DURHAM – Elon put an early scare into Duke before falling 45-17 in a season-opening loss Thursday night at Wallace Wade Stadium.
 
The Phoenix (0-1) found itself tied with the Blue Devils 10-10 at halftime and trailed by just seven points in the first minute of the fourth quarter. Duke (1-0) scored the final 21 points of the game to pull away for the victory.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• After amassing just 11 total yards on its first three offensive drives of the game, Elon put together back-to-back scoring drives of 58 and 75 yards across the first and second quarters and entered halftime with a 10-10 tie.
• A 44-yard rush by TJ Thomas Jr. on the final play of the first quarter set up an eventual 35-yard field goal by Luke Barnes, which knotted the game at 3-3.
• After Duke responded with four-play scoring drive to regain the lead at 10-3, Elon punched right back with Landen Clark capping a nine-play, 75-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown rush to tie the contest once again. Jimmyll Williams pushed Elon into Duke territory on the first play of the drive with a 28-yard rush and Clark found Zimere Winston for a 29-yard connection through the air two plays later.
• Elon held the Blue Devils scoreless on their first two drives on the game – including a missed 45-yard field goal with 11:47 left in the first quarter. The Phoenix later forced a fumble on Duke's second-to-last drive of the first half.
• Duke went on to score the first 14 points after halftime, but Elon kept things interesting into the fourth quarter.  Landyn Backey found the endzone with a three-yard jet sweep on fourth down in the first minute of the fourth quarter to make it a seven-point deficit. Duke went on to score the next 21 points in the fourth quarter to seal it.

 
NOTES & STATS

• Thomas led Elon with 95 all-purpose yards, highlighted by a 44-yard rush and 46-yard kickoff return. He finished the game with 11 carries for 46 rushing yards in his first action since suffering a season-ending injury on Oct. 26, 2024.
• The Phoenix gained more yardage on Thomas' 44-yard rush to end the first quarter than it did in 36 total rushing attempts (30 yards) in the 2024 opener at Duke.
• Clark's 61 rushing yards led Elon. It was the first time a Phoenix quarterback led the team in rushing since Matthew McKay had 53 yards on 11 attempts in Elon's loss to Furman in the 2022 FCS Playoffs (Nov. 26, 2022). Clark was also 10-of-16 for 101 passing yards.
• Dylan Magazu's 61 receiving yards were a career best. All 61 yards came on three receptions during Elon's 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that ended at the start of the fourth quarter.
• DJ James-Hamilton was the game's leading tackler with a career-high 11 total tackles, of which were another game-high seven solo tackles. James-Hamilton's top two tackling games of his career have come against the Blue Devils; he had nine in last season's opener in Durham.
• Brodie Carroll finished with seven tackles in his Phoenix debut and forced a fumble late in the second quarter. Dillon Pardue – who collected his first career sack in the loss – came up with the fumble recovery.
• Jeff Yurk continued to show his All-American status against the Blue Devils. In five punts, Yurk averaged 49.8 yards per punt, with two punts exceeding 50 yards. Yurk also saw two punts downed inside the 20 yard-line in the loss.
• Elon won the turnover battle with Carrol's forced fumble and Pardue's recovery. The Phoenix also won last year's turnover battle against the Blue Devils.

 
UP NEXT
Elon hosts Davidson next Saturday, Sept. 6, in the Phoenix's home opener. Kickoff at Rhodes Stadium is set for 6 p.m. ET.
 
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Fans can support Elon Athletics through the Phoenix Club. To purchase 2025 tickets, visit TicketMaster.com/ElonTickets.
 
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