David Pollack predicts winner, final score of Duke-Virginia ACC championship

Analyst David Pollack evaluates the ACC Championship Game matchup in Charlotte and offers his prediction for the rematch between the Cavaliers and Blue Devils.

Former ESPN analyst David Pollack predicts a comfortable win for the Virginia Cavaliers in the ACC Championship against the Duke Blue Devils. | Abigail Dollins / Argus Leader via Imagn Content Services, LLC

History is guaranteed when the Atlantic Coast Conference title is decided on Saturday night in Charlotte. The No. 17 Virginia Cavaliers and the Duke Blue Devils are set to clash for the league crown. Neither program has ever won the conference championship game, but both have won conference titles many years ago, since the title game's inception two decades ago.

The outcome carries massive weight for the College Football Playoff picture. Virginia can secure an automatic bid to the 12-team field with a victory. A win for Duke complicates the national scenario significantly because the Blue Devils remain unranked despite winning seven games.

This is a rematch of a game played just three weeks ago. Virginia dominated that contest by 17 points in Durham. The quick turnaround forces both coaching staffs to adjust while dealing with the pressure of a title fight. Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott noted the difficulty of beating a team twice in one season.

David Pollack Analyzes The ACC Championship Stakes

Elliott emphasized that the previous 34-17 victory means nothing this weekend. He told reporters that the game will come down to execution because Duke has found an offensive rhythm recently.

The Blue Devils' offense ranks 34th nationally in yards per game and features the league leader in passing yards. Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah has thrown for 3,450 yards and 28 touchdowns this season.

Duke reached this stage by winning a tiebreaker over the Miami Hurricanes. Duke head coach Manny Diaz, who has been rumored as a candidate for Penn State's coaching search, argued that his team deserves playoff consideration if they hoist the trophy. Diaz stated that leaving an ACC champion out would discourage teams from scheduling difficult non-conference opponents.

Duke Blue Devils wide receiver Cooper Barkate (18) has 978 yards and six touchdowns on 63 receptions this season. | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

College football analyst David Pollack broke down the matchup on a Wednesday episode of the See Ball Get Ball podcast. Pollack expressed significant concern regarding the resume Duke brings to Charlotte. He pointed to their losses against non-conference opponents as a major red flag for their overall team strength.

"They lost to UConn and Tulane," Pollack said. "Those aren't in conference but those are not juggernauts. Those are not teams that are more talented than them."

Pollack also highlighted ball security as a critical factor. Duke ranks 19th in the FBS with a positive turnover margin but struggled in key moments. Pollack noted that the Blue Devils can be careless with the football.

"Duke has a tendency to give it away like a non-profit," Pollack said. "They want to give it away like it's a tax write-off. They will throw that football to you. They will fumble it. They will give it away on special teams."

Pollack praised the growth of the Virginia offense. He specifically credited quarterback Chandler Morris for his resilience late in the season.

"Chandler Morris has played his tail off," Pollack said. "Since he got concussed, he's been even better. He got dinged around a little bit and all of a sudden cobwebs cleared up and he's let it rip."

Virginia Cavaliers wide receiver Trell Harris (11) has 809 yards and five touchdowns on 56 catches this year. | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

While Pollack acknowledged the talent of Duke running back Nate Sheppard, he could not overlook the previous result between these teams. He expects the Cavaliers to replicate their success from November.

"I would love to pick Duke, but I already told you I'm out," Pollack said. "I did it a couple of times this season, and it made me quit, and it made me queasy. I'll go exact same score (as their first game this year). I'll go 34-17, Virginia."

The Virginia Cavaliers will face the Duke Blue Devils at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC.