After early deficit, Duke puts away Cal with 38-point run

Field Level Media|published: Sun 5th October, 02:17 2025

Oct 4, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) throws a pass against the California Golden Bears during the second quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Darian Mensah passed for 265 yards and two touchdowns and Duke scored the game's final 38 points to post a 45-21 victory over Cal on Saturday night in Atlantic Coast Conference play at Berkeley, Calif.

Nate Sheppard rushed for 91 yards and two scores and Anderson Castle also rushed for two touchdowns for the Blue Devils (4-2, 3-0 ACC), who registered their third consecutive victory.

Que'Sean Brown caught six passes for 104 yards and one touchdown, Cooper Barkate had a scoring catch and Duke racked up four interceptions and six sacks. The Blue Devils and Virginia are the lone ACC squads with 3-0 league records.

Mensah completed 22 of 30 passes and raised his season passing touchdowns count to 15. He has thrown multiple scoring passes in all six games.

Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele was 20-of-31 passing for 245 yards and one touchdown but also threw three interceptions. Kendrick Raphael rushed for two scores and Jordan King had a touchdown catch for the Golden Bears (4-2, 1-1).

Elliott Schaper had 12 tackles and an interception for Duke. Moussa Kane, Andrew Pellicciotta and Chandler Rivers also had picks for the Blue Devils.

The teams combined for 52 first-half points -- 31 by Duke -- during their first meeting since 1963.

Neither squad scored during the first 21-plus minutes of the second half until Duke broke the drought on Mensah's 10-yard touchdown pass to Barkate to make it 38-21 with 8:22 remaining in the game.

Sheppard then turned the game into a rout with a 46-yard scamper to give the Blue Devils a 24-point lead with 5:50 remaining.

The Golden Bears opened the game with two touchdowns in less than 10 minutes. Sagapolutele capped the initial drive with a 6-yard scoring pass to King before Raphael scored from the 5 for a 14-0 lead.

Duke got on the board on Sheppard's 12-yard run with 2:38 left in the first quarter. But Raphael's 4-yard touchdown run made it 21-7 with 12:17 left in the first half.

Castle scored from the 2 midway through the quarter to start the string of unanswered Blue Devils points. Mensah tossed a 26-yard scoring pass to Brown to tie it at 21 with 5:50 remaining in the half and Castle's 1-yard run gave Duke its first lead at 28-21 with 1:10 to play.

Todd Pelino booted a 25-yard field goal as time expired in the half.

--Field Level Media