This Week in Duke Football: Produce a Massive Upset

The Duke Blue Devils football team has its biggest game of the season this week. The Blue Devils will be facing ACC rival Georgia Tech, which can have a massive say on who makes it to the ACC Championship game at the end of the regular season.

Sep 30, 2023; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils helmet just before the game against Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Duke will go into this game undefeated in ACC play, as well as Georgia Tech. Coming into this season, a lot of people did not predict that these two teams would be at the top of the ACC at this point in the season. It is going to be a battle that is going to come down to the wire. It is going to be a must-see game. It is a huge game for both programs.

Here we are going to go back in time and talk about when Duke pulled off a massive upset over Georgia Tech years ago.

Oct 4, 2025; Berkeley, California, USA; Duke Blue Devils running back Nate Sheppard (20) high steps into the end zone for a touchdown ahead of California Golden Bears defensive back Cam Sidney (20) during the first quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Duke Against Georgia Tech 2014

"Duke football entered Week 6 of the 2014 season at a crossroads," said Ryan Hammer of The Chronicle. "The previous campaign saw the program’s most successful team in recent history climb all the way to No. 20 in the AP poll, make the ACC championship game and narrowly lose to Texas A&M led by that year's Heisman-winner quarterback Johnny Manziel in a shootout at the Chick-fil-A Bowl."

Sep 10, 2021; Durham, North Carolina, USA; A Duke Blue Devils helmet sits on an equipment chest during the third quarter of the game against the North Carolina A&T Aggies at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Howard-Imagn Images | William Howard-Imagn Images

"The Blue Devils began their 2014 season unranked, but started with four-straight nonconference wins before dropping their first conference game on the road against a Miami team that would finish the season 6-7.

"So, as head coach David Cutcliffe’s squad began preparations to face undefeated No. 22 Georgia Tech on the road, direction was needed. Would Duke suffer another loss and begin a downward spiral so common of teams in the past, or would it pick up a win, establishing that last season was no fluke?"

mmkl — Sep 20, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz during the second quarter against the NC State Wolfpack at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

"It wasn't lost on fans that Cutcliffe had failed to beat the Yellow Jackets in his six-year tenure, the Blue Devils hadn’t won in Atlanta since 1994 and starting running back Shaquille Powell would miss the game due to injury. Despite the setbacks, the squad from Durham found a way to escape Bobby Dodd Stadium with a definitive 31-25 victory over its conference hosts.

The Blue Devil defense stood strong down the stretch, coming up with two crucial interceptions that set up another touchdown — the final blow. Georgia Tech added two touchdowns to make it close, but the damage was done. Duke escaped Atlanta with a huge win, one of the season-changing kind.

lm;l — Oct 11, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets linebacker Cayman Spaulding (1) reacts after a turnover on downs against the Virginia Tech Hokies in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Cutcliffe’s team won its next three games, entering the top-25 once again. The No. 19 Blue Devils went on to drop home games to unranked Virginia Tech and North Carolina, and finished the season 9-4 after a Sun Bowl loss to No. 15 Arizona State.

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