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Duke rolls over Kansas with second-half outburst

Sep 25, 2021; Durham, North Carolina, USA;  Duke Blue Devils running back Mataeo Durant (21) run with the football to make a touchdown during the 1st half of the game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports

Gunnar Holmberg rushed for 88 yards and four touchdowns while adding 328 yards and another touchdown passing Saturday as Duke overcame a halftime deficit to upend Kansas 52-33 at Durham, N.C.

The Jayhawks (1-3) opened the third quarter with a field goal for a 27-21 lead but the Blue Devils (3-1) won their third straight by responding with 24 unanswered points.

Holmberg completed 22 of 29 passes and tapped an array of playmakers as Duke rolled to 607 total yards on a whopping 81 snaps. Mataeo Durant, the ACC’s leading rusher coming in, gained 124 yards on 21 carries, with one touchdown. Jake Bobo led nine pass-catchers with seven receptions for 105 yards.

A string of three touchdown rushes in a span of barely six minutes in the third quarter allowed Duke to grab a 42-27 lead. Holmberg carried for scores of 1 and 3 yards after a 4-yard TD rush by Jordan Waters enabled the fast-paced Blue Devils to go up 28-27.

An interception return by Shaka Heyward to the Kansas 8 set up one of Duke’s second-half TDs.

Jason Bean found Kwamie Lassiter for a 61-yard score with 8:42 remaining to give Kansas some late life before settling for 323 yards and two touchdowns passing, with two interceptions.

Devin Neal rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries in the first start for the Jayhawks’ prized freshman. Kansas posted 530 yards.

Kansas, which came in averaging 15.3 points, used four explosive plays of 20-plus yards in the second quarter to snag a 24-21 halftime edge after the teams traded leads five times in that period.

Neal, making his first start, trickled into the end zone on fourth-and-one call to give the Jayhawks the lead with 1:04 remaining. Torry Locklin scored on a 20-yard reception and a 36-yard rush.

Two Duke turnovers allowed Kansas to start drives in the red zone. Durant and Holmberg had a lost fumble and interception, respectively, but also carried for first-half TDs, including a 57-yard burst by Durant.

Holmberg also hit Jalon Calhoun with a 26-yard score as Duke amassed 330 first-half yards.

–Field Level Media

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