 After taking Week 12 off due to Duke Football's bye, we're back with fresh bowl projections as the Blue Devils gear up for their final stretch of games. Duke hosts Virginia Tech this Saturday night at Wallace Wade Stadium and wraps up the regular season with a short trip to Winston-Salem for an early afternoon matchup against Wake Forest. Here’s where Brian and I see Duke football heading as the postseason looms. Brian Kennedy of Duke Football Talk Duke fans, we are down to the nitty gritty of the ACC season, and things are quickly heating up. First things first, how about Duke going to Raleigh two weeks ago and handling business against NC State. That is exactly what this team needed heading into the BYE week to prepare for this week's game against Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech comes into this weekend's game 5-5, and still need 1 win to become bowl eligible, so they will be hungry Saturday night. As I take a step back and look at the ACC and all the competition near Duke, things are slowly starting to fall in place, but there are still a lot of unknowns. Will SMU find a way into the 12-team playoff? Will Pitt continue to free fall? Will CHC win out and go 8-4? So many scenarios, so little time to figure things out. With all that being said, Duke is in control of its own destiny. As I stated earlier, Virginia Tech comes in in survival mode, and will look to get their 6th win. If Duke can get past VT this weekend, things are looking really good for the Blue Devils to win out and finish the season 9-3. Based off everything I have seen so far this year, I don't see any reason why it will not happen, and because of that Duke is on the move. I have had the Blue Devils in Charlotte the past couple of weeks waiting for the ACC dust to settle. Now that things are becoming clear, I truly believe Duke will be in Florida in the land of microwavable pastries. Duke will be in the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando. Duke fans, please show up and show out for this team and all the seniors that will be honored on Saturday night for Senior Day.  Freddie Hodges of Duke Report Welcome back! With Duke’s bye behind us, let’s quickly revisit their November 9 victory over NC State, a 29-19 statement win that underscored Duke's dominance in the Triangle this season. The Blue Devils came out firing in the first quarter with what my friend called a "Manny Diaz hat trick," scoring a safety, a field goal, and a touchdown to jump out to a 12-0 lead. From there, Duke controlled the game in Raleigh and solidified their claim as the top team in the region this season. Now, the Blue Devils face a 5-5 Virginia Tech team on Saturday night. The Hokies are fighting to secure bowl eligibility and have had a rollercoaster season, boasting impressive moments like a win over Georgia Tech and a narrow four-point loss to Miami. Coming into this game, oddsmakers have Virginia Tech as slight favorites (-3), making it clear that Duke will need to bring their A-game to get the win. With two games left in the season, the Coastal... I mean "ACC Chaos" remains unpredictable. Some burning questions include:
The final stretch promises plenty of intrigue as ACC teams jockey for postseason positioning. Two weeks ago, after Duke’s tough loss to Miami, I had the Blue Devils slotted for the Pinstripe Bowl. But with their victory over NC State and a bye week to regroup, my projection now shifts to the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte. (Extra mayo on your cheeseburger, anyone?) As Brian mentioned earlier, if you can, show up for Duke’s last home game at Wallace Wade. Also if you're able to make the short trip to Winston-Salem, join the Blue Devils’ faithful in supporting the team in their season finale at Wake Forest.  Stay tuned to the Blue Devils Blog for weekly updates on bowl projections as the season comes to a close. With just two games left, there's still potential for plenty of movement depending on Duke’s results. Let’s see how this exciting season wraps up!
