Duke’s 4-0 start has earned the Blue Devils a spot inside Bleacher Report’s top 20, and the number attached to them hasn’t budged. In the latest ranking, Duke sits at No. 16, the same place it held a week ago.
That kind of early-season stability fits what Manny Diaz’s team has put on tape so far. The Blue Devils have opened undefeated in three of the last four years, and this group is again making a strong case to stay in the ACC race. After a bye week, Duke heads on the road to face Georgia Tech, a game that brings a chance to push the record to 5-0.
Georgia Tech is 1-3 and also coming off a bye, so both teams have had extra time to get ready. That should make for a well-scouted ACC matchup, but Duke can’t afford to treat it like anything less than a must-handle business trip.
A big reason for Duke’s fast start is Nate Sheppard. The running back leads the nation in rushing with 644 yards and six touchdowns, giving the Blue Devils a true centerpiece on offense. His production has forced defenses to key on him, which has opened things up elsewhere and helped Duke look more balanced overall.
The schedule does appear workable for much of the rest of the year, with Miami later standing out as the toughest test. If Duke can keep winning until that matchup, the path to another ACC title shot gets a lot more interesting. For now, though, the focus is simple: rest up, go to Georgia Tech, and try to keep the unbeaten run alive.
In Other News...
Duke's Newcomers Already Created The Roster Battle Fans Wanted
Dukes annual Countdown to Craziness scrimmage did exactly what fans hoped it would do: create a little early-season noise around a roster that suddenly looks a lot more interesting. The white team edged the blue team 29-24, and the event offered a first real glimpse at a mix of newcomers who already seem ready to push for minutes. Freshman Deron Rippey Jr., Patrick Ngongba and transfer John Blackwell all flashed in ways that should only sharpen the competition heading into the season.
There will be some growing pains along the way, especially for freshmen like Joaqim Boumtje Boumtje and Cameron Williams, who are still adjusting to the speed and physicality of college basketball. But that is part of the appeal of this group, too. Duke wanted roster tension, internal pressure and a reason for fans to lean in early, and the scrimmage suggested the Blue Devils may have all three before October is even over. [Read more 🡒]
Dukes Season Kickoff Hinted At Two Dangerous ACC Contenders
Dukes annual Countdown to Craziness did what it is supposed to do: turn an offseason showcase into an early look at a program that expects to matter. The men and women both got their moment in front of the Cameron crowd, with Jon Scheyer and Kara Lawson front and center as the school leaned into the kind of optimism that comes after recent NCAA tournament runs and enough returning buzz to make the ACC race feel very real.
The intrigue, though, is different on each side. Scheyers group looks built to be in the national conversation again, even if it does not have an obvious singular face yet, while Lawsons team arrives with a sharper edge after her latest international success with Team USA. Between the scrimmage flashes and the coach-driven confidence, Duke left the building looking less like a school opening a season and more like one with two teams already measuring themselves against the leagues best. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Fans Got Their First Real Clue About This Roster
Dukes annual Countdown to Craziness offered the first real look at this years group inside Cameron Indoor Stadium, with the Blue-White scrimmage giving fans a chance to size up the rotation and get a feel for how the pieces fit. It was the kind of early October snapshot that does not answer every question, but it does at least start to show which players are ready to make an impression before the games count.
The scrimmage had the usual mix of energy and experimentation, and the evening ended with Team White coming out on top in the Elam ending format, thanks to a three-pointer from Deron Rippey Jr. Duke will not have long to sit on the exhibition notes, either, with a scrimmage against Belmont coming up as the next opportunity to see whether the early flashes translate into something more reliable. [Read more 🡒]