Against All Odds: Duke FB Advances to ACC Championship Game

The ACC Championship matchup is officially set: the 18th-ranked Virginia Cavaliers will take on the Duke Blue Devils in a rematch of last week’s showdown, a game Virginia won 34–17 in Durham.

Entering Saturday, Duke needed help from multiple teams to secure a spot in the title game—most notably a win from either the Cal Golden Bears or the Virginia Tech Hokies. That help arrived when Cal edged SMU 38–35, thanks to a missed field goal by the Mustangs with 4 seconds left on the clock.

(photo courtesy of California Athletics)

The Blue Devils now make their return to the ACC Championship for the first time since 2013, when David Cutcliffe led Duke against Florida State. Duke closed the regular season 7–5 overall and 6–2 in conference play. In eight games this year, the Blue Devils have topped the 30-point mark on offense, surpassing 40 points in five of those outings.

Defensively, Duke boasts several standout playmakers, including star defensive back—and future NFL prospect—Chandler Rivers, along with Tre Freeman, Vincent Anthony, and Wesley Williams.

(photo courtesy of Duke Athletics)

It has been a rollercoaster season for the Blue Devils, but when their defense limits explosive plays, their talent on both sides of the ball allows them to compete with anyone. If Duke hopes to revamp its loss two weeks ago, the Blue Devils will have to limit big plays, and self inflicted wounds for the massive upset.

As for playoff implications, the ACC Championship winner has gone on to reach the National Championship or College Football Playoff in nine of the past twelve seasons.