Duke and Illinois are gearing up for what might be the top game on the College Football slate this Saturday. The No. 11-ranked Fighting Illini are looking to establish themselves as one of the biggest threats in the Big 10, while an underdog Blue Devils squad is hoping to finally gain some recognition on a national scale as true contenders. Wallace Wace Stadium will undoubtedly be packed as Manny Diaz hopes to bring Duke back into the Associated Press Poll for the first time since 2023. However, with both programs as masters of this skill, one side has to give in this marquee showdown.
The clutch gene may be what decides the winner in Duke vs. Illinois
Since the start of the 2024 season, Duke and Illinois are a combined 11-2 in one-score games. Miraculous, come-from-behind victories felt like the norm for the Blue Devils last season, with an inefficient offense and one of the worst third-down-conversion percentages in the ACC.
In 2024, Duke was 6-1 in games decided by seven points or fewer. The Blue Devils came back and won after being down at half three times. However, the Fighting Illini are also no stranger to a close game.
Illinois posed several comeback efforts across the 2024 season, highlighted by a 50-49 overtime victory over Purdue. The Fighting Illini headed into the halftime locker room of that contest with a 24-3 lead, only to see it vanish after Illinois was outscored 40-19 across the second 30 minutes. Quarterback Luke Altmyer led his squad to the victory, and he's back in Champaign this season with the same DNA.
Manny Diaz brought in a slew of elite transfers, headlined by Darian Mensah, one of the top quarterbacks in the Transfer Portal. This contest projects to be a tight one, with both teams prolific on offense while also boasting talented defensive units.
As potentially the best game on Saturday in all of college football, we could very easily see it tied heading into the fourth quarter. A QB who's been there before in Altmyer against a QB in his first time under the bright lights in Mensah, this contest has the potential to be an instant classic. However, the clutch gene may be the reason Duke lifts itself to national recognition, or leaves Wallace Wade on Saturday in heartbreak.