A Look at Duke's Schedule

If head coach David Cutcliffe wanted to test his team’s improvement over the past few years, he sure picked the right schedule.

When the Preseason USA Today Top 25 Coaches' Poll was released two weeks ago, one might notice a startling number of the nation’s 25 best teams are also included in Duke’s list of opponents this season. In the coming months, the Blue Devils will see themselves challenged by some of the finest talent in college football.

The schedule should prove to be a formidable test for the Blue Devils, who are coming off a 5-7 season where they lost to every ranked opponent that they played against.

By far the most formidable name on Duke’s schedule is Alabama. The reigning national champions and and current preseason No. 1 are home to Heisman-winning running back Mark Ingram and a stellar cadre of four and five star high school recruits. Look for Ingram to take advantage of a Duke defensive line that suffered the loss of Ayanga Okpokowuruk and Vince Oghobaase after last season.

In addition, Duke will face No. 6 Virginia Tech, the ACC’s leading contender for a national championship run. Although the Hokies lost six defensive starters, they will return an offensive arsenal that is more than qualified to pick up the slack. For the first time in recent memory, this Virginia Tech team will rely more on its offense than defense for success. Returning senior quarterback Tyrod Taylor and ACC Rookie of the Year Ryan Williams could prove to be a dangerous combination for the Blue Devil defense.

Also on Duke’s schedule are No. 13 Miami, No. 17 Georgia Tech and No. 18 North Carolina.

While the Blue Devils may be the consistent underdog in these contests, they have proven themselves able to compete with these teams. One may remember last season’s game against then-No.6 Virginia Tech, where Duke stayed tit-for-tat with the Hokies throughout the match, including a controversial call taking away Leon Wright’s supposed interception in the end zone, giving Virginia Tech a touchdown.