The 2025 Duke football schedule is officially set, including an early-season match between new quarterback Darian Mensah and his old school.
The Duke Blue Devils, along with every other member of the ACC, officially revealed their 2025 college football schedule on Monday evening, and new quarterback [autotag]Darian Mensah[/autotag] will see a familiar foe in the non-conference leadup.
Duke opens the second campaign of the [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag] era with an August 30 game against Elon, exactly one year to the day after the 2024 opener against that same Phoenix team. The Blue Devils won 26-3 in Diaz’s first game thanks to a pair of [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag] touchdown passses.
The Blue Devils play another Big Ten team in Week 2, this time hosting the Illinois Fighting Illini, before traveling for their first road game on September 13. The team? The Tulane Green Wave, Mensah’s former program. The new Duke quarterback announced his decision to transfer after leading Tulane to nine wins and an American Athletic Conference Championship appearance as a redshirt freshman.
Duke’s first ACC game comes against the NC State Wolfpack in Durham on September 20, and it closes the season with back-to-back rivalry battles against the North Carolina Tar Heels (Nov. 22) and Wake Forest Demon Deacons (Nov. 29).
The Duke Blue Devils far exceeded expectations on the football field in 2024, earning a favorite grade from USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday.
The Duke Blue Devils didn’t end the 2024 football season on the highest of notes, but head coach [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag] and his program still far surpassed the preseason expectations in year one.
Duke finished with nine wins and a 5-3 conference record thanks to multiple double-digit comebacks, notably at home against the North Carolina Tar Heels and on the road against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. It all added up to an ‘A-‘ grade from USA TODAY Sports’ Paul Myerberg in his annual report card handed out on Wednesday.
Only 17 teams out of the 134 FBS programs earned a higher grade than the Blue Devils, and the SMU Mustangs (A+) and Syracuse Orange (A) were the only ACC schools higher on the grading scale.
Duke ended the year with a 52-20 loss to Ole Miss in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, but it played that game without starting quarterback [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag]. Murphy, who sat out ahead of his transfer to Oregon State, set a school record with 26 passing touchdowns in his first year with the team.
Before 2024, the Blue Devils had only won nine games in a single season three times since 1941, and Duke swept UNC, Wake Forest, and NC State for the first time since 2013.
Despite nine regular-season wins, the Duke football team didn’t garner a single vote in the final US LBM Coaches Poll.
The Duke football team won nine games for the fourth time since 1941 this season, winning five of its eight conference games and sweeping its three in-state rivals, but head coach [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag] and the Blue Devils won’t get a single vote in the final US LBM Coaches Poll.
USA TODAY Sports released its final college football ranking of the season on Tuesday, the morning after the Ohio State Buckeyes took down the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (and former Duke quarterback [autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag]) in the national title game. While the Blue Devils danced around the No. 25 spot over the final month of the season, they weren’t anywhere to be found on the final ballots.
The absence makes sense when Duke’s final appearance, a 52-20 loss to Ole Miss in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, gets factored in, although the Blue Devils didn’t have starting quarterback [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag]. Only three teams with fewer than 10 victories made the top 25.
Four ACC teams ended up in the postseason coaches poll. The SMU Mustangs (No. 11) and the Clemson Tigers (No. 12) stayed in the top dozen despite convincing College Football Playoff losses, and the Miami Hurricanes dropped two spots to No. 18. The Syracuse Orange climbed up three spots to No. 22.
Despite Duke’s loss to the Ole Miss Rebels in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, Jordan Moore thought quarterback Henry Belin IV proved his talent.
Quarterback Henry Belin IV might not start for the Duke Blue Devils in 2025, but senior teammate Jordan Moore believed he proved something during Thursday’s TaxSlayer Gator Bowl.
“He’s a very talented quarterback,” Moore said after the game. “I believe he can play anywhere in the country, and he showed that tonight, and I’m so proud of him for stepping up in that role.”
Belin started in a 2023 victory over NC State, but he only threw one pass in this regular season with [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag] as the team’s starter. Murphy and sophomore Grayson Loftis both opted to transfer in December, leaving Belin with a few weeks to prepare for one of the nation’s best teams.
Duke only mustered two offensive touchdowns against the Ole Miss Rebels in a 52-20 loss, but Mississippi allowed 13.9 points per game through the regular season. Belin picked up 236 yards through the air, completing 25 of his 44 attempts for two touchdowns, and added 16 yards with his legs.
