Duke sparks CFP madness with ACC title win on insane trick play in OT vs. Virginia

Jeff Hauser

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Duke sparks CFP madness with ACC title win on insane trick play in OT vs. Virginia image

Duke sparked outright College Football Playoff chaos on Saturday night, stunning No. 16 Virginia 27-20 in overtime to capture the ACC championship in Charlotte. This likely knocking the conference out of the 12-team field altogether.

The Blue Devils (8-5) needed a maze of tiebreakers just to reach Bank of America Stadium, finished the job with a sequence that will live in program history.

After Duke scored on its first possession of overtime on a fourth and goal rollout from Darian Mensah to Jeremiah Hasley, Virginia dialed up trickery on its opening snap. Chandler Morris, who had just engineered a dramatic 96-yard game-tying drive at the end of regulation, took a lateral and attempted a shot to Eli Wood. But Duke linebacker Luke Mergott read it perfectly, stepping in front for his first career interception to seal the title.

It was a stunning end to a game Virginia once seemed in control of it all. The Cavaliers were seeking their first ACC crown since 1995 coming off a breakthrough 10-2 regular season under Tony Elliott. They rallied late behind Morris, until the costly mistake. His 18-yard touchdown pass to Wood with 22 seconds left capped the 10-play march and forced overtime — the fourth OT game of the year for UVA.

But Duke’s defense delivered in the extra frame, and Manny Diaz’s bold fourth-down call paid off. The victory avenges a 34-17 loss to Virginia three weeks ago and gives the Blue Devils their first ACC title since 1989.

The win also sends shockwaves through the playoff picture. Duke entered unranked in the CFP standings, meaning the ACC champion now falls behind Sun Belt champion James Madison in the pecking order for automatic bids. 

With Virginia out and Miami needing at-large help, the league faces the very real possibility of being shut out of the CFP. A nightmare scenario by Duke’s improbable night in Charlotte.

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