Since Duke last appeared in the ACC Championship Game in 2013, there have been empty years of hope, trying to reach that national stage so important for a still-growing program. All the football attention in the Triangle may be directed toward Chapel Hill right now, but the Blue Devils have a sneaky chance to make that conference title game in 2020.
I know, I know—Duke finished 6th in the ACC Coastal Division last year and failed to qualify for a bowl game after a 3-1 start, but was head coach David Cutcliffe’s squad that far away from contention?
The Blue Devils’ 3-5 record in conference play certainly doesn’t make it appear that way, but two late-game collapses—a defensive meltdown against Pittsburgh and a costly turnover against North Carolina—could have easily flipped to Duke victories. If the Blue Devils don’t turn in an uninspired loss in the rain to Wake Forest, then they would've been tied with Virginia for the best ACC record in the Coastal.
The hypotheticals from last year don’t matter anymore though, and there isn’t even a Coastal Division to win this year with an adjusted conference season. Duke is going to have to finish second in the overall standings, competing with three ranked teams and a host of other talented squads. It’s not going to be easy for the Blue Devils, but there is a severe underestimation of the talent on the 2020 roster.
The strong-suit, per usual, will be a defense led by co-coordinators Matt Guerrieri and Ben Albert. When the offense could give them some rest, the Blue Devils were a formidable defensive team in 2019, and they return most of that group this season. The loss of defensive tackle Edgar Cerenord is slightly concerning for Duke’s interior, however, combine one of the best secondaries in the ACC with two potential all-conference pass rushers in Chris Rumph II and Victor Dimukeje and Duke should reach an elite defensive level. That is, if the offense can keep it off the field.
On the other side of the ball, there is a lot of excitement within the program about a new-look offense run by Cutcliffe. Though Quentin Harris undoubtedly provided leadership last season, Duke will start an improved talent at the position this year, with the big arm of Clemson transfer Chase Brice.
When you look at the schedule Cutcliffe put together, it’s clearly not a collection of easy wins. That’s not to say it isn’t manageable for the Blue Devils, though. The team will face two opponents ranked in the preseason AP Top 25 in North Carolina and Notre Dame, the latter in the season opener where both teams will undoubtedly work out some kinks.
Duke will face most of its regular Coastal foes, but will not have to face Miami nor Pittsburgh, two teams slotted for solid 2020 campaigns. N.C. State, Boston College, Syracuse and Wake Forest are not guaranteed victories, and Florida State is still Florida State, but the Blue Devils have a solid chance to win in every game they play after facing the Fighting Irish, and any scenario where the team can avoid Clemson in the regular season is a good one.
Ultimately, this comes down to a push-pull situation. Duke’s defense is seriously undervalued because of how much time it spends on the field, and the program needs the offense to push the ball down the field with long drives consistently. If one of the quarterbacks can get that done so the defense can shine and the team can finally click? Look out ACC.
For more preseason coverage of the 2020 Blue Devils, check out our football season preview for features, predictions and more.
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