For the ACC slate, our football beat writers predict whether the Blue Devils will pick up a win in their weekly matchup. Duke travels to Atlanta at 8 p.m. to take on the Yellow Jackets in hopes of starting 6-0 and gaining bowl eligibility:
Ranjan Jindal: Georgia Tech 27-20
Head coach Manny Diaz’s group has played inspired football, and I have been extremely impressed with its ability in the fourth quarter. But I’m not sure that only one or two quarters of complete football will be enough against Georgia Tech. Haynes King — and the playmakers around him — will certainly challenge this defensive unit. The biggest thing is that they take care of the ball; if Duke wins, it will likely need to force a turnover or two from that offense. I see the Yellow Jackets — bolstered by the home crowd — to hand the Blue Devils their first loss.
Dom Fenoglio: Duke 28-20
All week, I had been planning on taking the Yellow Jackets. King is the perfect quarterback to beat defensive coordinator Jonathan Patke’s defense: He can run, has a great arm and is experienced enough to pick up the blitz. And after trips to Northwestern’s practice field and a rainy Middle Tennessee, Saturday is surely the most hostile road environment the Blue Devils have faced yet. Yet, here I am taking Duke to pull off another win. I believe in the defense, which continues to finish games stronger and stronger, and I like the offense’s growth. After bemoaning over the Blue Devils’ rushing attack to start the season, it has become an area of strength. Moreover, last week’s win against North Carolina was Maalik Murphy’s first game without an interception — showing the signal caller is improving in his decision making. If Duke can carry over the belief it found in itself against the Tar Heels, it may be able to become one of the first teams in the country to be bowl eligible.
Caleb Dudley: Duke 24-21
I said in our season predictions that I thought Duke’s biggest win would come in Atlanta to clinch bowl eligibility. Through five weeks, I see no reason to change that prediction. The Blue Devils have shown some serious guts over the past few weeks, already engineering three fourth-quarter comebacks. Things could certainly get hairy at Bobby Dodd Stadium with how talented the Yellow Jackets are, but I think Manny Diaz and company will get bowl eligible in the minimum number of weeks and start 6-0 for the first time since 1994.
Martin Heintzelman: Georgia Tech 28-24
Duke is 5-0, and I think it is entirely possible that the Blue Devils make it to 6-0. That said, Duke is yet to play a truly quality ACC team, and I think Georgia Tech will rain on the undefeated parade Saturday. The Yellow Jackets will be playing angry after a loss to Louisville, while the Blue Devils run the risk of resting on their laurels after the comeback victory against North Carolina. Look for the undefeated run to end today.
Rodrigo Amare: Georgia Tech 23-14
Despite all the hype and excitement coming off Duke’s historic comeback victory over North Carolina, I’m still not convinced the Blue Devils are capable of competing against the ACC’s best. None of Duke’s opponents have been particularly impressive this season, and for large stretches of their games, the Blue Devils haven’t either. Georgia Tech is well rested and eager to bounce back after its recent defeat to Louisville, so I think Duke comes crashing down back to Earth Saturday in a comfortable Yellow Jacket victory.
Abby DiSalvo: Georgia Tech 26-20
The Blue Devils haven’t won an ACC road test since 2022, and the Yellow Jackets are desperate for a win after dropping their last two conference games against Syracuse and Louisville. Add in the threat of Haynes King — who leads the ACC in completion percentage and averages 9.2 yards per attempt — and Georgia Tech seems to hold most of the cards in this game. Though Star Thomas will likely be able to take advantage of the Yellow Jackets’ less-than-standout secondary, I don’t think it will be enough to take Duke to 6-0 on the season.
Tyler Walley: Georgia Tech 27-24
The Yellow Jackets will present a uniquely challenging matchup for the Blue Devils. While Star Thomas has played well over the last three games, he will face a defensive front allowing just 3.1 yards per carry. I believe wideouts Jordan Moore and Eli Pancol will do well against a poor Georgia Tech secondary, yet I remain concerned about the number of three-and-outs Duke had against North Carolina’s arguably weaker secondary. Add that King, one of the best quarterbacks in college football this year, has completed 73.4% of his passes so far, and I have the Yellow Jackets taking this one by a field goal.
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Dom Fenoglio is a Trinity junior and a sports managing editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.
Ranjan Jindal is a Trinity junior and sports editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.
Rodrigo Amare is a Trinity sophomore and assistant Blue Zone editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.
Martin Heintzelman is a Trinity junior and Blue Zone editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.
Abby DiSalvo is a Trinity sophomore and assistant Blue Zone editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.