Blue Devil Country

Manny Diaz Reacts to Duke Football Roast of Hokies

The Duke football program is on the rise, making eight-win seasons look routine.

Matt Giles

Duke football versus Virginia Tech
Duke football versus Virginia Tech / Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images
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On Saturday night, Duke football improved to 8-3 overall and 4-3 in conference play under first-year Blue Devil coach Manny Diaz, grinding out a 31-28 home win over the Virginia Tech Hokies (5-6, 3-4 ACC) in Wallace Wade Stadium.

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Redshirt sophomore quarterback Maalik Murphy threw for a career-high 332 yards. And he connected with graduate wide receiver Eli Pancol for three scores — all in the first half — to set a new Duke football season record with his 25 touchdown passes. Pancol, wrapping up his Wallace Wade career in style, notched career highs with those three TD grabs and 188 receiving yards.

And Duke's defense stopped the Hokies when it mattered most, ensuring the Blue Devils recorded a third straight eight-win campaign, joining David Cutcliffe's 2013-15 seasons as the only such stretches in program history.

“What an absolutely extraordinary game," Diaz remarked in his opening statement to the media afterward. "So many momentum shifts. So many mistakes. We certainly did not play our best. I felt we were a little out of character for a lot of the night, a little emotional on Senior Night. I think it had something to do with that. But ultimately, we were resilient.

"We talked about mental toughness and the ability to overcome obstacles, which I think we did. Virginia Tech, to their credit, presented some obstacles. I think we presented some to ourselves too.

"When it came down to winning time, we found enough plays to win the game.

"I'm really excited to be sitting on eight wins with one more game left. It was great to close out of Wallace Wade Stadium and win 16 out of the last 19 here. There's a lot of forward positive momentum for our program right now. A lot of great recruits here tonight. There's just a lot of things pointing in the right direction for Duke football.

"There's a happy locker room of guys down in there celebrating the success they had today. I don't know if anybody would confuse that with excellence, but we were successful. That's ultimately all that matters, just finding a way to win the game."

The Blue Devils will head to Winston-Salem for their regular season finale against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (4-7, 2-5 ACC) at noon ET Saturday (ACC Network).

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Stay tuned to Duke Blue Devils On SI for more Duke football and basketball news.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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