Assessing Duke Football Heading into Week 9

The Duke Blue Devils football team is looking to bounce back after taking a huge loss in Week 8 of the season.

They are heading into Week 9 of the college football season, and they need a win to make sure they keep up with the pace if they want a chance to play in the ACC Championship game. That is something they want to do, and they have the team to do it. They just need to make sure they fix some of the things they did not do right last week.

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

Head coach Manny Diaz is ready for his team to get back on the field and show that they have made the adjustments to get back on track. Diaz was not too worried about how his team would respond after last week's loss. Diaz has confidence in this group of players and in his coaching staff to make sure they put their players in the best position to be successful in Week 9.

jnnjn — Oct 18, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz looks on during the warmups of the game against Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Duke's Outlook heading to Week 9

"Heading into this season, Duke football had a clear goal: make it to the College Football Playoff," said Anna Snyder of The Fayetteville Observer.

"Now in their second idle week, sitting at 4-3 overall and 3-1 in ACC play, the Blue Devils are coming off a 27-18 loss to then No. 12-ranked Georgia Tech for their first conference loss of the season."

Nov 30, 2019; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils helmet against the Miami Hurricanes during the second half at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images | James Guillory-Imagn Images

The loss narrowed Duke's path to the ACC championship come December, with the Blue Devils needing to win the remainder of their conference games for a spot, not including how the race between other teams in the league could play out. Ahead of Week 9, three teams in the league remain undefeated in conference play: Georgia Tech (4-0), Virginia (3-0) and SMU (3-0).

jnn — Oct 18, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Manny Diaz reacts during the second half of the game against Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Duke still has four conference matchups remaining: Clemson (Nov. 1), Virginia (Nov. 15), North Carolina (Nov. 22) and Wake Forest (Nov. 29).

Beyond the ACC title race, Duke is looking to earn its fourth straight and 18th overall bowl appearance. The Blue Devils are coming off a trip to the Gator Bowl last season, with Manny Diaz becoming the third first-year head coach at Duke with a bowl appearance. To earn bowl eligibility, teams must earn six wins with a .500 winning percentage.

Oct 18, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils tight end Landen King (0) celebrates a touchdown catch with offensive lineman Bruno Fina (75) during the first half of the game against Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images | Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

They still have a chance to do it and it will start by bouncing back this week and showing that they are the best team in the ACC this season.

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