Just 12 months ago, Duke University Football walk-on Danny Jones was on top of the World 🌎!
His new team, the Indianapolis Colts, were in first place and a cool pick to reach the Super Bowl 🏈. Then he suffered an injury and tried to play through it, which led to a second and more severe injury that ended his season.
The 8-2 start ended up at 8-9, and the Colts had a decision to make. They decided to bring Jones back for 2 years and $ 88 million dollars 💸. The thumping down in Jacksonville today (42-7) dropped the team down to 2-6 this season and 2-13 since the second injury.
If you are going to wear the jersey of the zero star high school recruit when life is grand, then you owe it to him to still be there when everything heads south.
Hang in there Danny !But, Noah Gray caught a TD pass !
Not only is it Halloween here in Durham, but the Blue Devils are the fourth item on a Dennys Grand Slam as all four schools are set to host a home football game.
Duke (5-2)is hosting an ACC contest with a solid team from Boston College. The distance from Logan Airport will severely reduce the number of visiting guests today at Wallace Wade Stadium.
22 miles due East is Carter Finley Stadium, where North Carolina State is set to play its first game since announcing their coaching change. There is a buzz in the air as rumors about Phillip Rivers agreeing to come back to Raleigh to coach his soon to be Wolfpack freshman QB. I know that VT, FSU, and Clemson might beg to differ, but I think NCSU has a NEXT LEVEL fan base.
The fact that they kickoff at the same time ( High Noon ) limits the number of casual fans that might head our way today. The fact that it is California on the other sideline will not limit the crowd a great deal.
Next up, 83 miles to the West, #14 Wake Forest is set to host a 4-4 Virginia team that went from looking unstoppable to fighting for bowl eligibility. But Wake is the only team in the bunch that has a little number by its name. The Deacons are a Preaching right now ! Their stadium is my next stop, and it’s similar in size, so it provides a cozy backdrop. Kickoff is set for 3:45 pm.
The nail in the coffin ⚰️ ( fitting for Halloween ) will take place in Prime Time, 11 miles down US 15-501 when our former quarterback leads Miami (#1) into Keenan Stadium 🏟 to face Coach Bill and his Tar Heels.
The marketing team here at Duke University Football knows how to reas a room as well as anyone, so they went to work !
Today is 10/31, so the first thing you do is drop the price of tickets 🎟 to 10.31. That will draw some folks through the gates.
Next up, lean into Halloween by inviting fans, young and old, to show up dressed in costume ! Then a voice in the back of the room shouts out, how about we give them free buckets 🪣 to use for Trick or Treating ?!?!?
The third voice says, “If we are going to take that path, let’s actually let them go Trick or Treating throughout the stadium during pre-game…..
If you are dealt lemons 🍋, make lemonade ! Will we still have the smallest of the four crowds ? Sure, but we didn’t just accept it and move on.
All we need now is some free Candy Corn !!!
At Halftime, all the little kiddos will take the field !!!
Fun, just Fun !50% capacity is a great job today !
FINAL STOP ✋️ :
Wake leading 10 – 0 at entry
Wake Forest 20 – 0 at the break [5:14]
52,933 in Raleigh….Over 90% full = Dedicated
At 30 – 0 right now, and that makes it 108-12 for the three home teams ! [6:00]
30,218
Miami 17, Tar Heels 14 at the Half… we finally have a competitive game in N.C!
I’m shocked to hear the announcers talking about Keenan being at 2/3 capacity tonight….
End of 3rd, Heels still in this one, 24 – 21 being the deficit…[10:04]
Four games are to be played within 1 hour!!Travis Osborne and his Bible Verse of the Day :
Psalm 31:19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!
Things that made me smile late last night included Ryan McCafferty writing ✍️ Cavalier football and hearing that both of the Gravley brothers were interviewed after the game!
There is a boatload of HOT 🔥 topics that have people rightfully concerned about life right now, so the latest gridiron victory gives folks a reason to smile.
Another reason to smile is that later tonight, after the Virginia – Wake game concludes, I will make it by our place in Laurel Fork ! I think that it was 10 days ago when I left out for the volleyball 🏐 match at James River, so stopping by the 🏠🛖🏚 will be nice.
