Road games against Clemson, North Carolina, Tulane headline Duke football's 2025 schedule

Duke football fans can finally mark their calendars.

The Blue Devils’ 2025 ACC schedule was released Monday evening, including a trip to Clemson, S.C., Nov. 1, a matchup with new North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick Nov. 22 and another regular-season finale against Wake Forest.

First, head coach Manny Diaz will open the season with three nonconference games. Duke will welcome Elon once again in Week 1, then host Tulane — the former home of transfer quarterback Darian Mensah — Week 2. After taking a trip to Evanston, Ill., last season to visit Northwestern, the Blue Devils will go back to the Land of Lincoln to take on Illinois Week 3.

ACC play opens Week 4 with in-state rival N.C. State — who will be looking to get one back in Durham after Duke took down the Wolfpack 29-19 in 2024. Next up is a trip to Syracuse, N.Y., in a battle of 9-win ACC teams from last season. Diaz’s trademark defense will go up against head coach Fran Brown’s explosive offense in an important September game.

Following that matchup, the Blue Devils will make a cross-country road trip to face Cal on the road Oct. 4. Duke earns a well-deserved bye week after its travels, then returns to Durham in Week 8 to host Georgia Tech. After losing in Atlanta last season, the Blue Devils will look for revenge at home.

Another bye week after the Yellow Jackets gives Duke one last pause before its remaining five games of the season, which begins with the Tigers. One of 12 teams selected to the College Football Playoff, Clemson will bring back quarterback Cade Klubnik in 2025, who lost to the Blue Devils two seasons ago.

A final nonconference game against UConn in Week 11 sets up the final stretch for Duke. Virginia comes to Wallace Wade Stadium Nov. 15, then the Blue Devils will stay in-state for road games against the Tar Heels and the Demon Deacons.

In total, Duke’s schedule stretches from coast to coast and from Louisiana to New York. Three home matchups in the Blue Devils’ first four games give way to a pair of road challenges to end the regular season, and every week will count as Diaz looks to build on a successful first year.