Each successive win moves the Duke Blue Devils closer to the top 25.
After Saturday’s 31-28 triumph over the Virginia Tech Hokies, their final game at Wallace Wade Stadium this season, the Blue Devils received 31 votes in the US LBM Coaches Poll. As a result, Duke finished third among teams receiving votes, putting the team in the unofficial 28th spot in the rankings.
Wide receiver Eli Pancol closed his career in style with two touchdowns longer than 75 yards on the Blue Devils’ first two possessions. The fifth-year wideout ended Saturday’s game with 188 yards and three touchdowns on five catches.
After a brief spell of pessimism about the ACC as a whole, the conference has two teams within the top 10 once again. The Miami Hurricanes moved up three spots to seventh after a trio of fourth-quarter touchdowns helped them blow out Wake Forest, and the SMU Mustangs moved up to ninth after clinching their spot in the ACC title game.
Check out the complete US LBM Coaches Poll below:
| Rank | Team | Record | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon Ducks | 11-0 | 1,375 (55) |
| 2 | Ohio State Buckeyes | 10-1 | 1,318 |
| 3 | Texas Longhorns | 10-1 | 1,267 |
| 4 | Penn State Nittany Lions | 10-1 | 1,175 |
| 5 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 10-1 | 1,150 |
| 6 | Georgia Bulldogs | 9-2 | 1,103 |
| 7 | Miami Hurricanes | 10-1 | 1,023 |
| 8 | Tennessee Volunteers | 9-2 | 972 |
| 9 | SMU Mustangs | 10-1 | 917 |
| 10 | Indiana Hoosiers | 10-1 | 867 |
| 11 | Boise State Broncos | 10-1 | 838 |
| 12 | Clemson Tigers | 9-2 | 780 |
| 13 | Alabama Crimson Tide | 8-3 | 621 |
| 14 | South Carolina Gamecocks | 8-3 | 596 |
| 15 | Arizona State Sun Devils | 9-2 | 592 |
| 16 | Ole Miss Rebels | 8-3 | 569 |
| 17 | Iowa State Cyclones | 9-2 | 473 |
| 18 | Tulane Green Wave | 9-2 | 434 |
| 19 | Texas A&M Aggies | 8-3 | 357 |
| 20 | BYU Cougars | 9-2 | 329 |
| 21 | UNLV Rebels | 9-2 | 205 |
| 22 | Army Black Knights | 9-1 | 165 |
| 23 | Memphis Tigers | 9-2 | 151 |
| 24 | Missouri Tigers | 8-3 | 148 |
| 25 | Illinois Fighting Illini | 8-3 | 132 |
Dropped Out
No. 18 Colorado; No. 25 Kansas State
Receiving Votes
Kansas State 124; Colorado 115; Duke 31; Syracuse 19; Louisville 8; Louisiana 7; Washington State 6; LSU 3; Miami (OH) 1; James Madison 1; Iowa 1; Georgia Tech 1; Baylor 1