Duke’s road victory over Northwestern in Week 2 didn’t just keep the Blue Devils undefeated in the Manny Diaz era, it also gave them a small boost in the ESPN FPI rankings.
As of Monday, the Blue Devils are the No. 64 team in the country in ESPN’s analytical rankings.
That spot still keeps them near the bottom of the ACC. Only four fellow members of the conference (Stanford, Wake Forest, Virginia, and NC State) are below Duke through two games.
However, the Blue Devils’ expected win total jumped to 6.9 with the victory. After starting the year as a near coin-flip to reach a bowl game, Diaz’s team now has a 79.1% chance to win six games.
Duke’s march to bowl eligibility continues on Saturday against Connecticut, a matchup that should earn the Blue Devils some bragging rights ahead of basketball season.