Duke Wins First Outright ACC Football Title Since 1962, Stuns No. 16 Virginia in Overtime Thriller
The Duke Blue Devils football program claimed a long-awaited and historic victory on Saturday night, defeating the No. 16 Virginia Cavaliers 27-20 in an overtime thriller to secure the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championship. The win, which took place in Charlotte, North Carolina, marks the first outright ACC title for the Duke football program since 1962, ending a sixty-three-year drought for the unranked squad and simultaneously delivering an unexpected jolt to the national College Football Playoff (CFP) race.
The game was marked by Duke’s control of the clock and Virginia’s late-game resiliency. Duke never trailed, establishing their longest scoring drive of the season on their opening possession. After leading for most of the game, the Blue Devils found themselves tied late in the fourth quarter when Virginia orchestrated a tense, 96-yard drive, culminating in an 18-yard touchdown pass with only twenty-two seconds left in regulation to force the first overtime in ACC Championship Game history.
In the extra period, Duke quarterback Darian Mensah connected with tight end Jeremiah Hasley on a critical one-yard touchdown pass on fourth down, putting the Blue Devils ahead 27-20. The ensuing Cavalier possession was short-lived and dramatic. Virginia began its drive from the forty-yard line due to a roughing-the-passer penalty called during Duke’s scoring play. On the first offensive snap, quarterback Chandler Morris fired a pass downfield that was intercepted by Duke defensive back Luke Mergott, sealing the stunning championship victory. The improbable upset by the 8-5 Blue Devils immediately created uncertainty for the CFP committee, raising questions about whether the ACC champion would secure a playoff berth or if the spot might go to another highly ranked team.
