Freddie and Brian's Duke Football Bowl Projections: The Road Ahead - Week 9

We are back with Week 9 Duke Football Bowl Projections from Brian of Duke Football Talk and Freddie of Duke Report.  Check out where we think Duke Football is headed.

Brian Kennedy of Duke Football Talk 

​Duke fans, as I write this projection, it is good to know that no matter what happens from here on out, Duke football is still bowling.  Now don't get me wrong, we all want more wins, so this team heads to a top tier bowl game.  Heck, I myself was able to speak with the bowl reps from the Pop Tarts and the Gator Bowls this past weekend, and they all had nothing but good things to say about Duke.  

And speaking of this past weekend, how about your Blue Devils finally getting the monkey off their back and beating FSU!  It was not the prettiest of games, but as they say, a win is a win.                

Now we head into the hardest part (In my opinion) of the 2024 schedule.  This weekend the pony riders come into town, and then Duke heads to Coral Gable for a matchup against #6 Miami.  At this point, if Duke goes at least 1-1 these next 2 weeks, the chances only go up to head down south postseason.      

For now however, I am holding steady with Duke and their bowl destination.  I still this week have the Blue Devils in Charlotte in the Duke's Mayo Bowl.  There are still 5 games left in the season, and the more wins this team gets, the better.  Do everything you can to make it out to Wallace Wade this weekend, this team deserves the support!

Freddie Hodges of Duke Report 

Under the Friday night lights at Wallace Wade Stadium Duke secured a 23-16 victory over Florida State, marking their first win against the Seminoles and officially making them bowl eligible.  It feels so good to be bowl eligible just past the halfway mark of the season!  

Duke's success continues to be driven by its solid defense, but they'll need their offense to find its rhythm in the upcoming games, which promise to be fierce battles.  This Saturday, the #22 ranked SMU, a new member of the ACC, will visit Durham, followed by a challenging road matchup against #6 ranked Miami next week.  These games will be tough, but if Duke can manage a 1-1 split, as Brian suggests, their chances of heading south for a top tier bowl increase significantly.  

Looking ahead, Duke wraps up the season with games at NC State, home against Virginia Tech, and on the road at Wake Forest.  While I initially viewed a couple of these matchups as likely losses in my preseason predictions, the unpredictable nature of "Coastal Chaos"... wait I mean "ACC Chaos" has me reconsidering. 

For now, the focus must remain on the upcoming challenge against SMU, which looks to be a tough battle under the lights at Wallace Wade Stadium. 

As for my bowl projection, I'm sticking with the Duke's Mayo Bowl in Charlotte for the third week running.  With five games left to play, there's potential for my projections to head north or south in terms of a bowl destinations.  Here's to hoping Duke can clinch a victory over SMU Saturday night! 

​Be sure to check back here at Blue Devils Blog every week for our latest bowl projections.  With the next two games on the schedule being very tough battles (vs. SMU and at Miami), there’s plenty of potential for these projections to shift.  We’ll keep you updated as the season unfolds!