North Carolina Central Eagles vs Duke Blue Devils Match Player Stats On Aug 31, 2013

SportsDirect Inc. staff
Aug 31, 2013

Duke 45, North Carolina Central 0: Brandon Connette passed for two touchdowns and ran for another as the Blue Devils posted their first shutout since 1989 in the season-opening contest between the two Durham-based programs.

Ross Martin missed a 38-yard field goal attempt on the opening drive, but the Blue Devils went on to score touchdowns on their next four possessions. Connette, the second-team quarterback behind Anthony Boone, started the onslaught with a 3-yard scoring pass to tight end Braxton Deaver.

Connette capped off Duke's 72-yard, second-quarter drive with a 1-yard scoring run and hit Issac Blakeney for a 19-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Boone completed 16 of 20 passes for 176 yards in the contest and also ran for a 1-yard score that gave the Blue Devils a 28-0 halftime lead.

The Duke defense forced North Carolina Central to punt 10 times and limited quarterback Jordan Reid to 11-of-22 completions and 87 passing yards. The Eagles threatened to end the shutout in the second quarter when Tazmon Foster picked up an Anthony Nash fumble and returned it for a touchdown, but the call was overturned by an official review and ruled an incomplete pass.

Jamison Crowder returned a punt for a 76-yard touchdown in the second quarter and also caught six passes for 62 yards. Jela Duncan rushed 11 times for 76 yards, including a 3-yard score in the third quarter.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Duke's last shutout was a 41-0 defeat of North Carolina on Nov. 18, 1989 when Steve Spurrier was the Blue Devils' head coach. ... The contest was the debut for North Carolina Central interim head coach Dwayne Foster, who took the reins of the program when Henry Frazier III was terminated last week because of a domestic violence arrest. ... Martin nailed 39-yard field goal in fourth quarter, redeeming his first-quarter miss.