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Media torn on where Duke Football will finish in ACC Coastal

By Kevin Connelly

WACO, TX - SEPTEMBER 15: Quentin Harris #18 of the Duke Blue Devils scrambles against the Baylor Bears during the first half of a football game at McLane Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
WACO, TX - SEPTEMBER 15: Quentin Harris #18 of the Duke Blue Devils scrambles against the Baylor Bears during the first half of a football game at McLane Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Waco, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) /
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Members of the ACC Media are torn on where the Duke Football team will finish this year in the ACC Coastal Division.

Many thought this would be a rebuilding year for the Duke Football team, but the ACC released its media poll on Monday afternoon and things seem to be up in the air for the Coastal Division.

The Duke Blue Devils received six first place votes to come in first in the Costal and 566 overall, which puts them at No. 6 in the pre-season media rankings.

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Every team in the Coastal received at least one first place vote, Virginia getting the most with 82 and North Carolina and Georgia Tech getting the least with one each.

The Miami Hurricanes, Virginia Tech Hokies, and Pittsburgh Panthers all come in ahead of the Blue Devils and below the Cavaliers.

Miami has 55 first place votes, while Virginia Tech has 20, and Pittsburgh with eight.

As many would expect, the Atlantic Division was a runaway, but the Clemson Tigers were not a unanimous selection to win the division, the Syracuse Orange received two first place votes, while the defending National Champions took in the other 171.

Duke is coming off of an 8-5 season, but going just 3-5 in ACC play. However, the season was capped off with a victory over Temple in the Walk-On’s Independence Bowl.

The Blue Devils loose a lot of talent on both sides of the ball heading into the 2019-20 season, but perhaps most importantly, Duke must replace its starting quarterback, Daniel Jones, who was the No. 6 overall pick in of the New York Giants in the NFL Draft.

Luckily for Duke, head coach David Cutcliffe will turn to an experienced veteran in Quentin Harris who started two games last season replacing Jones who was down with an injury.

Things won’t be easy for the Blue Devils as they will play two National Championship contenders, Alabama on August 31 in the season opener and Notre Dame at Wallace Wade Stadium on November 9.

Duke also has non-conference games against North Carolina A&T and Middle Tennessee State, before the ACC gauntlet that includes Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech, Virginia, North Carolina, Syracuse, Wake Forest, and Miami.

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