From Wallace Wade to Wherever: Duke's Bowl Watch - Week 7

We’re back with Week 7 bowl projections from Brian Kennedy of Duke Football Talk and myself, Freddie Hodges of Duke Report.

Freddie Hodges – Duke Report

Blue Devils Rolling Into the Bye

Duke is riding serious momentum after back-to-back ACC road wins — capped by a furious comeback at Cal. Down 21–7 early, the Blue Devils locked in and never looked back, scoring 38 unanswered points to win 45–21 in a true ACC After Dark statement.

I honestly thought this had “trap game” written all over it, but Duke responded with poise, balance, and a dominant finish on both sides of the ball.
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Now, the bye week couldn’t come at a better time — rest, recovery, and preparation for what's easily the biggest game of the season so far.

Circle It: October 18th vs. #13 Georgia Tech

After the bye, an undefeated #13 Georgia Tech (pending their matchup with Virginia Tech this week) comes to Wallace Wade for a high-stakes Noon kickoff. This isn’t just another ACC game — it’s a defining moment, a chance to take a major step toward the ACC Championship conversation.

Key for Duke: avoid the early holes they've dug in recent weeks. Against a team like GT, you need 60 minutes of your best football. No slow starts. No chasing. Bring the A-game from snap one.
Yes… the outcome of this game will absolutely impact these bowl projections.

Around the ACC

It was a wild weekend around the league:
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• Clemson demolished UNC in Chapel Hill — the Bill Belichick era continues to deliver content the rest of the ACC can enjoy.

 

• Virginia stayed hot, stealing an overtime win at Louisville. Duke hosts them in mid-November, and that matchup is suddenly looming large with conference and bowl stakes.

 

• Pittsburgh shredded Boston College 48–7.

 

• Wake Forest edged Virginia Tech on the road.

 

• Miami? Still the team to beat — another power win, this time at Florida State.

My Bowl Projection

I said last week: if Duke beat Cal, I'd finally change my bowl pick for the first time this season.

With Duke now 4–2 and 3–0 in ACC play after a statement win out West…

👉 I’m projecting Duke to the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando, Florida.

Warm weather. Great matchup potential. And honestly, a bowl every Duke fan (myself included) would be fired up for.

But here’s the catch:

To stay on the Pop-Tarts path, Duke has to keep winning. A loss to Georgia Tech in two weeks, and you're probably seeing me slide this projection back up North. How far? We’ll find out.

Also — yes — Notre Dame needs to do its part and crash the CFP. Their grip on the ACC bowl structure? That rant is for another day.

Rest. Refocus. Statement Time.

So enjoy the bye, Duke. Heal up, lock in, and go make a statement against Georgia Tech at home.

​Brian Kennedy - Duke Football Talk

Duke fans, we have unofficially reached the halfway point of the season, and it has been quite a first few games. After starting 1-2 some (yes, myself included) were wondering if this was going to be a down year for the Blue Devils. But alas, the team and Manny Diaz have shown that the start to the season was merely a bump in the road, as they have won 3 straight since the Tulane loss.

Last week's win in Berkeley felt like a game played from season past. Duke would get behind early, many people thought they were done, and then out of no where, Duke comes back in convincing fashion and wins the game.

With last week's win, Duke also stays atop of the ACC standings with Virginia, and the BYE week before Georgia Tech is exactly what the doctor ordered. If Duke wins against the Yellow Jackets, they will be 4-0 in ACC play, and be in a good position heading into the end of October with their matchup in Death Valley against Clemson. Just throwing this out there Duke fans, if Duke can find a way to get wins in their next 2 games, they will have their best start in ACC play since 1994.

Ok, no more talk about that because I don't want to bring on a Jamie jinx. Looking at bowl games and teams, this could be a hard year to pinpoint the Devils. I know I have mainly had them in Orlando for the Pop Tarts Bowl and Charlotte for the Duke's Mayo Bowl, but with the way things could fall in place, I have Duke moving yet again.

Last year, Duke fans sweated out the bowl announcements as many were projecting Duke to go west to the Holiday Bowl. As much as it pains me to say this, I believe that the Holiday Bowl will want Duke after the good showing the fans made in Berkeley. So for this week (And I hope this doesn't come true) I have Duke heading to the Holiday Bowl.

We will be taking off next week due to Duke having a bye week.. but stay tuned — Brian and I will be updating projections right here at Blue Devils Blog  after the Georgia Tech game. See you at Wallace Wade.