2020 Game Recap – It Got Worse (Somehow)

Duke lost again. This wasn’t really a surprise to anyone given that the Blue Devils hosted a top ten in Miami and had to play at night. In Durham. Against the Hurricanes. Yeah, fate pretty well told us what to expect.

While we all were mentally prepared for a loss, we weren’t prepared for one of the ugliest losses in Coach Cutcliffe’s history — a 48-0 walloping at the hand of a team that Duke beat last season (this is the second straight game that Cutcliffe got bested by a team he beat last year and the first shutout since 2008, Cutcliffe’s first year). It was ugly and we knew it was going to be rough when the Blue Devils forced a turnover on Miami’s first possession that led to a stellar negative 4 yards of offense from Brice and Company.

This game had everything we have come to expect – 5 turnovers, no passing touchdowns and an anemic offense. Chase Brice was a stellar 20/25 for under 100 yards (yes, you read that right). The OL got blown up all night and you couldn’t help but think it would have helped to have had a mobile QB who could at least try and make plays with his legs. But I’ve gone through all of this before and I won’t do it again.

Here’s what I will note – the media is starting to point out just how bad it is in Durham in game recaps as opposed to random tweets. The News & Observer correctly pointed out that Duke isn’t playing competitive football and that the team is losing in ways similar to the pre-Cutcliffe era. Even The Chronicle referred to the game as depressing. Everyone is, finally, staring the cold, painful truth in the face – this is a bad football team. And it has been bad since last season (if not longer). Going back to last season, this is the latest in a string of blowouts (which we’ve gone over before and I won’t do it again). While Cutcliffe may preach patience and comprehensive, detail-oriented reviews of everything the team is doing, do any of you think that he can turn this around?

I don’t. And it doesn’t sound like the professional media does, either.