way into the end zone. The play was reviewed to see if Williams had stepped out of bounds, but the play on the field was affirmed.

For the second time the Blue Devils moved deep inside Wolfpack territory, this time to the 1-yard line, but were unable to come away with any points with 5:32 remaining in the third quarter. Duke tried to rush it in from the one on three consecutive plays giving the ball to Clifford Harris, who was stopped short of the goal line on each. Lewis tried to find Huffman in the back of the end zone on fourth down but the pass landed short thanks to pressure from Leroy Burgess.

Duke had a chance to make a big play on the ensuing drives first play when Marcus Jones deflected Wilson's pass from the end zone up in the air, but no Blue Devil could get a clean grasp of it with the ball falling in front of a diving Jones. The next play saw Jamelle Eugene take the handoff from the one breaking off a 53-yard run to get N.C. State out of dangerous territory.

"I had my eye on it," Tauiliili said. "Almost everybody on the defense jumped up. It just got out of our hands and out of our reach, but definitely a play we wanted to capitalize on."

The Wolfpack added three more to increase the lead to 27-10 with 19 seconds left in the third thanks to a 32-yard field goal by Czajkowski. The drive lasted 2:40 with the Wolfpack moving the football 49 yards on seven plays. Wilson completed passes of 21 and 17 yards.

Lewis completed a 4-yard touchdown pass to Hollingsworth with 1:26 left in the game making the score 27-17.

"Everyone understands what we have to do to try to play in the postseason, improve our plight in the ACC standings," Cutcliffe said. "We are not a 1-4 team in the ACC; we are better than that. Our seniors are responding exactly like I hoped that would. There is no quit, no head hanging and no I don't want to go to practice. Our program is energized; its fresh , new and exciting."