The Duke Blue Devils traveled to Berkeley on Saturday night, hoping to build momentum in their ACC campaign, but the California Golden Bears had other ideas. What was billed as a tight matchup turned into a gritty defensive battle, with Cal pulling out a 24-21 victory in the final minutes. Duke, sitting at 3-2 coming in, couldn't quite overcome their turnover woes, while the Bears improved to 5-1.
Indeed, pre-game chatter had Duke as slight favorites, with oddsmakers listing them at -2.5 on the spread and a total around 48 points. Analysts pointed to Duke's explosive offense, led by quarterback Maalik Murphy, who had thrown for over 1,200 yards this season. However, Cal's stout defense, allowing just 18 points per game, proved too much. Slot receiver Jacob De Jesus shone for the Bears, hauling in seven catches for 112 yards and a touchdown—numbers that pundits had predicted but few expected to dominate so thoroughly.
Moreover, Duke's ground game faltered early, managing only 89 rushing yards against Cal's front seven. The Blue Devils' secondary, meanwhile, struggled with miscommunications, letting Bears quarterback Fernando Mendoza connect on key third downs. It was a game of inches, really, with a late interception sealing Duke's fate. Coach Manny Diaz post-game called it a "learning moment," but the frustration was palpable on the sideline.
However, credit where it's due: Cal's homecoming crowd brought the energy, and their balanced attack—195 passing, 142 rushing—wore down a Duke team that's now questioning its playoff aspirations. For the Bears, this win catapults them into relevance in the Pac-12 race, or whatever's left of it these days.
In the end, college football's unpredictability shines through once more—what does this mean for Duke's bounce-back potential as the schedule toughens?