Only problem was the Blue Devils never got the monster off the ground in a 15-12 overtime loss to visiting Northwestern.

“These kind of games are tough on your soul,” first-year coach Carl Franks said after Duke (0-2) failed to score a touchdown for the second straight week. “Sometimes its easier to lose by 40. I don’t have any answers. But I do know you’ve got to score touchdowns to win.”

In a game that featured seven field goals and 21 punts, only one player reached the end zone. That was Northwestern running back Sam Simmons, who scored on a game-ending 27-yard pass play.

“It’s a shame one play had to decide it,” Duke cornerback Ronnie Hamilton said afterward. “But we had our chances. Lots of them.”

Perhaps their best came moments earlier, when Duke opened the overtime series by driving from Northwestern’s 25-yard line to the one. On third-and-goal quarterback Kevin Thompson, subbing for the injured Spencer Romine and ineffective Bobby Campbell, seemingly hit Scottie Montgomery on a slant pattern in the end zone. Montgomery dove horizontally to his left and made what looked like a spectacular fingertip grab. Officials, however, ruled the pass incomplete.

“Yes, I asked Scottie if he caught that ball,” Franks told reporters in the post-game interview room. “But what he says doesn’t matter. Ask him yourself.”

Montgomery, who was limited to two catches for 12 yards, was equally evasive. “All I can say is that our offense is struggling,” he said. “That’s very easy to see. We’ve got nine games left but right now we are desperate for a win.”

Duke lassoed its only lead when Sims Lenhardt kicked his fourth field goal — and seventh of the season — one snap later. Northwestern (2-1), which won the coin toss prior to overtime and chose to have last licks, took over and immediately lost two yards when tailback Damien Anderson was popped in the backfield by 6-6 defensive tackle Chris Combs.

On second down, southpaw quarterback Nick Kreinbrink delivered a screen pass to Simmons, who outmuscled at least two defenders and barreled down the right sideline for the win.

“The worst thing we could do,” said Combs, “is start pointing fingers. We don’t want to separate ourselves into offense and defense. We’re gonna sink or swim as a team. The fact is we gave up a touchdown in overtime that we shouldn’t have. Now we’ve got to figure out how to fix it. If we keep playing hard, good things are going to happen.”

They are happening for Lenhardt, who was successful from 49, 23, 37 and 20 yards out. The senior from Charleston, who forced the OT when he converted with 1:14 to play, has made a school-record 48 field goals and is now fourth on Duke’s all-time scoring list with 196 points.

“That’s nice,” Thompson said during a quiet moment. “But what it means is we’re kicking too many field goals. We’ve got to find a way to cash in and put it in the end zone. We still haven’t put the puzzle all together.”

Duke’s next chance comes Saturday night when it hosts Vanderbilt in its final pre-ACC contest. “I only hope we’re building up some credit,” said Franks. “We’ve already made enough mistakes to last a season.”