Duke football coach Manny Diaz did not sugarcoat the Blue Devils ' "nervy start" to the 2025 season.

In its Week 1 contest vs. Elon, Duke , which entered the matchup favored to win by 33.5 points, saw itself tied at 10-all at halftime. It didn't come without its chances, as Duke's first half consisted of a missed field goal on its first possession, a dropped touchdown pass and a fumble in the red zone.

The Blue Devils quickly overcame it, coming out of the half with back-to-back touchdown drives of 83 and 88 yards. Elon managed just one score in the final two quarters – a touchdown early in the fourth quarter – but that was all from the Phoenix as the Blue Devils outscored them 35-7 across the second half as they rolled to a 45-17 victory.

It marked the most amount of points Duke has sc

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