Overview

• Duke quarterback Darian Mensah went 22-for-28 for 268 yards with two touchdown passes to Cooper Barkate, and running back Nate Sheppard rushed for 168 yards and two scores as the Blue Devils scored 35 unanswered points.
• Making his first start after Steve Angeli’s season-ending Achilles tear, Syracuse’s Rickie Collins finished 24-for-37 for 229 yards with an interception and a fumbled snap as the Orange managed only a field goal.
• With Syracuse trailing 10-3, an early second-quarter targeting call on Duke was overturned on review and ruled a Johntay Cook fumble recovered by Bradley Gompers, and three plays later Mensah hit Barkate for a 17-3 lead; coach Fran Brown said officials “made the right call.”
• Syracuse lost the turnover battle 3-0 and struggled defensively, ending a three-game winning streak with the program’s largest home defeat under Brown and a margin matching its biggest since joining the ACC.
• The result moves Duke to 3-2 overall and 2-0 in ACC play, while Syracuse falls to 3-2 and 1-1; next week Duke visits Cal and Syracuse travels to SMU.