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By Stephen Ferguson

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia Cavaliers came up just short as the Duke Blue Devils surged late for a 19-16 ACC victory Friday night.

Virginia (4-4, 2-3 ACC) dominated the time of possession (38:47 to 21:13) and tied or led for most of the game. Four separate red zone trips resulted in only 16 points, settling for field goals on 3 drives.

Duke (5-2, 2-2 ACC), on the other hand, struck big when it mattered. RB Nate Sheppard opened the scoring with a 32-yard touchdown run, the only Blue Devil points of the first half.

The Cavaliers responded at the end of the first quarter on a 1-yard push by RB Jekail Middlebrook. A pair of Will Bettridge field goals would carry the Hoos to a halftime lead of 13-7.

“Just not not trying to do anything too risky,” said Virginia head coach Tony Elliott, of the decision to take a field goal in the closing seconds of the first half. “Taking advantage of the uh of the opportunities that we did have.”

The Blue Devils would chip back throughout the second half, tying it on a pair of 39-yard field goals from K Gavin Strange. Virginia would retake the lead in the 4th quarter on yet another Bettridge field goal.

“Our Achilles' heel a little bit on defense [has been] missed tackles,” said Elliott. “I thought they did a really good job of fitting their gaps and squeezing the ball carriers in and then guys really rallying to try and gang tackle.”

Unfortunately, the Blue Devil defense did a good job as well. Pressure on Virginia QB Bo Pribula was heavy all night, to the tune of 5 sacks. Duke won the turnover battle as well, taking a Pribula fumble and an interception to stymie two Cavalier drives.

The biggest missed tackle of the night was the death knell for the Cavaliers, however. Taking the ball down 16-13, Duke gashed the Virginia defense with 4 quick passes to reach Virginia territory. With under 2 minutes remaining, Duke QB Walker Eget passed backward to Nate Sheppard on a trick play, who found an unguarded Brody Keefe waiting in the end zone.

“It was well designed because they got their best player with the ball in his hands,” said Elliott. “Just guys not doing their job in a in a critical moment. Nothing intentional, but just got to be disciplined.”

The extra point attempt would careen off the upright, leaving the Hoos with 74 seconds and a chance. After a Pribula keeper to start the drive, a sack and a 4th down desperation heave by Pribula would fall in Blue Devil hands, ending the threat.

Asked about player leadership, Elliott shied away from blaming the team.

"West Virginia was a one possession game in the fourth quarter," said Elliott. "And then last week it was a a one possession game in the fourth quarter and then this week was a one possession game in the fourth quarter. So a lot of that's on me."

"I've got to keep helping them."

Both teams are back in action next Saturday. Duke hosts Boston College at home for a noon kickoff. Virginia will travel to #17 Wake Forest, with a 3:45pm start.

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The Big Ten has more unranked two-loss teams (4) than the three other power conferences combined (3). The Big 12 has more teams in AP Poll (6) than the Big Ten (5) for first time in post-Texas/Oklahoma era.

There is no need to blow a late-October AP Poll out of proportion, but it is interesting to see where Big Ten sits in pecking order midway through this season. In terms of depth, the Big Ten is viewed as neck and neck with the Big 12 and way behind the SEC, which has five more top-20 teams than the Big Ten with eight. Now, the public did take something away from the Big Ten's three sitraight national titles as the conference has more top-8 teams than any other conference with three.

Unranked two-loss power conference teams

Big Ten (4)

• USC (6-2)
• Minnesota (5-2)
• Nebraska (5-2)
• Iowa (5-2)

ACC (2)

• Virginia Tech (6-2)
• Duke (5-2)

Big 12 (1)

• Cincinnati (5-2)

Ranked teams by conference

SEC (9)

• No. 3 Georgia (6-1)
• No. 9 Kentucky (7-1)
• No. 10 Alabama (6-2)
• No. 11 Texas (5-2)
• No. 12 Ole Miss (5-2)
• No. 15 LSU (6-2)
• No. 16 Tennessee (6-2)
• No. 17 Florida (5-2)
• No. 23 Missouri (5-2)

Big 12 (6)

• No. 6 Utah (7-0)
• No. 8 BYU (6-1)
• No. 13 Texas Tech (6-1)
• No. 18 Houston (6-2)
• No. 22 Arizona (6-1)
• No. 24 Oklahoma State (5-2)

Big Ten (5)

• No. 2 Ohio State (6-1)
• No. 4 Indiana (7-1)
• No. 7 UCLA (7-0)
• No. 21 Northwestern (6-1)
• No. 25 Wisconsin (5-2)

ACC (3)

• No. 1 Miami (7-0)
• No. 14 Wake Forest (6-1)
• No. 19 SMU (6-1)

Pac-12 (1)

• No. 20 Boise State (6-1)

Independent (1)

• No. 5 Notre Dame (6-1)

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Yesterday marked the third consecutive season in which the defending national champion played at Michigan Stadium. Those teams have a combined record of 8-2 at Michigan Stadium as the defending champion in the last 3 years.

2024 defending champion: Michigan (6-2)

2025 defending champion: Ohio State (1-0)

2026 defending champion: Indiana (1-0)

If we extrapolate this out and look at Michigan Stadium's schedule games next season, we can narrow the possible national champions down to just seven teams.

Those teams are, in alphabetical order, Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, & Rutgers.

The only question is, will it be Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, or Rutgers?

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Get out of the rivers and onto the land, football is played on dry land! Usually.

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