5 losses that will have Duke Blue Devils fans questioning everything about Manny Diaz

Every game matters. When it comes to a program like the Duke Blue Devils, it is all about sustaining momentum. They are in the midst of an impressively strong half-decade. Duke won the ACC a year ago under Manny Diaz. It has won nine games each of his two years in Durham. Mike Elko was great before him. However, what happens if Duke were to lose a game or two it has no business dropping?

In case you need to be reminded, here is what the Blue Devils will have to navigate for this season.

Duke is one of the most intriguing teams in the ACC this season. The Blue Devils could win upwards of nine games and somehow find themselves back in Charlotte. Conversely, a season where it hits the fan for them could result in Duke not reaching a bowl game. Diaz needs to be the reason Duke keeps this train rolling and does not fall off the tracks. He must be steady when the season requires it.

That is why a loss to any of these five opponents on Duke's schedule could be problematic for Diaz.

5. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (Nov. 28: Winston-Salem, NC)

You never want to lose to a bitter rival. Although the Wake Forest Demon Deacons are not a traditional power on the gridiron by any stretch of the imagination, they seem to have another good head coach in the form of Jake Dickert. He came over last season from Washington State and got the Demon Deacons back to a bowl game. This is the guy Michigan State should have hired back in 2024.

What makes this game one of such consequence for Duke is that Diaz will not want another quality coach from Tobacco Road stealing a bit of his shine. In time, maybe both of them will be getting their flowers? Unfortunately, the winner of this game may be the ACC's next great up-and-comer at head coach. A loss to Wake Forest may mean shifting tides in this rivalry series. It could cost Duke a bowl.

The fact this game is being played in Winston-Salem to end the regular season makes it even harder.

4. North Carolina Tar Heels (Oct. 17: Durham, NC)

This game would be higher up on the list if it were not a major rivalry for both schools. There is no way around it. North Carolina was absolutely terrible a season ago under Bill Belichick. If things go as poorly for him as they did a year ago, there is no shot he gets to lead UNC for a third year. None. It is why Duke needs to do everything in its power to kick these toothless Tar Heels when they are down.

Besides bragging rights and not potentially losing the narrative, there is another component to why Diaz cannot afford to drop this game. Look at where it falls on the schedule... The UNC date comes a week after Duke plays Georgia Tech in Atlanta, but right before it goes to Charlottesville to take on Virginia in a short week. Duke cannot lose all three of these games. If it wins one, it must be over UNC.

Unless something drastically changes, it is hard to see Duke getting to a bowl game with a UNC loss.

3. Stanford Cardinal (Sept. 19: Durham, NC)

While North Carolina and Wake Forest are rivals of Duke, the same thing cannot be said about the Stanford Cardinal. They are one of three relative newcomers to the ACC. More importantly, Stanford has been atrocious for the better part of a decade now. Once Mike Bloomgren left David Shaw's staff for Rice, the Cardinal have been largely non-competitive on the gridiron. Could it be changing soon?

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Well, they did hire one of their own in former Stanford quarterback Tavita Pritchard. His return to Palo Alto does give the Cardinal somewhat of a boost on the football field. Andrew Luck is all over this hire. Because this game will be at Wallace Wade, as well as opening up ACC play for the defending champions, there is no reason for Duke to come up dead in this game. All the pressure is on them.

As is the case with most of these games, a loss to Stanford brings into question Duke's ACC viability.

2. Tulane Green Wave (Sept. 5: Durham, NC)

The Tulane Green Wave may have reached the College Football Playoff out of the Group of Five last season, but this year's team is a massive pullback candidate. Jon Sumrall job-hopped to Florida because that is what he does. Even more concerning, the Greenies promoted Will Hall from within to be their next head coach. He was so awful at Southern Miss. This was the worst hire of the offseason.

That being said, Duke still lost to Darian Mensah's first team last season during the non-conference. Tulane has been a high-end program out of the Group of Five the last several seasons. However, the defending ACC Champions cannot afford to lose at home to the same team competing at a lower level than them in back-to-back seasons. This is how Diaz will lose all built-up equity he has with Duke.

Not to say falling to this year's Tulane team at home would be a fireable offense, but that would sting.

1. Boston College Eagles (Oct. 31: Durham, NC)

Under no circumstances can the Duke Blue Devils lose to the Boston College Eagles. None whatsoever. It might be on Halloween, but do not let the spookiness of the day fool you. Boston College has devolved into absolute dreck under Bill O'Brien's watch. If Bostonians cared more about their college football team, he would already be out of a job. That team won two games a season ago.

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Not only is the Boston College program in total disarray, but look at where this game falls on Duke's schedule. It comes after the Friday night road game at Virginia. It will be at home for Duke, as well as giving the Blue Devils an extra day to get healthy and prepare for the Eagles to come to town. If Diaz is as good a head coach as people claim him to be, he cannot stumble against Boston College this year.

Boston College could be better than it was a season ago, but this is worst program in the Power Four.

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