Darian Mensah's stunning departure from Duke this offseason has caused Manny Diaz and the Blue Devils to tumble down the prospective ACC rankings for the 2026 season. Despite winning the ACC outright for the first time since 1962, Duke is not being treated as if it is the reigning league champions.
Instead, most experts are iffy on Duke even getting bowl eligible this season in the wake of Mensah's late departure and the uncertainty at QB in Durham. Diaz and company did what they could by landing San Jose State's Walker Eget, but it's hard to see him or redshirt freshman Dan Mahan filling Mensah's shoes.
But it's also fair to point out that Duke won nine games in Diaz's debut season without Mensah, too. So perhaps overlooking the Blue Devils is a mistake that many will have to pay for in 2026.
The lack of respect for Duke coming into this season is obvious, and continues to reflect in scheduling decisions.
The CW announced its TV schedule for the 2026 college football season, and Duke's Week 3 matchup against Stanford at home - the ACC opener for the Blue Devils will air on the CW at 4 pm ET, presumably following reruns of Smallville and Riverdale.
Duke gets the CW treatment for Week 3 ACC opener against Stanford
I kid mostly. The CW has expanded its college football footprint, and it's ultimately inevitable that Duke is going to end up on there occasionally. It just feels part of a broader issue in that the Blue Devils have been highly disrespected this offseason.
Sure, losing Mensah is a blow. No one is denying that. But this is a successful football program, one that was good before Mensah ever came to Durham. And Diaz is one of college football's best defensive minds, so you can bank on Duke having one of the saltiest defenses in the ACC in 2026.
And while Eget or Mahan won't be able to replicate what Mensah provided, Duke's entire offensive identity will be different next season as a result. And that's okay, because Duke returns one of the nation's best young running backs in Nate Sheppard, who rushed for over 1100 yards as a true freshman last year.
He'll be the focal point and the bellcow this year. If he stays healthy, and Eget or Mahan can effectively manage games, the strong running game in conjunction with a stout defense should have Duke right in the thick of things in the ACC once again.
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