Senior safety Damarious Randall attempts to break up a pass in the Sun Bowl against Duke, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2014 at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso. (Ben Moffat/The State Press)EL PASO -- After decades of futility, Duke football has turned the corner, but there is still one accomplishment yet to be achieved in the program's turnaround – a bowl victory.
After losing 36-31 to No. 15 ASU (10-3), Duke (9-4) will have to wait another season to end its historic bowl drought, which spans back to the 1961 Cotton Bowl.
Like the 2013 Chick Fil A Bowl and the 2012 Belk Bowl games, coach David Cutcliffe felt like his team played well enough to win. In 2013, Duke lost to Texas A&M; after leading by 21 points, and in 2012, Duke was tied with Cincinnati with less than one minute remaining.
“I will never regret losing a bowl game, I would love to win them all but we know these bowl games are big for our program," Duke coach David Cutcliffe said.
In the 2014 Sun Bowl, Duke lost another heartbreaker. Cutcliffe's squad eventually took a 31-30 lead with 5:03 remaining in the game after converting four fourth downs on two consecutive touchdown drives only to give it up the lead almost instantaneously.
Duke senior wide receiver Jamison Crowder took a handoff and threw a go-ahead touchdown on fourth down to fellow receiver Issac Blakeney – with his off-hand no less. The drive was kept alive by a 30-yard fake punt pass on fourth-and-11 from punter Will Monday to wide receiver Johnell Barnes.
Crowder, who has at least 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons, was instrumental in keeping the Blue Devils in the game. He was Duke's leading receiver with seven catches for 102 yards. On special teams, he returned a punt 68 yards to cut the deficit to 20-17.
Duke defensive back Devon Edwards intercepted an ASU pass on the next drive – which would have given Duke the ball down three points, but the play was overturned on replay.
Despite Duke's momentum, ASU responded every time Duke threw a counter punch. ASU scored a touchdown on its opening drive of the second half.
After Duke took the lead in the fourth quarter, freshman running back Kalen Ballage returned the kickoff inside the Duke 5-yard line. Fellow freshman running back Demario Richard - the Sun Bowl MVP - scored his fourth touchdown of the game on the very next play.
Duke had another attempt at a comeback, but ASU junior cornerback Kweishi Brown intercepted senior quarterback Anthony Boone in the end zone on third down, with the pass being intended for Crowder.
On its first four drives, Duke had three points and three punts. With Boone inconsistent throwing the ball accuracy-wise, the Blue Devils relied heavily on their running game.
Duke typically uses a running back-by-committee approach, but junior Shaquille Powell got a career-best 29 carries Saturday, with his previous high of 17.
“We went with Powell because we know he could penetrate their defensive line and that would open some opportunities on the passing game,” Cutcliffe said.
With Duke down 20-3, Powell keyed an eight-play 78-yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown reception On the drive, he also gained 32 yards on a screen pass – a season-long for him.
But even with Crowder and Powell's late efforts, it wasn't enough to close the game.
Two turnovers proved to be the difference. Duke's last six drives (outside of the end of the half) either ended in a touchdown or a turnover: touchdown, touchdown, fumble, touchdown, touchdown, interception.
With the loss, Duke failed to achieve double-digit wins, something the accomplished for the first time in the Cutcliffe era last season.
Reach the sports editor at jmjanss1@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @jjanssen11
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