Duke's Early Bowl Projections Could Spell Doom for Manny Diaz if True
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Duke had not made the postseason since 1994 until then-head coach David Cutcliffe brought the program to the Belk Bowl in 2012.
The Blue Devils would make six bowl games in a row before taking another hiatus. Mike Elko immediately took Duke to a bowl game in his first season as head coach in 2022, but he left for Texas A&M before the Blue Devils' 17-10 win over Troy in the Birmingham Bowl the next season.
Manny Diaz made sure Duke didn't suffer a drop-off after Elko left, taking the school to the Gator Bowl in 2024. Last season, the Blue Devils made a surprise run to win the ACC Championship Game, but didn't make the College Football Playoff due to five losses.
Duke appeared to gain momentum by beating Arizona State in the Sun Bowl in December, but quarterback Darian Mensah and receiver Cooper Barkate transferred to Miami, crushing any hope that the Blue Devils would make a run to the CFP this year.
Steven Lassan of Athlon Sports has a brutal prediction for Diaz and Duke this season, keeping the program out of his bowl projections for the upcoming season.
With Mensah gone, Duke is set to rely on San Jose State transfer Walker Eget to lead the team at quarterback, a tough ask for him to be an elite signal-caller in the ACC.
Diaz added some help for the offense in the transfer portal, though he's relying on his defense to develop before the fall.
Building a program through high school recruiting is still ideal for college coaches, but that strategy could be dooming for Diaz if Duke misses the postseason because of a lack of talent on the roster.
A losing season would crush any momentum Duke gained from winning the ACC championship, and could stunt recruiting for the 2027 campaign.
The schedule isn't too hard for Duke. They could easily find wins against Tulane, Stanford, William & Mary, and Boston College. Miami, Illinois, and Clemson might prove too challenging for this roster.
Duke's ability to make a bowl game will come down to how they play against NC State, Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia Tech.
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