Duke Gameday

At long last, the Devils and Pack meet in the post-expansion era. Even though the teams have combined for just one ACC win, entertainment potential is high, and the TV folks will likely regret passing on it. Yours truly will be inside Wallace Wade, semi-live blogging as blackberry reception allows.

Local media have some good preview material. WRAL’s Jason Jennings walks you throw a video of the five best Duke/State games of the last 20 years. I especially remember #1 and #3. #1 was the only non-break home game I missed as a State student. It was the only game that I wasn’t in charge of tickets for our regular group, and – surprise, surprise – we were all packed up and ready to leave, but the tickets were nowhere to be found. It turned out to be the only field rushing of my undergraduate years, and I missed it. I listened to game #3 on the radio in my freshman dorm (while playing Tecmo Bowl with some hallmates). Like this year’s contest, there was no TV coverage. It was a fantastic game, with State taking a lead in the last seconds on a 2-point conversion. Duke had a speedy return man, and he did indeed break into the clear. Our kicker (Damon Hartman, maybe?) took a great angle and forced him out of bounds at around the 20 just as the clock expired. Had the tackle been made a second sooner – or if the Devil ran out of bounds instead of going for 6 – Duke would have lined up to kick the winning FG.

The News & Observer also has a nice write-up. Did you know State had won 10 straight in this always competitive series? I didn’t. The hard copy N&O also had betting lines. Duke opened as a 5.5 point favorite, but the spread is down to 3.5 now. Smart money is still on the Devils, IMHO.

On the plus side, Irving and Williams are supposed to play today. As I told work colleagues on Friday, my hope is for the Pack to force two Duke punts before Irving gets hurt again. That’s reasonable, don’t you think? Anyway, the key to the game is offense – State needs to score on 3/4 of its offensive possessions, and score TDs much more often than FGs. It’s a tall order, but if Russell Wilson plays like he did in College Park, it’s doable. Hopefully, RW looks for emerging star George Bryan more than butter-fingered Anthony Hill. I really like Bryan’s combination of hands and footwork.

About BJD95

1995 NC State graduate, sufferer of Les and MOC during my entire student tenure. An equal-opportunity objective critic and analyst of Wolfpack sports.

'08 Football Flashback General

84 Responses to Duke Gameday

  1. phillypacker 11/08/2008 at 3:42 PM #

    8 min left duke on 48 of state

  2. phillypacker 11/08/2008 at 3:43 PM #

    state duke pic is now up on espn360

  3. wesley 11/08/2008 at 3:43 PM #

    got it, nm

  4. Dogbreath 11/08/2008 at 3:44 PM #

    Why do we have red pants in our inventory? Whether with the red jersey or white, it just looks mid-major.

  5. Dogbreath 11/08/2008 at 3:45 PM #

    Duke’s uniforms on the other hand are f’ing stellar!

  6. McPete 11/08/2008 at 3:50 PM #

    this video sucks bad. i cant get 30 seconds of continuous video.

  7. wpackman33 11/08/2008 at 3:55 PM #

    TD Pack!!!

  8. wesley 11/08/2008 at 3:57 PM #

    TJ takes the duke kickoff and laterals to JC Neal who takes it to the house, 10-3 Pack

  9. RabidWolf 11/08/2008 at 4:00 PM #

    WTF………….
    is sideline interference???

  10. phillypacker 11/08/2008 at 4:04 PM #

    this color guy on espn360 is such a stiff, he makes a speech about his football philosophy after every play

  11. wpackman33 11/08/2008 at 4:18 PM #

    big 3rd down conversion. 3 & 7 from the 30, russell eludes the rushers and finds hill at the 5. ist and goal

  12. wpackman33 11/08/2008 at 4:19 PM #

    TD pass to Anthony Hill! Great job offense!!!
    17-3 State

    7:01 left in the 1st half

  13. McPete 11/08/2008 at 4:20 PM #

    ant hill! nice play by wilson. 1st and goal for the pack.

  14. McPete 11/08/2008 at 4:21 PM #

    89 yard touchdown drive. 16-3 pack.

  15. Dogbreath 11/08/2008 at 4:26 PM #

    just a horrifying defense we have. just horrifying.

  16. McPete 11/08/2008 at 4:27 PM #

    and our defense still sucks out loud.

  17. wufpup76 11/08/2008 at 4:29 PM #

    Didn’t take long for Duke to get back into the game …

    Offense is sharp today … pretty efficient

  18. wufpup76 11/08/2008 at 4:33 PM #

    Jarvis Williams!

    Nice job, Russell!

  19. MrPlywood 11/08/2008 at 4:35 PM #

    LOL – I didn’t even have time to say “Pack is up by 14!”

  20. MrPlywood 11/08/2008 at 4:36 PM #

    LOL again… Pack is up by 14!

  21. Myles08 11/08/2008 at 4:40 PM #

    in fairness to our defense, Miami’s defense could not stop duke either…lol

  22. Myles08 11/08/2008 at 4:42 PM #

    hey a 3 and out!!!

  23. Myles08 11/08/2008 at 4:47 PM #

    a big halftime lead!!! go pack, lets get our 1st acc win this year (and hopefully the first step toward a bowl birth)

  24. BJD95 11/08/2008 at 4:49 PM #

    Ant is making my pregame analysis look bad. His 3rd down catch to the Duke 5 was play of the year material.

    Holy shit, 1-7 is in our sights, boys and girls! And maybe the UNC game will get televised after all.

  25. SaccoV 11/08/2008 at 5:02 PM #

    Two things: 1) I would like to welcome a new Wolfpacker into the world, my own son Elliot was born on Tuesday and he’s hoping the Pack wins this game, of course he’s sleeping right now but I know cosmically he’s following the game.
    2) I was in my car running an errand just as halftime began and my car radio sucks. O’Brien’s quick interview with Haynes got squashed. He sounded angry but then again, static usually does. Can anyone fill me in on that bite?

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