Harris, Duke put a hurting on Virginia Tech, 45-10

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Quentin Harris threw for two touchdowns and ran for another and Duke beat Virginia Tech 45-10 on Friday night.

Harris hit Noah Gray with scoring passes of 16 and 1 yards for the Blue Devils (3-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference). They also scored on a 25-yard trick play on which Harris lateraled to Jalon Calhoun, who hit a wide-open Deon Jackson to make it 21-3 late in the second quarter.

The Hokies (2-2, 0-2) got their only touchdown on a 72-yard connection from Ryan Willis to Damon Hazleton after they fell behind 31-3. The loss is their worst at home since a 49-12 defeat against Houston on Sept. 28, 1974, and was coach Justin Fuente’s first in four games against the Blue Devils.

Harris added a 42-yard touchdown run and Jackson had a 32-yarder early in the fourth quarter, sending fans pouring out of Lane Stadium.

The Blue Devils had done little until a turnover got them going. Hendon Hooker, in his second play at quarterback for the Hokies, tried to hand the ball to Keshawn King but it never got there and the fumble that resulted turned into a 24-yard loss to the Hokies 16. On the next play, Harris hit a wide-open Gray for the touchdown. Jackson was even more open when Calhoun hit him for the third score of the quarter.

After managing just 5 yards in the first quarter, Duke had 162 in the second quarter and 141 in the third. In the fourth quarter, facing a fourth-and 3 from midfield, Blue Devils punter Austin Parker took the snap, tucked it and went for 28 yards off the right side, drawing boos.

Harris later completed a 12-yard pass to Gray on fourth-and-7 from the Hokies 19 on the same drive, and backup quarterback Chris Katrenick ran it in from 8 yards out two plays later for the final points.

HAZLETON RETUNS

Hazleton’s return for the Hokies was expected to boost their passing game, and did on the long touchdown pass, but his first impact wasn’t what coach Justin Fuente was expecting: the wide receiver was called for an illegal blindside block in the second quarter.

THE TAKEAWAY

Duke: The Blue Devils started slow with just 5 yards in the first quarter, but got jump-started by a fumble that led to a one-play touchdown drive. They scored on their last three possessions of the first half, taking the crowd completely out of the game. Duke had 162 yards in the second quarter to lead 21-3.

Harris, who was missing receivers early, finished 20 for 27 for 163 yards and ran for 100 yards on 17 carries.

Virginia Tech: The Hokies hardly looked like a team that spent their bye week making improvements. With a first-and-goal from the Duke 6, three running plays netted four yards. A switch from Ryan Willis to Hendon Hooker turned disastrous on Hooker’s second play when his handoff never made it to Keshawn King, leading to a 24-yard loss an a 16-yard TD play on the next, the first of two scoring throws to wide open receivers in the first half.

UP NEXT

The Blue Devils open a two-game homestand with a night game against Pittsburgh.

The Hokies go on the road to face long-time rival Miami.