Duke football must avoid massive trap game against UConn

The Duke football program must avoid a massive trap game against UConn. 

It will be easy for the Duke football team to look ahead of its matchup on Saturday against UConn but head coach Mike Elko has to keep the team focused on the task at hand.

Since its upset of then No. 9 Clemson on opening night, it felt like the Blue Devils would enter its showdown with Notre Dame on September 30 undefeated with Lafayette, Northwestern, and UConn on its schedule.

Now, that reality is just one game away.

However, many expected this Connecticut team to be improved from last year’s squad that reached a bowl game but that hasn’t been further from the truth.

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The Huskies battled hard in its season opening 24-14 loss to North Carolina State but have since been upended by Georgia State and Florida International in back-to-back games.

Saturday will mark Duke’s first road game of the season and the hype around the program is already building as the No. 18 team in the Associated Press Top-25 Poll, its highest ranking since 1994.

Duke football has to keep focus on task at hand

A kickoff time for 7:30p.m. on ABC has already been announced for when the Fighting Irish come to Wallace Wade Stadium next weekend — with an anticipated sellout crowd expected and a potential destination for ESPN’s College Gameday.

A No. 9 Notre Dame victory over No. 6 Ohio State this weekend could push the Irish into the Top-5 when Sam Hartman makes his return to Durham — a quarterback that tormented previous Duke teams with his arm talent and athletic ability.

This Duke team feels different, though.

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It’s human nature to see a winless team and look ahead to a potential undefeated team entering your house in just seven days but a powerful running attack, combined with the star power of Riley Leonard at quarterback, has the makings of an early lead secured by the Blue Devils and never looking back until the second half when Mike Elko can pull his starters.

Kickoff is slated for 3:30p.m. (CBS Sports Network) in what could be a very rainy day in Connecticut.