El Paso, Texas — On Dec. 31, 2025, Darian Mensah threw for 327 yards and four touchdowns to lift Duke to a 42-39 victory over Arizona State in the Sun Bowl. Mensah, named game MVP, completed 29 of 51 passes and threw one interception; his 17-yard scoring pass to Que’Sean Brown with 2:10 remaining broke a 39-39 tie and decided the shootout. Nate Sheppard paced Duke on the ground with 170 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries, while Brown finished with 10 catches for 178 yards and two scores. Arizona State’s Jeff Sims had a standout day — 27 of 38 for 375 yards and three TDs, plus 70 rushing yards and two rushing scores — but three turnovers helped swing the result in Duke’s favor.
Key takeaways
- Duke won 42-39; Mensah threw four TD passes and was named MVP, finishing 29-for-51 for 327 yards with one interception.
- Que’Sean Brown led receiving with 10 catches for 178 yards and two touchdowns; Cooper Barkate’s near-score was nullified by a forced fumble in the end zone.
- Nate Sheppard rushed 22 times for 170 yards and one TD, helping Duke sustain long, game-changing drives.
- Jeff Sims completed 27 of 38 passes for 375 yards and three TDs and added 70 rushing yards and two rushing TDs; he accounted for five total touchdowns.
- The game set Sun Bowl records for combined total offense (1,158 yards), most yards by an individual team (ASU, 619 yards), and most points in a half (52 in the first half).
- Arizona State turned the ball over three times to Duke’s one, a decisive margin late in the fourth quarter.
- Duke finished the season 9-5, marking the program’s second consecutive nine-win season; Arizona State closed 8-5.
Background
Duke entered the Sun Bowl as the ACC champion and with modest College Football Playoff hopes behind them; the Blue Devils nevertheless viewed the bowl as an opportunity to finish strongly. Arizona State arrived shorthanded: 22 rostered players who saw time this season were unavailable for the game, forcing multiple lineup changes and four players making their first career starts. The teams’ only previous meeting came in the 2019 Sun Bowl, a 36-21 victory for Arizona State, so this matchup carried a measure of historical symmetry.
Sun Bowl matchups often draw scrutiny over significance and attendance, but both programs used the game as a concluding statement for their 2025 campaigns. Duke sought to cap back-to-back nine-win seasons — a rarity in program history — while Arizona State navigated roster turnover after a season that included a Peach Bowl appearance in 2024. Coaching staffs, NFL prospects and transferring players all factored into pregame narratives, and both teams deployed heavy passing attacks early in the contest.
Main event
The first half featured torrid offense and frequent lead changes, producing 52 points and setting the game’s early tone. Sims provided an electric start for Arizona State with a 4-yard touchdown run and later a 38-yard scramble that tied the contest at 21 in the second quarter. Duke responded through Mensah’s passing rhythm and Sheppard’s ground work, matching big plays with sustained drives.
In the fourth quarter, Arizona State regained a 39-35 advantage on a 6-yard TD pass from Sims to Malik McClain at 12:31, their first lead since the opening series. Duke drove inside the red zone later in the quarter and appeared to take the lead on an 8-yard pass to Cooper Barkate, only for Nyland Green to force a fumble in the end zone and knock the potential score loose. The Sun Devils then had possession with 2:51 left, but Jason Brown Jr. fumbled on the next play; Kendall Johnson forced the ball and Ma’Khi Jones recovered at the ASU 22.
Two plays after the turnover, Mensah hit Que’Sean Brown on a left-side screen; Brown shed a tackle and finished a 17-yard scoring run with 2:10 remaining to make it 42-39. Arizona State had one final push, but Sims’ attempt over the middle was intercepted by Duke’s Luke Mergott, sealing the Blue Devils’ win. The sequence — a forced fumble, quick strike and late interception — underscored how a single turnover swung the outcome in the final three minutes.
