Duke safety Andrew Pellicciotta straight up took NC State’s 50-yard field goal attempt 109 yards to the house for a touchdown with just two seconds left before halftime.
Pellicciotta’s Epic Sprint Changes Everything Before the Half
NC State was trying to cut into Duke’s 24-3 lead, lining up for a long 50-yard kick from Kanoah Vinesett. The ball came off his foot okay, but it fell short, right into Pellicciotta’s waiting arms. Dude took off, went 109 yards, and suddenly Duke’s lead ballooned to a ridiculous 31-3. Talk about a gut punch right before the locker room! It’s one thing to get a short field, but taking it 109 yards like that? That’s just demoralizing.
Duke’s Special Teams are Doing *What* Now?!
And get this, that wasn’t even the first time a Duke game featured a kick return for a score in consecutive weeks. Just last week, Boston College returned a *blocked* field goal for a safety, which were the only two points they put up in Duke’s massive 47-2 win. So Duke’s special teams unit? They’re clearly up to something wild, finding ways to flip games on their head. Honestly, Pellicciotta’s epic return almost overshadowed what was already a monster first half from Nate Sheppard, who was absolutely gashing NC State for 168 rushing yards and two touchdowns on only 13 carries. Like, how good do you have to be to make a 109-yard pick-six look like the *second* biggest story?
This kind of explosive play, especially right before the half, changes the whole vibe of a game. Duke is clearly bringing some serious fireworks to the field, and it’s plays like Pellicciotta’s that keep everyone on their toes.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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