Sunday belongs to Vickey Ritchie and Monday to Cindy Edwards, leading into Tuesday with Kara Lawson. But today is about Tobacco Road and football.
Happy Halloween 🎃, especially to the young ones and Coach Vickey….
This could be fun, or it could be a mess, but either way, let’s give it a go !
Callie Harris is playing volleyball in Georgia. I am getting ready to enter the volleyball gym here at Coastal Carolina (6 pm). At 7 p.m., we have a pair of Cavalier football games with one on The Hill and the other taking place on The Grounds !
Duke (4-2) and Virginia (4-3) should be a good one while undefeated Carroll County vs. 1 Loss Radford should be great !
We shall see 👀 how things turn out !
This one looks to be evenly balanced.Let the games begin !!!Doors 🚪 are open !
Need 2 know things : No admission cost and soda refills are just $1.00 !
Ferrum VB falls, 25 – 23 in their first set.
1st serve here at 6 : 03
Ferrum VB 10-10 in 2nd set down in Georgia
1st TO here, Coastal leads 15 -14
TO – GA State, CCU leads 21 – 18. Ferrum College is trying hard to take the second set in their match, leading 23 -17.
Ferrum !!!
CCU TO, up 22-20
GA St TO, down 24 – 23…great opening set
CCU wins 27 – 25 and this is what you do when they serve for the set…
Kinda Kool !
TO Shorter, trailing Ferrum 16-14 in the 3rd set.
TO , GA St, down 15 – 11
Just received the 15-minute notice from ESPN about Charlottesville !
Ferrum calls TO, clinging to their 22-20 lead in the 3rd set
TO, GA State, down 17 – 11.
Ferrum VB now leads 2-1!
Coastal wins the second set, 25 – 17 at 7:09
UVA punts on opening drive, 0-0
Nate the Great goes 32 yards for the TD, Duke leads !
Convenient, in the Gym lobby !
Duke ” D ” holds again !
Duke punts on second possession
Shorter 25, Ferrum 17, headed to winner take all fifth set
7 : 36 – UVA ties it up on 4th and goal after long drive 🚗.
Ferrum up 5-0 and then 9-5 in final set.
Here, Coastal leads 18 – 15 in the third set
Duke punts at 1:22 (1), still 7-7 in Hooville
Ferrum, up 13 – 10, 2 points from a W!!
Lady Panthers Win 🏆 !!!!! 7:45
Duke is playing without starting QB, hand injury on opening drive.
UVA converts on 4 & 1 on own side of 50.
Coastal Carolina finishes the sweep, 25 – 18 at 7:48 pm
Duke defense continues to rack up penalty flags, 15 yards at a time.
CCHS leads 14 – 7 at the break
UVA adds a chip shot field goal, lead 10 – 7 in the middle of the 2nd quarter.
Proud parent moment !!!
UVA forces another 3 and out/ Punt at 6:59 (2nd)
Duke defense holds but Hoos pin 📌 them deep with the punt. Just over 4:00 left in the half.
2:00 warning ⚠️, Duke with a 3rd and 2 when we come back.
UVA stuffs Sheppard on 3rd down, another punt upcoming after Hoos take a TO at 1:55
Virginia ball at own 42, plenty of time at 1:44
Great clock ⏰️ management by Elliott, FG attempt with 0:01 left. 31-yard attempt, 13-7 @ half
!!!!!!
Radford High made a serious push in the fourth quarter, but CCHS stiffened at the end !
Duke – FG
UVA – Fumble
Duke – Punt
UVA – missed FG
Duke – Intercepted [2:32 -3rd]
UVA – Punt
Duke – Punt, early 4th quarter
UVA – punting from own 5, booming punt at 10:32 (4)
Duke – FG ties it at 8:50 (4)
Congratulations Cavs !!!!
UVA FG at 3:00 (4), 16 – 13
Final Drive ???? for Duke…
Duke TD with 1:14 on a trick play.
Now, for the third straight game, Duke scores late to take the lead and now need just 1 stop ✋️ for the winner.
