Duke Football Film Room: Key Plays That Changed Week 6

The Duke football program finds itself needing to bounce back from a loss for the first time this season.

Duke fell to Georgia Tech on the road this past weekend, 28-25. Winning on the road in conference play is hard, but this was a game the Blue Devils could have won. Head coach Manny Diaz and his program deserve a ton of credit for staying in it despite being down double digits in the third quarter. Although the Blue Devils still went home without a win, there were some positives to take away.

Diaz and Co. now have to turn the page and get ready to host rival North Carolina (3-2, 1-1 ACC) this weekend at Wallace Wade Stadium. That rivalry bout has now become a must-win situation for the Blue Devils.

Penalties were a big part of this game, and two stood out in particular that changed the contest's trajectory. Let's break them down.

Tyshon Reed Called for Roughing the Passer

The Blue Devils committed two costly penalties that really hurt their chances of winning, and Tyshon Reed's roughing the passer call was one of them. With just over 10 minutes to go in the second quarter, the Yellow Jackets began a drive at their own eight-yard line. Duke held them short on three straight plays, bound to get off the field.

However, on 3rd-and-8, officials flagged Reed. It was a fairly questionable call, but it gave the Yellow Jackets a first down. On the next play, DaShawn Stone was called for unnecessary roughness, awarding Georgia Tech another 15 yards. The Yellow Jackets went on to score a touchdown and take a 14-7 lead.

Bradley Gompers for Unnecessary Roughness

Duke had five penalties in the first half and only one in the second. However, Bradley Gompers' unnecessary roughness flag was one of the game's biggest moments.

The Blue Devils held a 25-21 lead with about two and a half minutes to go. A holding call on the Yellow Jackets handed them a 2nd-and-20 at midfield with Duke needing a stop. Then, Gompers was called for unnecessary roughness, handing Georgia Tech a first down. It went on to score the go-ahead touchdown on that drive.

This was another questionable call, but there were some head-scratching penalties throughout the game on both sides. The Blue Devils and Yellow Jackets combined for 17 penalties in the afternoon, with Georgia Tech accounting for 11. Both calls might not have been the right ones, but they had major implications for Duke walking away with a victory.

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