The Duke football program entered this weekend with a chance to officially establish itself as a true contender in the ACC after getting out to a 3-0 start to conference play. However, the Blue Devils couldn't get it done, falling to No. 12 Georgia Tech at home, 27-18. Now 4-3 overall and 3-1 in ACC action, Manny Diaz and his guys have a treacherous climb for the remainder of the season to bring the first ACC Championship to Durham since 1989. The good news is Duke's remaining schedule consists entirely of winnable games, but the Blue Devils still have yet to put a marquee victory on the resume. Duke has now lost to two ranked opponents at home in Illinois and the Yellow Jackets, and it's win-or-die mode if the program wants to put itself in position for a conference crown.
ACC Championship winner odds according to FanDuel
The Blue Devils' odds to take home the ACC Championship have slipped drastically following the program's first conference loss.
ACC Championship Game Winner odds according to FanDuel:
Georgia Tech: +220
Miami: +270
Virginia: +440
Louisville: +550
SMU: +850
Duke: +1500
The Blue Devils have fallen a great deal following the loss, but winning out through the rest of the 2025 campaign is a legitimate possibility for the program. Heading into the season, Duke taking on Clemson in Death Valley seemed like a long shot for it to win, but with how vulnerable the Tigers have looked this season, that's no longer the case. With Cade Klubnik out, Clemson fell once again this weekend and is now 3-4 on the season.
Aside from the road date with Clemson, Duke's home opponents are Virginia and Wake Forest, and its road opponents are UConn and North Carolina. The Blue Devils will have one more opportunity to take down a ranked opponent in the Cavaliers, so long as UVA can stay afloat until that matchup takes place in mid-November.
Conference title hopes for Duke football aren't completely out of the question just yet, but the loss to the Yellow Jackets has now put the program in desperation mode, as Duke will need to end the campaign incredibly strong to put itself in a position to succeed.