Duke jumped out to an early lead on NIU and ran away with victory in the Quick Lane Bowl. Here are three things we learned from the blowout in Detroit.
Northern Illinois could do nothing with the football in the first quarter as Duke jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead. Playing without leading rusher Jordan Huff, the Huskies relied almost exclusively on freshman quarterback Marcus Childers for their offense. NIU tried to force things, while Duke seemed calm and collected as they held the Huskies to two punts and two turnovers on downs.
Then the second quarter rolled around. Childers hit a couple of huge plays over the top of the Blue Devils secondary. Barely into the new frame, NIU halved the gap after a 25-yard Tre Harbison run finished a quick drive. The Huskies then evened up the game 14-14 on a 67-yard connection between Childers and Jauan Wesley. Suddenly reawakened, fans at Ford Field were treated to a brand new game in the final 48 minutes.
Duke turned it right back into their game. As soon as they gave up the tying touchdown, the Blue Devils got the ball back and marked downfield to regain the lead. By halftime, they were up 26-14. It was a lead that would remain for the rest of the game, as David Cutcliffe’s team walked away from Ford Field with a 36-14 win to end the 2017 season.
With the win in the Quick Lane Bowl, Duke finished the season with a 7-6 record. Northern Illinois dropped to 8-5 on the year. What did we learn about these two teams from their meeting in Detroit on Boxing Day? Keep reading for our three takeaways from the Quick Lane Bowl.