Who won the Duke vs Northwestern game last night? Scores, stats and result (Sep. 6, 2024)

The Duke Blue Devils pulled off a thrilling 26-20 double-overtime victory against the Northwestern Wildcats on Friday at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium, with 11,062 fans watching the action unfold. This marked Duke's sixth straight win over Northwestern.

Week 2's game was a nail-biter, with quarterback Maalik Murphy stepping up in crunch time. Murphy connected with wide receivers Jordan Moore and Eli Pancol for crucial touchdown passes during the extra periods, securing Duke’s first overtime win since 2015.

Duke Blue Devils vs. Northwestern Wildcats: Key results and performance breakdown

Duke Blue Devils linebacker Tre Freeman (12) tries to tackle Northwestern Wildcats quarterback Mike Wright (5) - Source: Imagn

The Northwestern Wildcats (1-1) were just moments away from victory, but the Duke Blue Devils (2-0) clawed back in overtime to win 26-20. Here's what transpired during the game:

First Quarter:

• Northwestern: Jack Olsen nailed a 44-yard field goal, putting the Wildcats ahead 3-0.
• Duke: Maalik Murphy found Eli Pancol for a 16-yard touchdown pass, giving Duke a 7-3 lead.

Second Quarter:

• Northwestern: After recovering a fumbled punt, Cam Porter rushed for a 10-yard touchdown, pushing the Wildcats to a 10-7 halftime lead.

Third Quarter:

• Duke: Todd Pelino tied things up with a booming 49-yard field goal, making it 10-10.

Fourth Quarter:

• Northwestern: Olsen came through again with a field goal, putting the Wildcats up 13-10.
• Duke: With the clock winding down, Duke forced overtime by nailing a game-tying field goal, 13-13.

Overtime:

• Northwestern: Porter was unstoppable, powering through for a 10-yard touchdown, giving Northwestern a 20-13 lead.
• Duke: Murphy connected with Jordan Moore for a touchdown, but a missed two-point conversion kept the score at 20-20.

Second Overtime:

• Duke: Murphy and Moore linked up again for another touchdown, but Duke's conversion attempt failed. Northwestern's final drive fell short, and Duke held on to win 26-20.

Notable player contributions and game impact

Duke Blue Devils placekicker Todd Pelino nailed a 22-yard field goal with just 22 seconds left to push the game into overtime. Quarterback Maalik Murphy stepped up big in the extra periods, tossing two touchdowns, including a clutch three-yard strike to Eli Pancol that sealed the win. Murphy went 23 for 38 with 220 yards and three touchdowns on the day.

Wide receiver Jordan Moore was electric, hauling in 11 passes for 121 yards, including the game-tying touchdown in the first overtime.

Northwestern's Cam Porter also delivered, powering through for 93 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, but it wasn’t enough to hold off Murphy and company.