Why This Duke Football Team Feels Different Than Last Year

For a team coming off a conference title, the Duke Blue Devils don't have the loftiest expectations heading into the 2026 college football season.

With so much production from last season's ACC Championship team lost, the Blue Devils are generally viewed as a mid-tier squad. It's hard to project Duke higher than middle-of-the-pack status, given the plethora of new faces on the roster this season.

Jul 17, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke head coach Manny Diaz talks with the media during interviews at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

However, in both years that head coach Manny Diaz has been at the helm, Duke has walked into the regular season with fairly mid-level expectations. In both seasons, Diaz and Co. have greatly exceeded those expectations.

Heading into his third season with the program, there's a bit of a different feel for the Blue Devils.

Sep 6, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; San Jose State Spartans quarterback Walker Eget (5) passes the ball during the first half against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Duke Now Has Something To Defend

Sure, the Blue Devils lost a lot of production and don't seem to be viewed as a team that can realistically compete for the ACC crown for the second season in a row. Regardless of any preseason expectations, Duke is still the reigning conference champions. The program is walking into 2026 with something to defend.

The Blue Devils have a chance to make a point this season and earn some respect. Like we already mentioned, Duke has entered both previous seasons under Diaz with fairly average expectations, and it has greatly exceeded those expectations in both campaigns.

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils running back Nate Sheppard (20) runs the ball while defended by Virginia Cavaliers cornerback Jam Jackson (9) in the first quarter during the 2025 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

2025 was the year when the Blue Devils established themselves as a true force in the ACC, at least for one season. It's now up to Diaz, his staff, and the players to prove the team will be a mainstay at the top of the league for years to come.

Given that Duke football isn't the same powerhouse as the school's basketball team, this probably won't be the last time the transfer portal hurts it after one great season. What 2026 provides is an opportunity for the program to prove it can rebuild and battle with the top of the conference, even after being hit with obstacles.

Manny Diaz, head football coach at Duke, shouts during the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl against Arizona State at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Duke Has Intriguing Pieces

What makes Duke so hard to gauge before the regular season gets underway isn't necessarily a lack of talent on the roster, but a lack of proven Power Conference talent. Practically all of the transfers it is bringing in come from the mid-major level, making it very difficult to assess how these players will translate to the ACC.

Nonetheless, Diaz has been in this spot before and has consistently made the most out of the roster he was given. The Blue Devils have done a fantastic job over the last two years of working with what they have and playing to their strengths. 2026 hands Duke a premier chance to show the rest of the ACC it is here to stay.

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