Duke jumps more than 20 spots in The Athletic’s college football power rankings

With a sixth victory, the Duke Blue Devils moved up nearly two dozen spots in The Athletic’s college football rankings.

No matter which college football ranking fans want to consult, the Duke Blue Devils are sitting just outside of the top 25.

The Athletic’s Chris Vannini updated his ranking of all 134 teams on Monday, and Duke jumped up more than 20 spots to 31st after its victory over the Florida State Seminoles.

While the offense struggled to get off the ground on Friday night, the defense put together yet another dominant performance. Defensive back Chandler Rivers returned an interception for a touchdown, linebacker Ozzie Nicholas forced a fumble and picked off a pass on consecutive snaps, and the Blue Devils finished with six sacks and 11 tackles for loss.

Through eight weeks of the college football season, Duke sits fourth among FBS teams in both yards allowed per play (4.29) and yards allowed per pass attempt (4.9).

Only five ACC teams finished higher in Vannini’s rankings than the Blue Devils. The Seminoles fell to 94th after dropping to 1-6, a far cry from their undefeated 2023 regular season, and the North Carolina Tar Heels sit 73rd as they ride a four-game losing streak.