Duke’s 3-0 start still hasn’t moved the needle much outside Durham.
Even after a 35-7 rout of Stanford on Saturday, the Blue Devils stayed out of both the AP and Coaches’ polls. They did pick up more support this week than they had the previous one, but not enough to break into the Top 25. In the AP Poll, Duke sits 34th.
That kind of skepticism has become familiar. A team with wins over Tulane, Illinois, and Stanford would normally get more attention, but Duke is still being treated like it has more to prove. If the Blue Devils were wearing Clemson’s helmet, they’d almost certainly be ranked - probably in the Top 15, maybe even the Top 10.
The doubts aren’t limited to the polls, either. ESPN’s Bill Connelly ranked the 35 unbeaten teams left in college football and put Duke at 26th. His explanation was blunt:
"I still don't trust the offense, which is basically 'Give it to Nate Sheppard, and if that doesn't work, then give it to Sheppard again.' But it's working well enough with a sound defense. Plus, the Blue Devils are projected favorites in their next three games."
There’s at least some logic behind the hesitation. Walker Eget has been solid at quarterback, but he hasn’t exactly become the kind of player that forces defenses to panic. Still, Connelly’s line undersells what Nate Sheppard has been doing.
Sheppard has been the centerpiece for a reason. Every defense Duke has faced has known exactly where the ball was likely going, and it hasn’t mattered. He’s rushed for more than 140 yards in each of the Blue Devils’ three wins, and he leads college football in rushing.
For Duke, the next stretch offers another chance to force the issue. The Blue Devils get FCS opponent William & Mary this weekend, then travel to Georgia Tech and host North Carolina, before a tougher road test at Virginia. The ACC games won’t come easy, but there’s a real path to 6-0 before the ACC Championship rematch in Charlottesville.
Maybe that’s when the rankings finally catch up. Right now, Duke is still waiting for the respect that usually comes with an undefeated start.
In Other News...
Dukes 3-0 Start Comes With One Concern Fans Cant Ignore
Dukes 3-0 start has put the Blue Devils in the thick of the early-season conversation, with two nonconference wins and an ACC victory giving the program a clean opening stretch. But the unbeaten record has not come with universal confidence, and the biggest question around this team is whether the offense can keep doing enough when so much of it has flowed through running back Nate Sheppard.
ESPNs Bill Connelly reflected some of that skepticism in his latest ranking, placing Duke 26th among the 35 unbeaten teams. The broader projection picture is similarly measured, with ESPNs analysts seeing the Blue Devils more in line for a bowl path such as the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl or the Freedom Mortgage Military Bowl, which leaves the idea of a perfect regular season feeling a lot more like a long shot than a destination. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Is Mourning A Sudden Loss Tied Closely To Coach K
Chris Spatolas death has brought a sudden wave of grief around Duke and the wider college basketball world, where he was known not only as an ESPN analyst but also as a former member of the Blue Devils staff. Duke University and ESPN both confirmed his passing on Sept. 21, and each offered public tributes that reflected the range of roles he filled over the years, from broadcaster to coach to Army veteran.
For Duke fans, Spatolas connection to the program carried an added layer of meaning because of how closely he was tied to Coach Ks orbit. His work on television kept him visible to college basketball viewers long after his days on campus, but his passing leaves a more personal loss around the program, with the full circumstances still not publicly explained. [Read more 🡒]
Manny Diaz Sent Duke Fans A Message With His Opening Gamble
Dukes fast start under Manny Diaz has done more than pad the record. After a 35-7 win over Stanford in Week 3, the Blue Devils moved to 3-0 and kept building the case that they can be more than just a spoiler in the ACC. The defense has been especially sharp, allowing only six points in the second half across its first three games, and the overall tone around the program has shifted from hopeful to assertive.
What stood out against Stanford was the message Duke sent before the game really settled in. Diaz framed the opening sequence as part of a broader approach, a deliberate effort to show his team wanted to attack the moment instead of easing into it. For a program trying to establish itself as a legitimate conference threat, that kind of early gamble says a lot about where the Blue Devils think they are headed. [Read more 🡒]