Despite five straight wins to start the season, the Duke Blue Devils still sit outside the top 60 in the ESPN Football Power Index. In the SP+ rankings, however, it’s a very different story.
Bill Connelly released the updated SP+ rankings, which he describes as a balance of tempo and down-to-down efficiency metrics to project future success, on Sunday.
The Blue Devils sit 33rd in the advanced formula thanks to the 14th-ranked defense, and the counting stats back up that defensive prowess. Defensive coordinator Jonathan Patke and his secondary are surrendering 4.9 yards per attempt, the only ACC secondary allowing fewer than six, with six passing touchdowns allowed against four interceptions.
SP+ isn’t as high on the Duke offense, slotting the Blue Devils as the 82nd overall unit in the country. For context, that puts them squarely between Rutgers and Stanford.
Duke has clearly put too much pressure on its defense through the first six games, falling behind by double-digits in each of its first two conference battles. The Blue Devils are 96th in the FBS in total offense (352.5 yards) and 88th in scoring offense (26.3 points).
The rankings leave Duke as the sixth-highest ACC football team after six weeks. The Miami Hurricanes (ninth) and the Clemson Tigers (12th) remain in a contested battle for the top spot in the conference, and the undefeated Pittsburgh Panthers sit one spot above the Blue Devils at 32nd.