The Duke football program dropped to 4-1 overall on the 2026 campaign this past weekend.
Duke fell on the road to Georgia Tech, 28-25, in a contest the Blue Devils had a legitimate chance to win. The dominoes didn't fall Duke's way in the end, and it dropped to 1-1 in conference play with rival North Carolina (3-2, 1-1 ACC) looming next weekend.
Despite the loss, there was a lot to like about the Blue Devils. They played well on both sides of the ball and kept themselves in it despite facing an 11-point third-quarter deficit on the road.
Let's take a look at three numbers that stand out in Duke's first loss of the season.
Second-Half Points
Heading into this game, Duke had been one of the best second-half defenses in college football. The Blue Devils outscored their opponents by a whopping 62-6 margin heading into their bout with the Yellow Jackets in Atlanta.
The Blue Devils still played a good defensive game and were solid in the second half, but it was technically the worst second-half performance from Manny Diaz's unit so far. Duke outscored Georgia Tech 15-14 in the second half, meaning the Yellow Jackets put up more than double the points in the second half than Duke had allowed in its first four games combined.
That number certainly isn't a drastic concern, but compared to how Duke performed in its previous four games, it's worth noting.
Penalties
Penalties played a big role in this game for both teams. They were especially an issue for Duke in the first half, as it committed five penalties for 56 yards. In the second half, Duke committed only one, but it was incredibly costly.
Late in the game on 2nd-and-20, Bradley Gompers was called for a late hit, awarding Georgia Tech a first down. The Yellow Jackets went on to score the go-ahead and, eventually, the game-winning touchdown on that drive.
There were certainly some questionable calls in this game for both teams, but penalties remain an issue for the Blue Devils, and now they have cost them a win.
Downs
Duke may not have won the game, but it kept itself in contention the entire way. The offense stepped up on several occasions to keep drives alive on third and fourth down and give the team hope. The Blue Devils converted 10 of 17 third-down attempts and 1 of 1 fourth-down attempts, while Georgia Tech converted 4 of 10 on third down and 1 of 2 on fourth down. Duke also achieved 28 first downs to the Yellow Jackets' 21.
It wasn't a perfect game from Diaz's squad, but Duke showed heart and grit to stay in it on the road.
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