Duke Football: Blue Devils inch closer to return to both major polls
By Matt Giles
The Duke football team is possibly just one more win away from reappearing in a top 25 poll.
Before its disappointing 31-14 loss at home to Virginia Tech on Sept. 29, the Duke football squad was ranked in both the Amway Coaches Poll (No. 23) and The Associated Press Top 25 (No. 22) for the first time since the 2015 season.
But the Blue Devils’ stay was short-lived this season. One week in. The next week out.
After a bye week followed by an impressive 28-14 win on the road against Georgia Tech on Saturday, though, Duke is again on the verge of seeing its name in both polls.
More from Ball Durham
- Duke basketball: The architect behind digital dominance
- Duke basketball prioritizing frontcourt prospects in 2025
- Duke basketball: Unmasking the hate for the Blue Devils
- Duke basketball: Countdown to Craziness lands another huge visitor
- Duke basketball fills final open scholarship
In the Coaches Poll, the 5-1 Blue Devils are fifth on the list of “Other Receiving Votes” with 60 points — the equivalent of being ranked No. 30. And in the AP Poll, they are ninth on the list of those who didn’t quite make the cut with 17 points — the equivalent of being ranked No. 34.
Last week, Duke received eight points in the Coaches Poll and zero points in the AP Poll.
As for what it will take for Duke to creep back into both polls, a win at home this Saturday against a 4-2 Virginia squad — coming off a 16-13 upset over previously-ranked Miami on Saturday — may be enough. Kickoff for that game is at 12:30 p.m. EST.
If a victory over the Cavaliers doesn’t do the trick, though, the Blue Devils could almost certainly seal the deal by also beating Pitt on the road on Oct. 27, which would leave them with a 7-1 record.
The highest ranking for Duke since head coach David Cutcliffe arrived in Durham in 2008 was No. 18 in the Coaches Poll (after a 6-1 start to the 2015 season) and No. 19 in the AP Poll (after an 8-1 start to the 2014 season).
dark. Next. Top 10 wins of the Coach K era
As for the conference as a whole, the level of parity is starting to adversely affect the teams’ rankings — or lack thereof. Clemson, currently 6-0, is No. 3 in both polls while 5-0 N.C. State is No. 16 in the AP Poll and No. 15 in the Coaches Poll. This marks the first time since Oct. 4, 2015, that only two ACC teams are ranked.