Duke Powers Past North Carolina A&T, 45-17

Friday, September 10

Durham, N.C.

8 p.m.

Duke University

1-1 , 0-0

North Carolina A&T

0-2 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

N.C. A&T

Duke

Duke Powers Past North Carolina A&T, 45-17

9/11/2021 12:45:00 AM | Football

Box Score BOX SCORE (PDF)POSTGAME NOTES POSTGAME QUOTES POSTGAME INTERVIEW: COACH CUTCLIFFE POSTGAME INTERVIEW: GUNNAR HOLMBERG POSTGAME INTERVIEW: SHAKA HEYWARD

DURHAM – A three-touchdown performance by senior Mataeo Durant and two rushing scores by graduate student Gunnar Holmberg helped propel Duke past North Carolina A&T, 45-17, on Friday night at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium.

Durant, the Plum Branch, S.C., native now has six rushing scores this season after finding the end zone three times against Charlotte in the Blue Devils' opener. He finished his night with 41 rushing yards on 15 carries and added two receptions for 28 yards.

Holmberg found paydirt twice, both in the second half, for the first time in his career. The Wake Forest, N.C., native concluded his night going 20-of-27 passing for 270 yards and rushed five times for 30 yards and two scores.

Freshman Jordan Moore accounted for Duke's final touchdown when he scampered nine yards into the end zone for his first career score.

Duke's six rushing touchdowns matched the most in a single game over the past 25 years. The other two occasions were against Charlotte and Virginia in 2020 and 2010, respectively.

The Aggies used an impressive 20-play drive, which ate up over 12 minutes of the first quarter, to jump in front early, 7-0. The Blue Devils answered with back-to-back rushing touchdowns by Durant. The first score capped a nine-play, 75-yard drive in which he scampered in from 19-yards out. The second, he muscled his way in from the one-yard line to hand Duke the 14-7 edge.

North Carolina A&T would not go away, scoring the tying touchdown with 1:03 remaining in the half. Again though, Duke had a response. Durant found paydirt for the third time with just three seconds left after he rush in from two yards out.

Holmberg added to Duke's lead in the third when he finished off a four play, 29-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown rush. The Aggies tried to battle back, registering a 26-yard field goal, but another score by Holmberg and Moore ultimately put the game out of reach.

Redshirt junior Shaka Heyward led the defense with a game-high 16 tackles. Sophomore Dorian Mausi, graduate student J'Marick Woods and redshirt senior Lummie Young IV chipped in with nine, eight and eight tackles, respectively.

Sophomore kicker Charlie Ham converted on a 36-yard field goal for his first of the year.

Duke next welcomes Northwestern to Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 18. Kickoff is slated for 4 p.m. on ACC Network.

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