Duke started strong in Week 2 of the college football season, taking an early 3-0 lead behind a locked-in defense and promising offense led by QB Darian Mensah . However, things quickly turned as Illinois responded with relentless pressure, led by Vincent Anthony’s impactful sacks and a series of costly Duke turnovers. What started as a competitive first quarter snowballed into a humbling 45-19 defeat, drawing sharp criticism from analyst David Pollack and raising questions about Duke’s offensive cohesion.

Before the season, Duke was one of the most underrated ACC dark horses under second-year head coach Manny Diaz. Diaz’s first year saw a 9-win season with statement victories over Florida State and UNC. This year, after opening with a 45-17 win against a weaker Elon, the 45-19 def

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