Duke falls at Northwestern 24-13

Duke made a few too many mistakes on Saturday, and Northwestern’s clutch playmaking led to a disappointing 24-13 loss for the Blue Devils.

Duke was only outgained in yards 406 to 396 by the Wildcats, but Northwestern made key plays when it counted, handing the Blue Devils their second loss of the season.

How Duke lost

While Duke held Northwestern’s passing game in check for most of the game, Northwestern sophomore quarterback Clayton Thorson hit on a 44-yard bomb to converted receiver Solomon Vault to give Northwestern a 14-7 lead halfway through the third quarter. The touchdown came the play after the Blue Devils bungled a punt attempt, handing the hosts the ball at the Duke 44-yard-line. The Wildcats never looked back.

What it means

Duke now sits at 1-2 after dropping back-to-back games against unimpressive competition. After losing to perennial ACC doormat Wake Forest and a Northwestern team that lost 9-7 to Illinois State earlier this year, the trip to No. 18 Notre Dame next week might be trouble for the Blue Devils. Heading into a tough ACC schedule that includes a trip to No. 10 Louisville, the Blue Devils are looking at an uphill battle to bowl eligibility.

Key stat

4 Duke drives past the Northwestern 35-yard-line that resulted in zero Duke points. Two of these drives were done in by turnovers from Daniel Jones, as he forced an interception and lost a fumble, while the third drive was halted by a great play from the Wildcats’ Nate Hall, as he blew up a sweep for a 6-yard loss. The fourth drive’s failure was due to a missed 34-yard field goal from kicker A.J. Reed. The Northwestern defense stood tall, but the Blue Devils’ inability to capitalize on these opportunities cost them dearly.

This story was originally published September 17, 2016 at 11:30 PM with the headline "Duke falls at Northwestern 24-13."