Arizona State Report: Recapping Duke's Season Before Sun Bowl

The Sun Devils are closing out the 2025 season with a game against the ACC champions on Wednesday.

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils defensive tackle Aaron Hall (99) and defensive end Wesley Williams (97) celebrate after winning the ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

TEMPE -- The focus - understandably so - has been on recent developments surrounding the Arizona State program in recent weeks, including the transfer portal that is soon to come.

The 2025 season still hasn't concluded, however, and Arizona State must face the ACC champion Duke Blue Devils in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl on Wednesday afternoon in El Paso, Texas.

Arizona State on SI takes a look at how the Duke season has transpired below.

Non-Conference Play Was Unsuccessful

Duke's lone win in non-conference play was a 45-17 triumph over Elon in the season opener on Aug 28.

The other three losses are surely what cost the Blue Devils a shot to reach the College Football Playoff - this began with a 45-19 loss to Illinois on September 6. Duke quarterback Darian Mensah played exceptional football, and the Blue Devils only trailed 28-19 after three quarters, but they let the game get away late. They lost to Tulane the very next week by a score of 34-27 - in a game that wasn't nearly as close as the final score indicated, as Tulane QB Jake Retzlaff ran for four touchdowns.

The loss to the Connecticut Huskies on November 8 sealed the 1-3 non-conference mark, and certainly took any shot of reaching the CFP away.

ACC Play Was Very Successful

Duke's 6-2 ACC record was highlighted by a 46-45 comeback victory over Clemson, as well as defeating Wake Forest to secure a spot in the league title game.

Duke secured a 27-20 win over Virginia in the conference title game three weeks ago in what was a real statement from a program that has struggled in recent seasons.

Mensah Among Best Quarterbacks in Nation

Mensah has emerged as one of the very best players in all of college football over the last two seasons, as he ranks top five in passing yards (3,646), and passing touchdowns (30), while also ranking top 20 in QBR.

Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham and Brian Ward have heaped praise on the potential 2027 NFL draft prospect, with Ward in particular going into detail as far as the areas in which Mensah excels at.

Mensah is an exceptionally intelligent passer - rarely wasting throws or pushing the ball downfield into danger. He also naturally extends plays without bailing in the pocket after his first read. In short, Mensah is quite possibly the biggest threat the Sun Devils will face all season.

Read more on why the Arizona State men's basketball team will exceed expectations in the 2025-26 season here, and on why the bright future of the football program isn’t dimmed by the loss to Arizona here.

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