Riley Leonard threw for two touchdowns and ran for another and Duke’s defense dominated after an early blunder in a 24-7 victory against visiting Virginia Tech on Saturday afternoon in Durham, N.C.
Leonard completed 19 of 31 passes for 262 yards with an interception.
Duke (7-3, 4-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), which hadn’t played a home game in nearly a month, stayed in contention for the ACC’s Coastal Division title pending results later in the day.
Virginia Tech quarterback Grant Wells was 16-for-28 for 177 yards and a touchdown, but the Hokies (2-8, 1-6) lost their seventh game in a row. They remained winless in six road games.
Virginia Tech was held to 281 yards of total offense and 13 first downs. The Hokies had 104 rushing yards.
Duke’s Jalon Calhoun was the game’s leading receiver with 94 yards on five catches, while teammate Jontavis Robertson picked up 81 yards on five receptions. Running back Jordan Waters gained 61 yards on 15 carries.
The Hokies scored on their second snap of the game after Wells connected with Da’Wain Lofton for a 53-yard touchdown. Lofton ended up the team’s top receiver with 75 yards on three catches.
Duke got on the board on Todd Pelino’s 25-yard field goal.
Leonard passed 24 yards to Nicky Dalmolin for a go-ahead touchdown in the second quarter.
Both teams missed long field goals in the final minute of the first half.
Leonard rushed for a 5-yard score for his 10th rushing touchdown of the season midway through the third quarter. That capped an 11-play, 62-yard drive.
Leonard threw a 6-yards pass Robertson for a fourth-quarter touchdown.
Duke won for just the second time in the last seven meetings with Virginia Tech.
–Field Level Media