The Duke football program entered the Associated Press Top-25 following its victory.
There was never a debate if the Duke football program would be included in the Associated Press Top-25 on Tuesday afternoon following its 28-7 rout over No. 9 Clemson, it was just about how high the Blue Devils would climb.
A team that gathered a handful of votes in the preseason poll will now have a No. 21 next to its name when it takes the field on Saturday.
It’s the highest ranking the program has seen since 2014 when it peaked at No. 19 in the poll and the first time Duke has been ranked since 2018.
The victory on Monday night was the first time the Blue Devils had defeated an AP Top-10 team since 1989, which also came against the Clemson Tigers.
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Dabo Swinney’s team dropped all the way to No. 25 in the most recent poll.
The 21-point margin of victory was also a Duke record as it marked the largest point differential in a win over a ranked opponent since a 34-0 victory over No. 9 Colgate in 1942.
While there is still a long way to go in the season, the Blue Devils haven’t finished ranked in the AP Poll at the end of the season since 2013 and have never been in the rankings — during any week — for the College Football Playoff.
Duke football makes debut in another poll
Duke also appeared in the USA Today Coaches Poll after its impressive victory but emerged as the No. 24 team in the nation while Clemson dropped to No. 21, yet remaining three slots ahead of the Blue Devils despite its defeat.
The Blue Devils have three teams still on its schedule in the AP Top-25; No. 10 Notre Dame, No. 4 Florida State, and No. 17 North Carolina, while two of those three games will be played away from Wallace Wade Stadium.
No. 21 Duke (1-0) will host Lafayette (1-0) on Saturday, September 9 at 6:00 p.m. (ACC Network Extra).