Riley Leonard’s second touchdown pass of the game to Sahmir Hagans came with 2:04 to play and lifted Duke past visiting Wake Forest 34-31 on Saturday at Durham, N.C.
Leonard threw for four touchdowns to complete a splendid regular season under first-year coach Mike Elko. The Blue Devils (8-4, 5-3) were winless in ACC play last season. The winning points came on a 20-yard pass play.
Sam Hartman threw three touchdown passes to tie an Atlantic Coast Conference record for Wake Forest, but he was picked off on his final pass. Hartman completed 26 of 42 throws for 347 yards. Justice Ellison scored on a run for Wake Forest (7-5, 3-5).
Leonard was 29-for-41 for 391 yards. Duke had a 14-play drive go for naught in the fourth quarter when Leonard’s pass was intercepted in the end zone by Jermal Martin Jr. with 5:05 remaining. The Blue Devils had one more chance and made it count, needing two plays to cover 65 yards.
Duke snapped a three-game skid in the series with Wake Forest. Elko is a former defensive coordinator for the Demon Deacons.
Leonard’s 30-yard pass play to Jordan Moore helped Duke to a 27-17 lead.
Hartman struck back, first throwing 17 yards to Taylor Morin before his 6-yard delivery to A.T. Perry with 12:31 remaining put the Demon Deacons in the lead for the first time since the opening minute of the second quarter.
That also marked Hartman’s 107th career touchdown pass, tying him with former Clemson quarterback Tahj Boyd for the all-time ACC record.
Duke’s Todd Pelino had field goals from 42 and 32 in the first half, which ended with the Blue Devils up 20-17.
Leonard hit Hagans for 30 yards and Jaylen Calhoun for 46 in a 5 ½-minute stretch early in the second quarter as Duke went up 17-7.
Hartman’s 8-yard hookup with Donavon Greene closed the gap and Matthew Dennis’ 32-yard field goal with 1:50 to go in the half tied the score.
Calhoun caught 10 passes for 144 yards.
–Field Level Media
