DURHAM – Duke turned a competitive game into a rout with 21 fourth-quarter points, defeating Elon 45-17 Thursday night at Wallace Wade Stadium in both teams' season opener.
The contest remained close through three quarters, with Elon trailing just 24-17 entering the final period. But the Blue Devils (1-0) scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to pull away from the Phoenix (0-1), who had kept pace for most of the evening.
The Phoenix entered halftime tied 10-10 and remained within striking distance until the game's final 14 minutes. Elon quarterback Landen Clark rushed for a 2-yard touchdown with 14:12 remaining in the fourth quarter, capping a 12-play, 75-yard drive that pulled the Phoenix within seven points at 24-17.
That would be as close as Elon would get.
Duke responded immediately with a five-play scoring drive aided by a 63-yard run from Anderson Castle that set up the Blue Devils at the Elon 8-yard line. Quarterback Darian Mensah found Sahmir Hagans for a 6-yard touchdown pass to push the lead to 31-17 with 11:28 remaining.
The floodgates opened from there. Que'Sean Brown returned a punt 78 yards for a touchdown just over two minutes later, and Peyton Jones added a 5-yard rushing score with 1:55 left to cap the scoring.
Mensah, making his Duke debut after transferring from Tulane, completed 27 of 34 passes for 389 yards and three touchdowns. The redshirt sophomore spread the ball effectively, with five different receivers catching at least three passes.
Hagans led Duke's receiving corps with five catches for 54 yards and two touchdowns, while Cooper Barkate added five receptions for 117 yards in his Blue Devils debut. Brown contributed six catches for 93 yards and finished with 175 all-purpose yards thanks to his punt return touchdown.
For much of the evening, Elon matched Duke's offensive output. The Phoenix gained 275 total yards, including 163 rushing yards on 44 carries. Clark led the ground attack with 61 yards on 18 carries while adding 101 passing yards on 10-of-16 completion.
TJ Thomas Jr., returning from a season-ending injury suffered last October, provided a spark for Elon with 95 all-purpose yards. His 44-yard run on the final play of the first quarter set up a 35-yard field goal by Luke Barnes that tied the game 3-3.
The Phoenix kept the game interesting with timely defensive plays. Brodie Carroll forced a fumble late in the second quarter that Dillon Pardue recovered, helping Elon maintain its halftime tie. Carroll finished with seven tackles in his Phoenix debut.
Darren James-Hamilton led all defenders with 11 tackles, including seven solo stops. The performance marked his second strong showing against Duke, following nine tackles in last year's season opener.
Duke's defense applied consistent pressure throughout the night, recording three sacks and 10 tackles for loss. The Blue Devils held Elon to just 11 yards on the Phoenix's first three possessions, setting an early tone.
The turning point came in the third quarter when Duke scored touchdowns on consecutive possessions to take control. Mensah connected with Hagans for a 15-yard score at 10:59 of the third quarter, capping an 83-yard drive that gave Duke a 17-10 lead.
Three minutes later, Mensah found Andrel Anthony for a 27-yard touchdown that extended the advantage to 24-10. The scoring pass came on the eighth play of an 88-yard drive that showcased Duke's offensive balance.
Duke's ground game produced 159 yards on 25 carries, with four different players recording rushing touchdowns. Castle led the way with 69 yards on just three carries, while Jones and Jaquez Moore each found the end zone.
The Blue Devils controlled the tempo despite being outpossessed 32:53 to 27:07, making their opportunities count with explosive plays. Duke averaged 9.3 yards per play compared to 4.4 for Elon.
Special teams played a significant role in the final outcome. Brown's 78-yard punt return touchdown broke the game open, while Jeff Yurk kept Elon competitive with strong punting. Yurk averaged 49.8 yards on five punts, placing two inside the Duke 20-yard line.
The early stages of the game suggested a much different outcome. Duke missed a 45-yard field goal on its opening drive, while Elon managed just 11 total yards on its first three offensive possessions. The Phoenix offense came alive midway through the first quarter when Thomas broke free for his 44-yard run.
That play sparked an Elon drive that resulted in Barnes' 35-yard field goal, knotting the score at 3-3 with 9:50 remaining in the second quarter. The Phoenix had driven 58 yards in 13 plays, showing the persistence that would keep them competitive.
Duke regained the lead with 8:01 left in the second quarter when Moore broke through for a 32-yard touchdown run. The score came on a four-play, 75-yard drive that began with explosive completions to Nate Sheppard and Hagans.
Elon answered immediately with perhaps its most impressive drive of the night. Clark found Zimere Winston for 29 yards to move into Duke territory, then capped the nine-play march with his 2-yard scoring run to tie the game 10-10 at halftime.
The second half belonged to Duke's passing attack. Mensah threw for 167 yards and two touchdowns in the third quarter alone, connecting with Hagans and Anthony for scores that established control.
Barkate emerged as a key weapon for the Blue Devils, hauling in catches of 17, 46 and 10 yards during Duke's first touchdown drive of the second half. His 46-yard reception moved Duke into the red zone and set up Hagans' first scoring catch.
Dylan Magazu provided Elon's most consistent offensive threat, catching three passes for 61 yards during the Phoenix's fourth-quarter touchdown drive. All three receptions came on the 12-play march that temporarily kept Elon's hopes alive.
The victory marked Duke's fourth consecutive season-opening win and produced the program's highest point total in an opener since 2017. For Elon, the loss dropped the Phoenix to 0-1 but showed they could compete with Atlantic Coast Conference opposition for extended periods.
Thomas finished his return from injury with 46 rushing yards and a 46-yard kickoff return, while Clark's 61 rushing yards marked the first time an Elon quarterback led the team in rushing since 2022. The Phoenix won the turnover battle 1-0 thanks to Carroll's forced fumble.
Duke will face a significant test next week when No. 12 Illinois visits Wallace Wade Stadium. Elon returns home to face Davidson at Rhodes Stadium, seeking its first victory of the season in front of the home crowd.
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