The Duke football program will have a massive test in week two next season, as the Blue Devils will host the Illinois Fighting Illini at Wallace Wade Stadium on September 6th. It's a huge early opportunity for Duke football to put itself on the national radar with a home victory over potentially the best team in the Big 10 heading into the 2025 college football season.
Per On3's Pete Nakos, the contest between the Blue Devils and the Fighting Illini is the 10th-best non-conference game of the 2025 season. With a team with high expectations on a national scale in Illinois, mixed with a surging Blue Devils squad that is looking to build on a fantastic first season under head coach Manny Diaz, this duel is poised to be a good one.
Illinois came in at No. 7 in On3's "Way-Too-Early" top 25 rankings for next season, giving Duke a chance to put itself in the rankings early on with a signature win.
The Blue Devils are set to be a dark horse candidate out of the ACC after adding tons of talent via the transfer portal, most notably former Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah, who Duke inked to a monster two-year, $8 million NIL deal.
Diaz took the program to its third nine-win season since joining the ACC in 1953 in 2024, and with newly added talent mixed with key returners from one of the best defenses in college football last season, such as Chandler Rivers, the Blue Devils have a legitimate chance to upset the Illini at home and set the tone early for a special season.
Illinois was able to bring back quarterback Luke Altmyer to start once again after the program went 10-3 overall and 6-3 in the Big 10 last season. The Illini are also bringing back 16 starters from that team, making them one of the top teams in the conference heading into the 2025 campaign.
Despite adding Mensah and bringing back key talent, Duke hasn't received much recognition on a national scale. Although it's early in the season, the contest against Illinois might be the biggest game of Duke's season.
The outcome of this game almost single-handedly determines the outcome Duke football can have in terms of next season's College Football Playoff. Win, and it's a possibility. Lose, it'll be much more difficult.