Mattaeo Durant can only do so much.

Duke lost its opener 31-28 on Friday night at Charlotte despite Durant’s school-record 255 rushing yards, which included two touchdowns of 50-plus yards to give Duke leads in the fourth quarter.

It’s the third straight loss in a season-opening game for the Blue Devils – though, becoming the first Power 5 conference team to lose to Charlotte doesn’t resonate on a level with losing to Alabama and Notre Dame.

This was a back-and-forth game that featured four lead changes in the fourth quarter. Charlotte jumped out to a 10-0 lead, but Jordan Waters took a swing pass from Gunnar Holmberg 43 yards for a touchdown and Durant scored a touchdown to give Duke a second-quarter lead.

Durant scored on a 59-yard run about two minutes into the fourth quarter to give Duke a 21-17 lead, which the Blue Devils held until Chris Reynolds’ 9-yard touchdown pass to Grant DuBose with 2:59 left – capping a 93-yard drive.

Durant’s second score of the quarter – and third of the game – came from 53 yards out with 1:44 left.

Reynolds struck in the final minute, completing four of five passes for 69 yards on the final drive, culminating with his 7-yard scoring pass to Shadrick Byrd with 33 seconds left – capping a 75-yard drive.

Duke reached midfield on the game’s final possession, but penalties stalled the Blue Devils out before their last-ditch play with several laterals came up short.