Devils hang on, top Vandy

AP photo

NASHVILLE — Duke had to dodge several ghosts of seasons past while playing Vanderbilt at Vanderbilt Stadium on Saturday.

Missed field goals. Turnovers. A soul-killing big pass play just when you think you’ve got a handle on a game.

The Blue Devils flinched over and over but sophomore defensive back Chris Rwabukamba intercepted a late pass to help Duke work out a tough 10-7 non-conference victory over Vanderbilt.

Duke (4-3), needing two wins to earn a trip to a bowl, plays Wake Forest, which lost to Miami on Saturday, in Winston-Salem next weekend.

Duke led 10-0 to start the fourth quarter of a defense-heavy game when Vanderbilt finally uncorked a huge play.

Quarterback Mackenzi Adams saw Sean Walker streaking past Duke’s defense and caught him in-stride with a 79-yard scoring bomb with 13:20 left in the game.

Vanderbilt had the momentum on offense by that point. The Commodores had a chance to tie with 7:16 left in the game but kicker Bryant Hahnfeldt missed a 42-yard field goal.

Vanderbilt’s do-or-die moment came on fourth-and-6 from its own 19 yard-line with 2;53 left in the game. Duke cornerback Jabari Marshall knocked Adam’s pass attempt away to give Duke the ball and a chance to run out the clock.

But Duke couldn’t move the ball and Vandy got the ball back.

With Duke playing bend-don’t-break coverage, Adams found some open space to throw and some seams to run as he drove the Commodores down to the Duke 39.

But Adams went for the whole shebang on first down from the 39. Throwing to Walker, Rwabukhamba picked it off near the end zone to save the game.

Before Walker’s touchdown, Duke had been moving the ball on offense but it kept getting stuck near Vanderbilt’s end zone without actually touching it.

At the end of the third quarter, Duke's special teams gave Duke a great shot to go for the end zone and again the Blue Devils couldn't punch it in.

After forcing a Vanderbilt punt, Duke special teamer Matt Daniels had hit Vandy kick return man Jamie Graham, forcing Graham to cough up the ball and allowing Duke long-snapper Chris Shannon to recover it.

Before kicker Nick Maggio made a 42-yard field goal to give Duke a 10-0 lead, Lewis was sacked on third-and-8 from the Vandy 13. After losing his helmet on the hit, Lewis chased after the loose ball and recovered it.

It caught up with the Devils on third-and-goal from the Vanderbilt 2 earlier in the third.

Duke receiver Tony Jackson had just sprinted down field for a 38-yard pickup and Eron Riley gained another 12 yards on another reception to put Duke in the red zone.

But Lewis, for the third time in that area of the field, got sacked and for the third time, he fumbled. This time Vanderbilt recovered.

Right before the end of the first half, Lewis hooked up with Jackson for a 22-yard touchdown.

But before Duke got on the board, the two teams did their best work playing defense and missing field goals.

After Jackson scored the first touchdown of his career, Duke also blocked Brett Upson's punt right before halftime.

Duke's Eddie Morgan recovered on the Vandy 13. That gave Maggio a 43-yard attempt in the final seconds, which he missed.

Vanderbilt's best drive of the first half ended one play into the second quarter. Duke defensive lineman Clifford Respress sacked Adams a play earlier to prevent the Commodores from getting closer and Vandy kicker Bryant Hahnfeldt missed a 34-yard field goal attempt.

A few series later, Duke’s drive stalled Lewis was sacked by Myron Lewis for a loss of 10 on third down. Lewis also fumbled.

Duke recovered but kicker Joe Surgan missed a 50-yard field goal.