Analysis & implications
Duke’s victory reinforced the program’s late-season momentum and gave Manny Diaz a signature bowl win that highlights both quarterback development and depth at receiver. Mensah’s four TD passes matched a Sun Bowl record, and Brown’s 178 receiving yards showcased a chemistry that could carry into recruiting and offensive scheming next season. The win also marks Duke’s second straight nine-win season, a benchmark that can aid in player retention and offseason recruiting conversations.
For Arizona State, the box score paints a paradox: 619 total yards and five Sims touchdowns, yet an 8-5 finish. The Sun Devils’ three turnovers — including the decisive fumble inside the final three minutes — exposed the roster instability caused by absences and late-season attrition. Coach Kenny Dillingham’s postgame emphasis on the turnover margin reflects a broader issue for ASU: generating explosive offense while securing the ball and closing tight games.
Individually, Sims leaves the game with a standout performance in his final year of eligibility but a difficult closing memory; his dual-threat day masked the single interception that ended ASU’s last hope. On Duke’s side, Mensah’s willingness to attack downfield and rely on playmakers like Brown and Sheppard will likely shape offseason discussions about scheme and personnel. Nationally, the shootout will register as one of the more offensively prolific bowl games of the season and may influence how bowl matchups are perceived when rosters are impacted by transfers or injuries.
Comparison & data
| Statistic | Duke | Arizona State |
|---|---|---|
| Total offense | 539 yards | 619 yards |
| Passing yards | 327 (Mensah) | 375 (Sims) |
| Rushing leader | 170 (N. Sheppard) | 120 (Jason Brown Jr.) |
| Turnovers | 1 | 3 |
| Combined total offense | 1,158 yards (Sun Bowl record) | |
| Most points in a half | 52 (first half, Sun Bowl record) | |
The box score shows Arizona State amassed more yards overall (619) but lost the turnover battle, a decisive factor in the final minutes. Duke converted one short-field opportunity after the fumble recovery and needed only two plays to retake the lead. Those situational numbers — turnovers in the red zone and points off turnovers — underline why raw yardage did not determine the winner. Coaches on both sides will likely use the matchup to study late-game ball security and red-zone defensive technique.
Reactions & quotes
Players and coaches framed the result in emotional and tactical terms in the immediate aftermath. Mensah credited teammates for the comeback and emphasized trust in his playmakers, while Duke’s coach highlighted the program’s resilience.
“My teammates did an exceptional job of lifting me up. It’s my teammates. All I have to do is get it to my playmakers.”
Darian Mensah, Duke QB (game MVP)
Duke head coach Manny Diaz called the contest an “instant classic” and pointed to momentum swings and late-game resolve as defining features. He framed the win as evidence of a team culture that finds a way when things tilt against it.
“There was a big-time atmosphere, that was a big-time game… when the easiest thing to do is say ‘it’s not our day,’ they find a way to win.”
Manny Diaz, Duke head coach
Kenny Dillingham of Arizona State cited the turnover margin as the central reason for the loss, noting his defense made key plays at critical moments but the turnovers proved costly.
“You’re not going to win games when you lose the turnover battle like that… they just made one more play than us.”
Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State head coach
Unconfirmed
- Reports describing Jordyn Tyson as an expected first-round NFL pick are speculative and should be treated as projections rather than confirmed draft status.
Bottom line
Duke’s 42-39 win in the Sun Bowl capped a 9-5 season and underscored the Blue Devils’ recent consistency, marking back-to-back nine-win campaigns for only the second time in program history. The victory hinged on a late forced fumble and quick scoring response, illustrating how turnovers and situational execution decided a game in which Arizona State outgained Duke by 80 yards.
Arizona State finishes 8-5 with a performance that mixed offensive explosiveness with critical miscues; the Sun Devils’ roster absences and three turnovers highlight challenges that will shape offseason decisions on depth and ball security. Both teams will turn toward 2026 preparation — Duke riding momentum into a Sept. 5 home opener against Tulane, and Arizona State opening at home vs. Morgan State on Sept. 5 — with lessons from a high-scoring, tightly contested bowl to guide them.