Season to open under the lights

The Cutcliffe Era at Duke will be greeted with Duke's first night football game since 2006, ACC Commissioner John Swofford announced Tuesday.

The Blue Devils, playing under first-year head coach David Cutcliffe, will open their season at 7 p.m. in Wallace Wade Stadium against Division I-AA James Madison. The next week, Duke will host Northwestern at 7 p.m. in Wallace Wade.

Last season, Duke played two night games, earning its only win of the season over Northwestern under the lights of Ryan Field in Evanston, Ill., and dropping a 25-6 decision to Florida State in Tallahassee, Fla.

Cutcliffe, the offensive coordinator at Tennessee last year, coached in five night games. The Volunteers finished 4-1 in evening contests.

Duke last played a home game at night in its 2006 season opener, a 13-0 loss to Richmond.

In the third week of the season, Duke will welcome Navy in a noon game that will air on ESPNU. The rest of the television schedule that dictates game times will be released over the course of the season, 12 days before each game.

After the contest with Navy, Duke has a bye week and then starts ACC play at home against Virginia.