DURHAM -- Duke came back from a 14-point halftime deficit to come within a point of beating Wake Forest on Saturday, another game where the Blue Devils’ habit of starting slowly held them back at the finish.

In five of Duke’s seven games so far, the Blue Devils have been behind at the half. They’ve been tied once and ahead once -- accounting for two of Duke’s three wins this season.

In the other five games, Duke has been outscored 90-34 in the first half and been down by a touchdown or more at halftime in three of them.

DURHAM -- Duke redshirt freshman Sydney Sarmiento, a reserve defensive end, had his knee scoped Tuesday “but we expect him back soon,’’ coach David Cutcliffe said.

“He’s got a chance [to be back] before the season [beings],’’ he added. “It’s one of those things, you see those guys sometimes after scopes back in six days. But it just depends on how receptive his body is to the surgery they did.”