Duke’s early-season start has given the Blue Devils something they didn’t have to this point last year: a much cleaner road into the ACC race.
A 2-0 opening against Tulane and Illinois has Duke sitting in a strong spot before its first conference game against Stanford. Those wins matter because they came against quality non-conference opponents, and they’ve been fueled by a run game that has taken off behind Nate Sheppard, who is already making an early Heisman Trophy case.
The bigger picture, though, is that Duke still feels hard to place in the ACC hierarchy. The first two weeks have suggested a team that can win more than it probably should, which is exactly how an overachieving program starts to build momentum again.
Manny Diaz has plenty to work with. Since taking over for Mike Elko, he’s gone 20-9 at Duke, and there’s no obvious reason that run has to stop now. The Blue Devils are winning enough to stay relevant, and the schedule ahead offers a real chance to turn that into something bigger.
This season also looks different in how Duke is trying to get there. The defense showed against Illinois that it is still developing chemistry, but it also looked like a unit moving in the right direction. On offense, everything starts with Sheppard, and if quarterback Walker Eget can lift the passing game in the weeks ahead, Duke could become a far more dangerous team.
The schedule sets up well enough for that possibility to become real. Three of the next four games are at home: Stanford, William & Mary, and North Carolina, with a road trip to Georgia Tech in between.
That creates a path where Diaz’s team could be 6-0 before its Friday night matchup in October against No. 25 Virginia.
Virginia is one of several ACC teams that should be in the mix for much of the season. Miami stands out at the top, while Louisville, Virginia, and SMU all look capable of being tough conference opponents. Wake Forest belongs in that conversation too, based on what it has shown so far.
Even with that crowded field, Duke has reason to believe the lane is open. The rest of the schedule suggests a shot at a third straight nine-win season and another trip to Charlotte to defend the ACC Championship. That path looked much tougher before the season started.
Miami may end up being the biggest obstacle, and the Hurricanes could wind up deciding whether Duke gets another crack at the conference title. For that to happen, Diaz will need the passing game to come along and the defense to stay steady from week to week.
For now, Duke has the kind of ingredients that can make a season surprising: a coach with a strong record, a favorable schedule, and a standout back in Sheppard. The Blue Devils have the setup. The next step is putting it all together.
In Other News...
Duke's 2027 Recruiting Fight Just Got A Lot More Complicated
The early shape of Dukes 2027 recruiting board is already getting more complicated, and North Carolina is part of why. The Blue Devils have a head start with one commitment from five-star wing Kager Knueppel, and they are expecting a visit from Asa Montgomery, but the Tar Heels have been moving quickly under new coach Michael Malone and are making a real push to stockpile elite talent in the same cycle.
UNC has already brought in CJ Rosser and Jordan Page on official visits, and it has more five-star traffic still to come through Chapel Hill, which only raises the pressure on Duke to keep pace. For a program that usually expects to be in the thick of every major recruiting battle, the issue is not just landing a headline name, but making sure the overall class does not tilt too far in one direction while the roster picture for the future keeps taking shape. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Could Get One Boost While Facing A Secondary Concern
Dukes first availability report for the Stanford matchup offered a little bit of good news on one side of the ball and some uncertainty on the other. Wide receiver Javen Nicholas is listed as probable and could finally make his Duke debut after missing the first two games, a potential lift for an offense still looking to settle in as the schedule toughens.
The concern is in the secondary, where safety DaShawn Stone is questionable heading into the game. Manny Diaz has already pointed to the challenge Stanford presents at quarterback and across its defense, so Duke may need every available piece to keep pace while also sorting through a key question mark on the back end. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Volleyball Heads To Indianapolis With Rare Early Momentum
Duke volleyball heads into Indianapolis to wrap up its non-conference schedule with matches against Butler and Long Island, carrying something it has not had in a long while: early-season traction. The Blue Devils have opened the year 7-1 and built a five-match winning streak, their best eight-match start since 2012, giving this trip a different feel from the usual late-September tune-up.
Ashby Zubchevich and Nataly Moravec have helped steady the lineup, while Nikki Quinn has been the engine in the middle, setting the offense at a national level and keeping Duke in rhythm. The bigger question now is whether the Blue Devils can carry that momentum out of non-conference play and into the stretch that tends to reveal what a promising start is really worth. [Read more 🡒]