Duke's futility vs. ranked non-conference opponents continues vs. Illinois

Illinois v Duke | Lance King/GettyImages The Duke football program went into Saturday with a prime opportunity to pick up a marquee win over No. 11 Illinois at home, and the Blue Devils fell short in a very frustrating game for fans. After a first half where Manny Diaz and his guys were in it, heading into the locker room in a 14-13 deficit, the second half was a completely different story. Turnovers, sloppy plays, and an inconsistent pass defense plagued Duke from finding any sort of offensive rhythm, and the Blue Devils ultimately fell to the Fighting Illini 45-19. The score doesn't show the true story of the game, as Duke let it get away in the fourth quarter. Still, the Blue Devils have lost out on a massive opportunity to pick up a major win at home.

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