Final Duke Football Bowl Projections from Brian and Freddie

The conference championship games wrapped up last night, and now we have the final Duke Football bowl projections from Brian Kennedy of Duke Football Talk and Freddie from Duke Report. Read on to discover where we predict Duke will land this bowl season!

Brian Kennedy of Duke Football Talk 

Duke fans, we have made it! We are at selection Sunday, and boy what a journey it has been. First things first, what a way for the ACC to cap off its season with the ending between Clemson and SMU last night. I must admit, I did not watch the entire game through as I thought Clemson had the game in the bag. I should have known better as we have seen this entire season, "Coastal Chaos" continues to run wild in the ACC.

Even with the loss, I still see SMU finding a way to get one of the final At-Large bids for the CFP. They made it to the conference title game, and only have 2 losses on the year. If that happens, things should fall in place relatively easy. On the flip side, if the committee stays in love with the SEC, and SMU is out, that is where things could be shaken up. SMU being booted would mean another team in the ACC Bowl pool. SMU is a team all bowls would like to try and have, so my hope is the committee does the right thing and keeps SMU in.

So where do things land for Duke now that Clemson has won the ACC and SMU is on the bubble? As crazy as it may sound, I think regardless of the outcome of the CFP being released at noon, there is only 1 spot for Duke. Remember when I wrote about speaking with bowl reps of various bowls throughout the season? There was one group of bowl reps who had nothing but great things to say about Duke. They even vocalized how they were wanting Duke at their bowl and were going to do everything they could to make it happen. I think those reps today are going to be the biggest cheerleaders for Duke when Selection Sunday starts later today.

Of course I am talking about the GATOR BOWL. This is one of the few prestigious bowl games Duke has never been to. I think it is time, especially with Duke's record and storylines they would bring to Jacksonville. Don't get me wrong fans, the Duke's Mayo Bowl would be great too, but with everything I am seeing, it is looking like sunny Jacksonville, Florida on Janury 2nd is where Duke will be.

Thank you everyone for taking time this season to read mine and Freddie's thoughts through the 2024 season. We are already looking forward to starting things back up in 2025!

Freddie Hodges of Duke Report 

​Duke fans, the moment we’ve been waiting for is almost here! In just a few hours, the bowl selection process will unfold, and we’ll finally know where Duke is heading this bowl season. What an incredible season it has been for Duke Football! From reclaiming the Victory Bell to winning the state championship by defeating North Carolina, NC State, and Wake Forest, the Blue Devils have capped it all off with an impressive 9-3 record.

And, of course, it wouldn’t be the ACC without a little “Coastal Chaos”—or should we say “ACC Chaos”—to top things off. Last night’s ACC Championship game delivered a thrilling finish. I dozed off in my recliner with Clemson in full control, only to wake up just in time to see SMU mount a stunning comeback. But in the end, Clemson clinched the title with a walk-off field goal. What a game! It’s clear that the spirit of "Coastal Chaos" is alive and well in the ACC.

I’m with Brian on this one: even with SMU’s loss, I still see them securing a spot in the CFP and bumping Alabama out of the final playoff position. After a game like that, coming down to the wire, SMU has earned their place over a brand-name team like Alabama, who sat at home during conference championship weekend. Regardless of whether SMU or Alabama gets the final spot, I don’t think it changes where Duke is headed for bowl season.

So, what’s the bowl game? Brian and I agree once again: I’ve got Duke heading to sunny Jacksonville to play in the Gator Bowl on January 2nd. Gator Bowl representatives have attended Duke games this season, and with an impressive 9-3 record, the Blue Devils deserve to be playing in a top-tier bowl.

The Duke’s Mayo Bowl was my backup pick and would also be a great destination. However, everything I’ve seen leads me to believe that Duke will land in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl to face off against an SEC opponent.

Thank you all for taking the time this season to follow Blue Devils Blog and read our bowl projections! If you’re not already, be sure to check out the Section 17 Podcast. Brian and the crew do an incredible job covering everything Duke Football—you won’t want to miss it!

Now, Duke fans, the waiting game begins. In just a few hours, we’ll find out where the Blue Devils are heading for bowl season.

As for Brian and me, we’re already looking ahead to the 2025 season. Who knows—maybe we’ll even put together a way-too-early bowl projection in the spring. Or maybe we won’t... you’ll just have to stay tuned! 😉