By BRYAN STRICKLAND

bstrickland@heraldsun.com; 419-6671

DURHAM -- As Duke prepares to take on Virginia in a Halloween showdown today in Charlottesville, the Blue Devils are well aware that they've mustered just 104 rushing yards all month.

It should be a scary thought for any team over any three-game stretch, but it's actually the Blue Devils' opponents that have been spooked.

Many wonder: "Can Duke run the ball?"

One answer to the question is: "Does it matter?"

It's hard to tell because the Blue Devils have been too busy putting up dizzying numbers in the passing game to worry about the answer.

"We're going to run the ball better," Duke coach David Cutcliffe said. "I think anybody who looks at us would love to say, 'We're going to try to make you beat us running.' We've got to try to find a way to stay somewhat balanced, but we're going to find a way to throw the football.

"They can try to make it hard -- they can make it a challenge, but that will just change our course on how to throw it."

And that, in a nutshell is what makes today's 3:30 p.m. matchup of teams seeking to stay in the postseason discussion so darn interesting.

The Blue Devils (4-3, 2-1 ACC), on the strength of 1,189 passing yards from quarterback Thad Lewis in three October games, head into Scott Stadium sporting the ACC's best and the nation's sixth-best pass offense at 322.6 yards per game.

The Blue Devils have tossed 18 touchdown passes, better than all but six teams in the nation.

On the other sideline, however, stands a Virginia team that leads the ACC and ranks fifth in the nation in pass defense, yielding 151.3 yards per game. The Cavaliers (3-4, 2-1) have allowed just three touchdowns passes all season -- only top-ranked Florida has allowed fewer.

"It should be fun to see where that all falls," Cutcliffe said. "Our receivers against their secondary is going to be critical. They pushed us around a year ago in that regard. They bullied us pretty good, so we'll be challenged there without a doubt.

"Their secondary is special."

Even though Duke beat Virginia 31-3 a year ago, the Blue Devils' secondary had more to do with the victory than its passing game. Duke actually was outgained 304 yards to 258, but four second-half interceptions set up most of the scoring.

Virginia's secondary features returning starters Chris Cook and Ras-I Dowling at the corners, a duo that has combined for 11 career interceptions. The safety spots feature Rodney McLeod and Southern Durham High School product Brandon Woods, who started earlier this month at UNC when McLeod was injured and played well enough to join McLeod in the starting 11.

The secondary is left to do its job thanks to a physical 3-4 look up front led by nose tackle Nate Collins, a 290-pounder who had 16 tackles a week ago against Georgia Tech but also is agile enough that he returned an interception 32 yards for a touchdown against Maryland.

"They whipped around a good bit last year with their defense," Cutcliffe said. "This is the hardest hitting defensive team we will play. They are loaded for big hits and have very physical players across the board -- big front and big linebackers."

Cutcliffe believes that regardless of the makeup of the opponent, his offense has to establish the threat of the run -- even if Duke doesn't follow through on the threat. Lewis has been the most consistent ball carrier, usually on quarterback draws, but for the first time all season, Duke should have four healthy backs poised to do more than pass protect.

"If they drop eight people and only rush three, we have to be able to run the ball," Duke center Bryan Morgan said. "We're very confident. We know the task at hand, and I believe with all my heart that the guys will step up to the challenge. We all will."