Daniel Jones – Noteworthy
Daniel Jones kept Duke moving to big yardage totals, while the Blue Devils’ defense provided help when the offense stumbled. That has the Blue Devils keeping the Victory Bell after another rivalry win against North Carolina. Jones accounted for a program-record 547 total yards and four touchdowns to help Duke beat UNC 42-35 on Saturday, earning the program’s third straight win in the longtime series of nearby neighbors. Jones threw for 361 yards and three touchdowns for the Blue Devils (7-3, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference). He also ran for a 61-yard touchdown and had a 68-yard keeper in a 186-yard rushing day, helping Duke finish with a season-high 629 yards.
And there was no shortage of praise for the redshirt junior’s performance. “Daniel Jones played as well as a quarterback can play,” said Duke coach David Cutcliffe, who has had a few notable pupils in his coaching career that includes a couple of guys named Peyton and Eli Manning. “I know I’m not the fastest guy on the field,” Jones said of his runs. “I was trying to run as fast as I could. Both of those long runs, I’m not sure I really got touched, and I think that’s a credit to those guys up front.” Jones’ 547 yards of total offense were also the most ever allowed by UNC, surpassing the record of 525 yards set last year by reigning Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson of Louisville. – AP College Football