Extra point dinks off the post, just 19-16.
UVA – Interception (0:36)
Duke – victory formation [10:15 pm ]…
Circle 🔵 Back :
We went 4 of 4 tonight !!!!
Cavaliers win, former Cavalier wins, Coastal Carolina wins 🏆 and finally, Duke University wins…..
What this was is a continued sharpening of one’s multitasking skills !!!
UNC – opening drive, Heels steam rolling down the field. They didn’t face a 3rd down until our 10 yard line. Held them to a field goal. [10:03] 3-0
Duke – quick 3 & out, not good and then blocked punt = bad [8:42]
Heels – take advantage of a very short field, 3 play drive for TD [7:21], 10-0.
On a bright note – seeing Wallace Wade Stadium 🏟 full is AWESOME.
Early finals from the ACC
Duke – Nate gained 8 on first down, but it was still a 3 & out. Punt at 6:23 (1)…
ACC Women’s Basketball Champs 🏆
UNC – yardage now 125 – 12 in favor of Heels. 0:01 on the clock (2nd and 19) End of 1st quarter, UNC 10-0 and ball on Duke 21…
Heels convert on 4th and 2, TD, 17-0 at 13:43 (2). 154 – 12 in yards… been decades since a team manhandled Duke at Wallace Wade. Need to do something like grab a first down…..
DUKE – 1st down at 12:09 (2)!!! Just like that, we get another one. 1st and 10 at 11.
Duke Men’s Basketball team
Stopped at the Heels 2 [9:36]. Surprised that the handoff didn’t go to Nate.
UNC – 3rd down from inside their 10, Heels fumbled while trying to stretch for the first down, ruled at Duke TD but being reviewed now [8:37-2] TD, 17-7…
Hokies 24, Yellow Jackets 3 in the 2nd.
UNC – initial punt of the game at 6:09 (2)
Duke : advanced to midfield in 1 play but then stalled – punt down to UNC 10 (4:00)
UNC – 1 first down, then punt at 0:56. Blue Devils used their timeouts to regain possession on our 35.
Duke – gained 1st down at 50, 0:23 left. Another 1st down but clocked never stopped….0:05…..Duke made it to inside the 30, but the clock reads 0:00.
The call was ruled tackled inbounds and short of 1st down. Double wammy on that one.
Halftime score, Heels 17, Duke 7 [5:10 pm].
Thank you, Marion Harris !Close 1st set…
Duke : FD, FD, FD, FD, FD – now at UNC 17… last one under review…
First Down overturned, 4th and inches (8:17-3) Nate for 13, 1st and goal
Heels hold, FG of 22 at 6:54…8 minutes ➕️ off the clock ⏰️ on the opening drive of the second half.
Included the Pepsi sign because it was the same score in set #2.
232 – 197 yardage, now in favor of Duke.
UNC – great drive going but fumble inside of the Duke 10 at 3:45 (3)
Duke, own 9 : FD, tough holding call takes away big first down. Duke punts to UNC 15 at 0:14 (3).
UNC – end of 3rd quarter [6:14 pm], Heels still lead 17 – 10.
UNC – 3 and out, Punt, returned to UNC 36 at 14 :10 (4)
Duke overcomes 2nd and 19, now in Red Zone…FG at 8:47 (4). UNC 17 – 13….
Need a stop ✋️ from the D…
Thank you, Marion Harris
UNC – 4th and 5 at midfield, punter fumbled the snap, sacked at his own 34 at 7:43 (4)
Duke – FD, FD, Red Zone, Nate on the screen play for a TD, first lead, 20-17 at 4:39 left.
UNC – 1st and 10, own 22… HUGE 4th down conversion for Tar Heels. Now across midfield at 3 :17….61 yard FG from here. In FG range (41 yarder) at 2:00 warning ⚠️….what a game…
Great play call from Bill, Heels retake the lead, 24 – 20 at 1:53. Exactly what happened last week in Atlanta…. let’s see if we can answer…
Solid start, but drive ends with a 3rd town interception… 7:12 pm, Heels call ballgame and claim the Victory Bell.
