PLAYERS TO WATCH
–QB Daniel Jones has three career touchdown passes with one interception in two games vs. Pittsburgh. Since throwing for 272 yards last year in a loss to Pittsburgh, he has reached that total only once in 10 outings since then.
–RB Deon Jackson has had all the running back carries for two straight games since an injury to RB Brittain Brown. Jackson, a sophomore, responded by gaining a career-high 98 yards on 21 carries at Georgia Tech, but only 17 yards on 11 carries in the Virginia game. That last game also resulted in the end of his four-game streak with a rushing touchdown.
–TE Dallas Koppenhaver, a fifth-year senior, has tied the school record for career touchdown receptions by a tight end with 10. He matched a record that has been in place for 55 years. He needs to get moving against Pittsburgh because he didn’t have a reception in last year’s game with the Panthers. That’s one of only three games in Duke’s last 25 games that Koppenhaver didn’t have at least one catch.
–WR T.J. Rahming has 208 career receptions, becoming the fourth player in Duke history to reach the 200-catch mark for a career. But his latest feat was throwing a touchdown pass in a gadget play against Virginia. That marked his second career pass, but first that went for a touchdown.
SERIES HISTORY: Pittsburgh leads Duke 13-9, winning the past three matchups. Duke is 1-4 vs. the Panthers since Pittsburgh joined the ACC.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “A lot of guys who play and a lot who rotate in with the (first string).” — QB Daniel Jones on the offensive line, which has incurred several injuries. Duke, which will have its third starting left tackle of the season this week, is without an offensive lineman on the roster who has played in all of the team’s last 26 or more games.