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 Duke Basketball delivered a defensive clinic on Saturday afternoon at Cameron Indoor Stadium, holding Wofford to a mere 35 points in an 86-35 blowout victory. The Blue Devils' defensive dominance set a historic benchmark, with Duke Men's Basketball X account noting that it was the fewest points allowed by the program in the shot-clock era. The last time a Duke opponent scored fewer points was on March 8, 1968, when NC State managed just 12 points.  The offensive production was just as impressive. Duke spread the scoring load, with Tyrese Proctor leading the way with 15 points. Contributions also came from Isaiah Evans (14 points), Caleb Foster (13 points), and Khaman Maluach (11 points). Cooper Flagg continued to fill up the stat sheet with 8 points, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. By halftime, Duke had raced to a commanding 51-14 lead, effectively sealing the game early. With such a cushion, head coach Jon Scheyer had the luxury of spreading minutes across the roster, and 11 players scored in the win. This dominant performance came just days after Duke's narrow loss to Kentucky in the Champions Classic. While many expected the Blue Devils to bounce back at home, few could have foreseen such a thorough dismantling of Wofford. A Grueling Schedule Ahead The road ahead, however, gets significantly tougher. Duke embarks on a challenging stretch, facing No. 17 Arizona in Tucson on Friday night, followed by a showdown with No. 1 Kansas at the Vegas Showdown in T-Mobile Arena on November 26. The Blue Devils will return to Durham for a Black Friday matchup against Seattle to close out November. By the time the calendar flips to December, Duke will have faced three Top 25 teams in just seven games. The tests won’t stop there—Duke is set to host No. 4 Auburn on December 4 as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge. The gauntlet serves as preparation for the start of ACC play, which begins on the road against Louisville on December 8. Despite the brutal schedule, head coach Jon Scheyer emphasizes staying grounded. When asked about the upcoming matchups, graduate transfer Mason Gillis, who previously played four seasons at Purdue, highlighted the team’s focused mindset: “You have to prepare for every game the same way and respect every opponent. The ball doesn’t change, the rim doesn’t change—nothing about the game changes. It’s just in a different place against another opponent. We’re going to approach it the same way and do our best.” Battle-Tested for ACC Play Duke’s challenging non-conference schedule ensures the team will be battle-tested by the time ACC play begins. With strong leadership from Scheyer and contributions from a deep, talented roster, the Blue Devils are primed to handle the rigors of a demanding season.  Photo by Laura Murphy - Duke Football Talk The Victory Bell has proudly rung in Durham since Duke’s victory over North Carolina on September 28th. Now, with a 29-19 win over NC State at Carter-Finley Stadium, Duke football has staked its claim as the Triangle's top team this season. The showdown in Raleigh kicked off with an unusual sequence, as Duke quickly racked up points in all three phases. By the end of the first quarter, Duke held a 12-0 lead, thanks to a safety, a field goal, and a touchdown. My friend Drew called it the "Manny Diaz hat trick"—a perfect start that showcased Duke’s versatility. NC State clawed back with three field goals in the second quarter, trimming Duke's lead to 12-9 by halftime. The Wolfpack kept up the pressure after the break, adding another field goal to tie the game at 12-12. But then Duke responded with a statement drive: a 10-play, 75-yard march down the field, capped off by Maalik Murphy's first career rushing touchdown on a surprising three-yard dash. This momentum-swinging drive helped the Blue Devils reclaim the lead. Duke held firm, finishing the night with a 29-19 victory to bring their record to an impressive 7-3. In the post-game press conference, Manny Diaz praised his team’s balanced approach: "It was a complete performance in all three phases, which it needed to be to win in an environment like this tonight. So I’m really proud of our guys. Our bye week comes at a good time for us to heal up for the stretch run. But right now, let’s enjoy being 7-3 and move on from there." The Manny Diaz era at Duke has ignited an exciting new chapter for Blue Devils football. Fans have already celebrated milestones this season: early bowl eligibility, reclaiming the Victory Bell for the first time since the 2018 season, and now, taking the crown as the Triangle’s top team. With a well-timed bye week to recover, Duke is gearing up for a primetime showdown against Virginia Tech under the lights at Wallace Wade Stadium on November 23rd. Then, they’ll hit the road for a quick trip to Winston-Salem to close out the regular season against Wake Forest on November 30th. With momentum and the potential to finish strong, Duke football fans have plenty to look forward to in this thrilling season finale before the team heads to bowl season.  