Three ACC teams we wish Duke football got to play this season

With the ACC now sitting at 17 teams, there is a huge disparity in the schedules that one team plays over another. That could have a tremendous impact on the conference race as well as the bowl outlook for each program.

This year, the Blue Devils were not blessed by the schedule makers. In fact, it could be argued that Manny Diaz's team has the hardest row to hoe in the conference.

The non-conference schedule should be no sweat. Games against Elon, Northwestern, UCONN, and Middle Tennessee State are all winnable, especially with the Northwestern road game being played at a temporary stadium in Chicago that will hold only a few thousand fans.

However, once ACC play rolls around, business picks up. That's especially true over the last two months of the season as Duke plays seven of the top ten teams in the 247Sports preseason power rankings over the season's final eight games.

Life in a major conference is always going to be tough but it could have been easier for the Blue Devils. Here are three ACC teams we wish Duke was playing in 2024.

The Stanford Cardinal

Widely expected to be the worst team in the ACC this year, new comer and PAC-12 castoff Standford would be a great layup for Duke. In fact, Stanford might be one of the worst major conference teams in America this year.

This is year two of the Troy Taylor era for Stanford. So some could expect the program to take a step forward given that most coaches perform better in their second year on the job.

However, Standford doesn't have the type of talent necessary to dramatically improve after a 3-9 season in 2023. While Elic Ayomanor should be one of the nation's best receivers, there is no clear-cut QB answer to get him the football.

What's more, last season, Stanford gave up 461.7 yards per game on defense. It's hard to imagine the worst passing defense in the nation in 2023 making the type of jump necessary to be competitive in just one offseason. So with all of these flaws, it is too bad that Duke won't get the opportunity to take on the Cardinal in 2024.

The Boston College Eagles

As for mid-tier ACC teams, this might be the right season to catch Boston College. However, Duke won't have the opportunity.

First of all, BC has a brutal schedule with Florida State, Missouri, Michigan State, Virginia Tech, and Louisville all on the 2024 slate. Thus, if a team catches the Eagles late in the year, they might encounter a BC team that has raised the white flag.

Second, BC is making a massive coaching transition this year. Last season's head coach, Jeff Hafley, who had the Eagles trending upward, is now the Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator. In his place steps Bill O'Brien, an offensive guru. When programs go from a defense-first coaching staff to an offensive-minded one, the transition can often be difficult.

What's more, even with Hafley in the mix, BC had one of the worst defenses in the nation last season. Now, that unit will have to improve while learning a brand new scheme. That's not a recipe for success.

BC should wind up somewhere in the jumbled middle of the ACC, which is where Duke will likely find itself as well. Both programs are breaking in new head coaches but Duke would likely have a great shot at beating the Eagles given how stark the difference between BC's former staff and its new staff will be.

The Clemson Tigers

There's no way to avoid playing all of the conference title contenders. This year, Duke has to tangle with Florida State, Miami, and NC State for instance.

If you have to play a conference big boy, Clemson might be the one to try to topple in 2024. That's because there are questions about whether the Tigers will be much better this year than they were in 2023 when they went 9-4, a record that is below that program's standards.

That's because the Tigers did virtually nothing in the transfer portal this offseason. Thus, all of their improvement will have to come the old-fashioned way.

Can QB Cade Klubnik go from being just a guy to being elite in one offseason? That's quite a bit to ask.

What's more, Clemson faces major questions along the offensive line and at wide receiver. On defense, they are expected to be elite as usual, though.

Still, Duke proved last season that it can beat Clemson. It would be fun to get another shot at the Tigers in 2024 because, though Clemson will be one of the better teams in the ACC, they aren't as frightening as other conference title contenders.