Freddie & Brian’s Duke Football Bowl Projections: The Road Ahead - Week 3

We are back with Week 3 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 

Well Duke fans, I am still trying to recover from last Friday night's epic 26-20 Duke win over Northwestern. Not from all the excitement per se, but because I had to stay up until 1am, and felt like I got hit by a truck Saturday.  But it was all worth it.  This is a gutsy Duke team, and Friday night's result showed they are still growing, but also still fighting to the very end.  Now Duke returns home to play a UCONN team this Saturday night that is somewhat of an anomaly as they were smoked by Maryland week 1, and then beat the brakes off FCS Independent Merrimack.

​Add in that the ACC continues to be a headscratcher.  Your top 5 in the ACC currently as things stand are BC, Syracuse, UVA, GT and Cal. (Bet you didn't have that on your "Things I would see in the ACC this year" bingo card) The ACC is officially the Atlantic "Coastal" Conference, as it would appear anything is possible this year.

Duke right now looks at a great chance to go 4-0 heading into ACC play.  Yes, there is still this weekend and Middle Tennessee next weekend, but things are looking promising for the Devils.  With everything that has happened this past week, the Devils are moving south for my projection, and headed to Bank of America stadium and the Duke's Mayo Bowl.  This bowl has alluded Duke since their last appearance in 2012 and it is time the Devils played in state for their fans.

Freddie Hodges of Duke Report 

Brian summed it up perfectly above.  I’m still recovering from Duke’s double overtime win over Northwestern last Friday night.  By the time the game ended and I scrolled through social media, it was well after 2 AM!  It wasn’t always pretty—an ugly game at times with tough weather conditions on a temporary turf field set right beside Lake Michigan.

In my opinion, this was a must-win for both teams to keep bowl eligibility within reach, especially with their schedules only getting tougher.  Duke came away with an epic double overtime victory and now turns its focus to a home matchup with UConn this Saturday evening.  UConn will be seeking revenge after last season’s blowout loss in East Hartford, but the Huskies come into this matchup as 16.5-point underdogs as they travel to Wallace Wade Stadium.

The ACC may have done away with divisions, but "Coastal Chaos" is alive and well throughout the conference. Case in point: Florida State currently sits at the bottom of the standings with an 0-2 record.

Duke has some areas to improve, particularly in the running game, but like Brian mentioned, I also see the Blue Devils potentially heading into ACC play with a 4-0 record.  Their first conference matchup is against Chapel Hill College in late September.  With several teams on Duke’s schedule falling short of preseason expectations, I see the "Coastal Chaos" continuing, and Duke could win games I had originally predicted them to lose.

As a result, my Duke Football bowl projection might start shifting.  For now, I’m holding steady with the Blue Devils heading south to sunny Tampa for the Gasparilla Bowl.  However, a strong performance against UConn this weekend could begin to alter those expectations.

Be sure to check back here at Blue Devils Blog every week for our latest bowl projections.  With the next three games on the schedule (vs. UConn, vs. Middle Tennessee State, and vs. UNC), there’s plenty of potential for these projections to shift.  We’ll keep you updated as the season unfolds!