Duke 2020 football schedule analysis: Toughest, easiest and can’t-miss games
Its schedule revamped due to the coronavirus pandemic, Duke gets an historic assignment as the first football team to play Notre Dame in a conference game next month.
With the Irish eligible for the ACC football championship this season, the Blue Devils open against them at Notre Dame Stadium on Sept. 12.
Traditionally staunchly independent in football, Notre Dame agreed to share some of its NBC television contract money in exchange for playing a full slate of ACC games this season.
Due to coronavirus concerns, the ACC scrapped its original schedule last month and rebuilt a schedule based on a model including 10 conference games plus on nonconference game for each of its teams.
Duke was set to play at Notre Dame, in a nonconference game, as part of the original schedule. The reworked schedule moved the game up to the season opener.
Here’s a look at Duke’s full schedule, which includes games with all three in-state ACC rivals North Carolina, Wake Forest and N.C. State, with superlatives added for key games:
Sept. 12: at Notre Dame (toughest game)
Coming off a 5-7 season, Duke faces a tough test in its season opener. Notre Dame beat Duke 38-7 in Durham last season. The Blue Devils won their most recent game at Notre Dame Stadium, upsetting the Irish 38-35 back in 2016.
Notre Dame is coming off an 11-2 season in 2019 when it was No. 12 in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll. Expect the Irish to be in the top 10 when Duke faces them on Sept. 12, which will make this a difficult game for the Blue Devils.
Sept. 19: Boston College
The Blue Devils weren’t supposed to face the Eagles this season but will do so for the first time since 2015. Boston College made a bowl game, but its 38-6 loss to Cincinnati in the Birmingham Bowl caused it to finish 6-7. Steve Addazio was fired between the regular season and the bowl game with former Ohio State assistant Jeff Hafley taking over as head coach. That brings added uncertainty to Duke’s game-planning for this contest since the Eagles have a new coaching staff.
Oct. 3: Virginia Tech
Even with the ACC not using the divisional alignment this season, Duke still faces a traditional Coastal foe as the Hokies come to Wallace Wade Stadium. Duke’s strongest performance in an otherwise disappointing season last year came at Blacksburg when it pounded Virginia Tech 45-10 at Lane Stadium. The Hokies will certainly have that rough memory in mind when they prepare to face Duke again.
Virginia Tech, which finished 8-5 last season, is likely to be among the nation’s top 25 teams when the first AP poll is released this month. Both teams should be at their best since they each have open weeks scheduled for the Sept. 26 weekend.
Oct. 10: at Syracuse
This is a rarity created by the pandemic as Duke faces Syracuse for the second consecutive season. Normally placed in opposite divisions, these two teams had only met once, prior to last season, since the Orange joined in the ACC for the 2013 season. Duke won 27-10 at Syracuse in 2014 before the Orange pounded Duke 49-6 last season in Durham.
This year they’ll play indoors in Syracuse with both having gone 5-7 last year. This figures to be a key swing game for both teams as they seek bowl eligibility.
Oct. 17: at N.C. State
The first of Duke’s trio of games against its in-state ACC foes. The Blue Devils haven’t played at Carter-Finley Stadium since 2009. This will be only the fourth time Duke and N.C. State, despite their proximity, have played in the last 17 seasons. Prior to that, Duke and N.C. State had played annually from 1945-2003.
With both the Blue Devils and Wolfpack having posted losing seasons in 2019, this will be a game each fan base will point to as a potential win.
Oct. 31: Charlotte
After its second open week of the season, Duke plays its lone nonconference game as it faces the Charlotte 49ers for the first time. This game was originally supposed to be a Thursday night game, televised nationally by one of the ESPN networks, in September. Instead, Duke has it sandwiched between its games with Triangle ACC rivals N.C. State and UNC.
The 49ers are coming off the best season in the program’s short history. Under first-year coach Will Healy, Charlotte went 7-6 and played in its first bowl game, losing 31-9 to Buffalo in the Bahamas Bowl, last year.
Nov. 7: North Carolina (can’t-miss game)
The annual rivalry game returns to Wallace Wade Stadium as originally planned. UNC ended Duke’s three-game winning streak in the series last season. The Blue Devils appeared primed to extend their success against the Tar Heels before UNC linebacker Chazz Surratt intercepted running back Deon Jackson’s jump pass in the final seconds to preserve a 20-17 Tar Heels win at Kenan Stadium.
The players and coaches from both teams engaged in some verbal sparring on the field as the Tar Heels regained possession of the Victory Bell, which will only add venom to an already heated rivalry game this fall.
Nov. 14: at Virginia
Having lost 48-14 in Charlottesville, Va., last season, Duke must face the Cavaliers at Scott Stadium for a second consecutive year. That could be bad news for the Blue Devils, who haven’t defeated Virginia anywhere since 2014.
The Cavaliers are coming off their first ACC championship game appearance in program history. Virginia went 9-3 in the regular season before losing to Clemson in the ACC title game and dropping a 36-28 decision to Florida in the Orange Bowl to finish 9-5, their best season since going 9-4 in 2007.
Nov. 21: Wake Forest
The Demon Deacons have gained the edge in this series lately, winning the last two seasons. These teams play annually despite normally being in opposite divisions and the series has been streaky. Wake Forest won 12 games in a row from 2000-2011. Duke won four of the next five, losing only in 2016, from 2012-17. But Wake Forest has easily solved Duke’s defense the last two years, winning 59-7 in 2018 and 39-27 last year.
Nov. 28: at Georgia Tech (easiest game)
The Blue Devils have won five of the last six games in this series of traditional Coastal Division foes, including the last three.
The Yellow Jackets suffered through a 3-9 season in 2019, its first under head coach Geoff Collins. Georgia Tech is transitioning from former coach Paul Johnson’s triple-option offense to Collins’ traditional formations, meaning last seasons struggles were expected. Georgia Tech should be a little better this season, but still Duke needs to take advantage to continue its success in the series.
Dec. 5: Florida State
Duke has lost all 20 games it has played against the Seminoles with most being lopsided. Florida State blasted Duke 41-16 in 2011, 48-7 in 2012 and 45-7 in the 2013 ACC championship game. The teams’ most recent game, however, was the most competitive: a 17-10 Florida State win at Durham in 2017.
They weren’t supposed to play in the regular season this year until the pandemic caused the schedule to be changed. After going 6-7 in 2019, the Seminoles have posted back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1975-76. If Duke is ever going to break its lifelong losing streak to Florida State, the time appears to be now.
This story was originally published August 6, 2020 at 11:17 AM with the headline "Duke 2020 football schedule analysis: Toughest, easiest and can’t-miss games."