After three straight wins to close the 2024 regular season, the Duke Blue Devils nearly cracked the top 25 of the updated AP Poll on Sunday.
After only receiving six votes last week, leaving them as the unofficial No. 31 team in the rankings, Duke shuffled up to 28th thanks to 30 votes this week.
The Blue Devils appeared to be in danger in Winston-Salem on Saturday, dropping behind in-state rival Wake Forest 17-3 early in the third quarter after an inopportune fumble. However, quarterback [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag] orchestrated three touchdown drives over the final 18 minutes for the comeback victory. On the final play of the game, he found senior wideout Jordan Moore for a 39-yard touchdown to clinch the 23-17 win.
Only four other ACC schools won nine games during the regular season, but each of the others ended up in this week’s top 25. The Syracuse Orange vaulted up to 23rd after a home upset of the Miami Hurricanes, who tumbled down to 14th and out of the conference title game with their second loss in three games.
The SMU Mustangs (No. 8) and Clemson Tigers (No. 18) will meet in Charlotte to decide the conference’s automatic berth into the College Football Playoff.