QUICK THOUGHTS This Saturday, Duke makes the short trip to Raleigh to face NC State, with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m. at Carter-Finley Stadium. Both teams have something to prove: NC State is coming off a dominant 59–28 victory over Stanford, while Duke looks to recover after back-to-back roller-coaster losses to SMU and Miami. For NC State, a win at home would secure bowl eligibility and could shift the momentum in what has otherwise been a challenging season. Preseason expectations had them ranked fourth in the ACC standings, but so far, they've struggled to meet that mark. Meanwhile, Duke aims to get back in the win column and will be looking to thrive in what’s sure to be an exciting atmosphere at Carter-Finley Stadium. SCORE PREDICTION At the time of writing, NC State is a 3.5-point favorite, with an over/under set at 51.5 points. However, after two disappointing losses, I believe Duke will be ready for a strong comeback under head coach Manny Diaz. Prediction: Duke pulls off a win with a solid performance on both sides of the ball. DUKE 34 NC STATE 21 Brian Kennedy of Duke Football Talk Duke fans, we have reached crunch time in the college football season. Obviously last weekend was not the result anybody had hoped to see, but shoutout to Miami for showing the country why they are the 4th best team in the country. Even with the loss, Duke still stands at 6-3, and the last 3 games against State/VT and Wake are all winnable. And to be honest, Duke needs to win at least 2 of the 3 games to be in the front running for a premier ACC bowl. This past weekend, more teams punched their ticket to postseason play, and even more could join the party after this weekend. I have faith that Duke will get back to its winning ways against NC State. For now I still have Duke staying in Charlotte for the Duke's Mayo Bowl looking at the other teams and their records. Here's to Duke getting back to their winning ways this weekend! Freddie Hodges of Duke Report What a roller coaster of a game for Duke this past Saturday in Miami! Miami jumped to an early 14-0 lead, but Duke clawed back, ultimately going up as much as 28-17 early in the third quarter when Murphy connected with Moore for a touchdown. Duke fans could taste the upset, but then momentum shifted. Miami took control and didn’t look back, charging to a decisive 53-31 victory and covering the spread. Looking ahead at ACC bowl projections, Clemson’s recent loss hurts the ACC’s chances of placing two teams in the College Football Playoff, creating a domino effect that may impact bowl spots for more ACC teams. Though I’m personally not a Notre Dame fan, ACC supporters might hope to see them make the playoff. If they don’t, there’s a chance they could snag a coveted ACC bowl slot. Meanwhile, SMU has a shot at being the second ACC team in the CFP if they can win out and make the ACC Championship game, but the question remains: will the CFP committee give the ACC enough respect? As for Duke, "ACC Chaos" continues as we enter the final weeks of the college football season. With back-to-back losses, I’ve shifted my Duke bowl projection for the first time in four weeks, now projecting them to head north to the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. And, truthfully, I’m about as confident in this projection as I am that the “ACC Chaos” will settle down anytime soon! Duke has three winnable games left this season, and whether they beat NC State this Saturday could influence my bowl projection yet again.  Stay tuned here at Blue Devils Blog for weekly updates on bowl projections. With Duke making the short trip to Raleigh to face NC State, a win or loss could shake things up even more. We’ll keep you posted as this season approaches its final stretch!
 Duke opened its season with a commanding 96 - 62 win over Maine on Monday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium, setting the tone for a promising season ahead. The Blue Devils were led by standout performances from Cooper Flagg and Kon Kneuppel. Flagg showcased his all-around talent with 18 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals, while Kneuppel led all scorers with 22 points. The game started with a somewhat measured pace, as Duke held a 44 - 33 lead over Maine at halftime. However, the second half told a different story. Duke’s offense surged, putting up 52 points while holding Maine to just 29, and allowing only a single field goal in the final 10:59. The Blue Devils' defensive intensity and offensive cohesion proved too much for the visiting Black Bears, who struggled to keep pace as the game wore on. The victory held a special significance for freshman sensation Cooper Flagg, who faced off against his home-state team. Maine head coach Chris Markwood praised Flagg after the game, highlighting his journey from small-town Maine to national basketball stardom: “You guys down here obviously know the story. It’s an amazing story. If you knew where he’s from, how small the town is—it’s 30 minutes from our campus. It’s a storybook thing that’s going on with him right now. The whole state is fully behind him and excited for him.” The game had a family feel for Copper Flagg, with his brother Ace, a recent commit to the University of Maine, supporting from behind the Maine bench, while his parents sat close to Duke’s bench. As I was leaving the media room, I spotted Copper Flagg on the Coach K court, celebrating with friends and family—a perfect end to an exciting evening for the Flagg family. With a talented roster that blends experience and young talent, Duke fans are already buzzing with anticipation as the season kicks off. Next up, Duke will host Army on Friday at 6:00 PM at Cameron before hitting the road for a marquee matchup against Kentucky in the Champions Classic in Atlanta, Georgia. |
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