The Duke Blue Devils football team represents Duke University in the sport of American football. The Blue Devils compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The program has won 17 conference championships (7 ACC championships and 10 Southern Conference titles), produced 53 All-Americans, had 10 ACC Players of the Year, and has seen three Pro Football Hall of Famers emerge from the program. The team is currently coached by Mike Elko and plays its home games at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, North Carolina Duke Football: Roster, Tickets, News, Recruiting.
Projected Starters: Jordan Waters and Jaylen Coleman
After facing significant challenges for most of the period since the mid-1960s, the Blue Devils experienced a revival under the leadership of David Cutcliffe from 2008 to 2021. Duke achieved a historic milestone on November 30, 2013, when they clinched their first Coastal Division title by defeating their arch-rivals, North Carolina. Furthermore, during the 2013 season, the Blue Devils earned a spot in the top 25 of the BCS standings, the AP Poll, and the Coaches’ Poll. They came incredibly close to pulling off an upset against a formidable Texas A&M team in the 2013 Chick-fil-A Bowl, ultimately losing by a mere four points despite holding a 38–17 lead at halftime.
In 2014, Duke continued their success with a nine-win season, which included a victory over the eventual Orange Bowl champion, Georgia Tech. They also experienced another closely contested bowl game, falling to 15th-ranked Arizona State in the Sun Bowl.
| DATE ????️ | OPPONENT ???? | RESULT ???? | W-L (CONF) ???? | HI PASS ???????? | HI RUSH ????♂️???? | HI REC ???????? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, Sep 4 ???? | vs Clemson ???? | W28-7 ???? | 1-0 (1-0) ???? | Leonard 175 ???????? | Leonard 98 ????♂️???? | Waters 46 ???????? |
| Sat, Sep 9 ???? | vs Lafayette ???? | W42-7 ???? | 2-0 (1-0) ???? | Leonard 136 ???????? | Waters 112 ????♂️???? | Moore 84 ???????? |
| Sat, Sep 16 ???? | vs Northwestern ???? | W38-14 ???? | 3-0 (1-0) ???? | Leonard 219 ???????? | Leonard 97 ????♂️???? | Calhoun 112 ???????? |
| Sat, Sep 23 ???? | @ UConn ???? | W41-7 ???? | 4-0 (1-0) ???? | Leonard 248 ???????? | Leonard 30 ????♂️???? | Moore 86 ???????? |
| Sat, Sep 30 ???? | vs Notre Dame ???? | L21-14 ???? | 4-1 (1-0) ???? | Leonard 134 ???????? | Leonard 88 ????♂️???? | Moore 67 ???????? |
| Sat, Oct 14 ???? | vs NC State ???? | W24-3 ???? | 5-1 (2-0) ???? | Belin IV 107 ???????? | Waters 123 ????♂️???? | Calhoun 69 ???????? |
| Sat, Oct 21 ???? | @ Florida State ???? | L38-20 ???? | 5-2 (2-1) ???? | Leonard 69 ???????? | Moore 110 ????♂️???? | Moore 26 ???????? |
The year 2015 marked a significant achievement for the Blue Devils when they secured a thrilling 44–41 overtime victory against Indiana in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. They followed up this triumph with another win over Northern Illinois in the 2017 Quick Lane Bowl Duke Football: Roster, Tickets, News, Recruiting.
Dark Horse: Peyton Jones
One name to keep an eye on, who may not currently be at the top of the depth chart, is freshman Peyton Jones. Jones was a three-star prospect when he graduated from high school and played a key role in his team’s three Virginia state championships. College football, as we know, presents a significant transition from the high school level. However, head coach Mike Elko recently included Jones among the few freshmen who are likely to exceed the four-game redshirt limit. In the event of injuries to other players, Jones could be the one called upon to share some of the rushing responsibilities this year. Even in the absence of injuries, both Elko and offensive coordinator Kevin Johns are not hesitant to utilize a sizable group of running backs, which increases Jones’ chances of getting meaningful playing time.
| Player ???? | Position ???? | Team ???? | Contract ???? | Annual Salary ???? | Signing Bonus ???? | Total Value ???? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel Jones ???? | QB ???? | NYG ???? | 4 yr / $160,000,000 ???? | $15,435,000 ???? | $46,000,000 ???? | $72,129,056 ???? |
| Laken Tomlinson ???? | G ???? | NYJ ???? | 3 yr / $40,000,000 ???? | $10,880,000 ???? | $13,100,000 ???? | $39,645,357 ???? |
| Jamison Crowder ???? | WR ???? | WAS ???? | 1 yr / $1,165,000 ???? | $887,778 ???? | $1,100,277 ???? | $30,778,026 ???? |
| Lucas Patrick ???? | G ???? | CHI ???? | 2 yr / $8,000,000 ???? | $5,382,500 ???? | $3,900,000 ???? | $14,348,567 ???? |
| Thomas Hennessy ???? | LS ???? | NYJ ???? | 4 yr / $5,970,000 ???? | $1,380,000 ???? | $1,955,000 ???? | $5,140,000 ???? |
| Chris Rumph II ???? | DE ???? | LAC ???? | 4 yr / $4,233,544 ???? | $1,128,386 ???? | $940,000 ???? | $2,238,544 ???? |
| Michael Carter ???? | CB ???? | NYJ ???? | 4 yr / $3,808,927 ???? | $1,022,232 ???? | $940,000 ???? | $1,813,927 ???? |
| Noah Gray ???? | TE ???? | KC ???? | 4 yr / $3,793,776 ???? | $1,018,444 ???? | $940,000 ???? | $1,798,776 ???? |
| Victor Dimukeje ???? | OLB ???? | ARI ???? | 4 yr / $3,641,860 ???? | $980,465 ???? | $940,000 ???? | $1,646,860 ???? |
| Josh Blackwell ???? | CB ???? | CHI ???? | 1 yr / $870,000 ???? | $540,832 ???? | $540,832 ???? | $1,383,332 ???? |
| Total ???? | $38,655,637 ???? | $70,356,109 ???? | $170,922,445 ???? |
Waters and Coleman are set to lead the running game in what appears to be another year of the committee-based approach to the position. Both athletes delivered impressive performances last season, with Waters accumulating 566 rushing yards on 123 attempts and Coleman notching 536 yards on 128 carries. Both players are graduate students, making this likely their final seasons in college. With that in mind, a more evenly-distributed rushing strategy will prevent any single player from being overused, ensuring the well-being of both athletes in one of the most physically demanding positions in football. Moreover, the fresh legs can exhaust opposing defenses, a key component of Duke’s third-ranked rushing offense in the league Duke Football: Roster, Tickets, News, Recruiting.
Duke’s defense among the nation’s best: The Blue Devils rank first in the ACC and fourth nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 9.83 points per game, and are currently one of just 16 teams in the country allowing less than 300 yards per game.
Duke University’s esteemed reputation is built upon its dedication to academic excellence, cutting-edge medical research, athletic accomplishments, and community involvement Duke Football: Roster, Tickets, News, Recruiting.