Only one other quarterback threw for at least 200 yards with multiple touchdowns against this Rebels defense in 2024: LSU Tigers star Garrett Nussmeier, who threw for 337 and three scores in an overtime comeback.
Tulane transfer Darian Mensah already committed to the Blue Devils last month, and it’d be stunning if the redshirt freshman didn’t start right away given how quickly Duke pursued him in the portal. Whether Belin stays in Durham or not, his teammates certainly believe in his talent.
Breaking down the top reasons Duke will come out victorious over Ole Miss on Thursday.
The Duke Blue Devils should be used to the idea of being underdogs on the football field by now, but Thursday’s TaxSlayer Gator Bowl against the Ole Miss Rebels presents an entirely new challenge.
Both teams ended the year with nine wins, but the Rebels finished inside the top seven in scoring offense and scoring defense as they contended for the College Football Playoff all season. With a 28-10 victory over the Georgia Bulldogs on their resume, a late upset to the Florida Gators probably kept Lane Kiffin’s team out of the expanded bracket.
With most of the Ole Miss starters choosing to play the postseason battle even without national title hopes, oddsmakers give the Blue Devils a remote chance to upset the Rebels. The idea that Duke would win nine games in its first season under [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag] also sounded insane before the season, however, and any team with three losses has its weak points.
Here are three reasons why the Blue Devils can clinch their second 10-win season in school history.
Even without many opt-outs, Ole Miss lost some key starters to injury
Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
The Blue Devils won’t benefit from opt-outs the same way other SEC bowl opponents have after Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart and a handful of other All-SEC names choosing to suit up. However, even with a full squad, injuries have taken their toll on the skill position talent.
Receiver Tre Harris ended the year with 1,030 yards, 987 of which came in the first seven games before hip and groin injuries started to keep him off the field. He’s caught one pass since October 12, and even if he plays, he likely won’t be the player he was in September. Running back Henry Parrish is done for the year with a knee injury after he stacked 678 rushing yards in the first nine games, and safety Yam Banks is done for the year after 21 total tackles and a trio of pass breakups. This isn’t an Ole Miss team at full strength.
The Rebels struggle to put games away in high-impact situations
John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
How does a team averaging 37.5 points and allowing 13.9 points per game lose three times? Well, the Rebels aren’t a premier team in the biggest moments. Conversion stats and red-zone numbers can be a little goofy in small sample sizes, but across a full season, they’re usually worth paying attention to, and they expose a flaw in this Ole Miss offense.
The Rebels convert 41.4% of their third downs (59th in the FBS) and 59.3% of their fourth downs (43rd). They only scored points on 80% of their red-zone possessions, 101st in the nation, and their red-zone touchdown rate of 58.2% is just 86th. If the Blue Devils can win a few third- or fourth-down attempts, Duke can swing the mismatch in a big way.
The Blue Devils had a month to create an entirely new offensive approach around Henry Belin IV
Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports
The Blue Devils lost quarterbacks [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag] and Grayson Loftis to the transfer portal, but there’s a way that works in Duke’s favor. Yes, Murphy set a single-season school record with 26 passing touchdowns, and Belin won’t match his dropback production, but that stylistic difference could be an advantage for the underdogs.
Belin plays a very different brand of football from Murphy, a much more mobile quarterback who opens up options on the ground, and he helped the Blue Devils defeat NC State last season with 107 passing yards and two touchdowns on four completions. He’s thrown a single pass and run the ball five times in 2024, so Mississippi has almost no film to study apart from that night against the Wolfpack 14 months ago.
With offensive coordinator Jonathan Brewer having multiple weeks to prepare a new plan, the Rebels have no idea what to expect from the Duke offense, and the element of surprise can win games.
According to a Monday report from CBS Sports, Duke’s newest quarterback received the most lucrative NIL deal in college football history.
The Duke Blue Devils found their quarterback of the future almost immediately in the transfer portal this offseason, getting Tulane’s [autotag]Darian Mensah[/autotag] to visit just one day after 2024 starter [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag] announced he’d hit the portal.
Mensah committed the morning after his visit, and according to a Monday report from CBS Sports’ John Talty and Chris Hummer, the Blue Devils spared no expense in bringing him to Durham.
Talty and Hummer reported that Mensah received a name, image, and likeness compensation package worth $8 million over two years, which they unofficially declared the highest average annual value in the history of the sport.
On paper, it’s easy to see why both player and program believe in the partnership. Mensah finished with 2,723 passing yards, 132 rushing yards, and 23 total touchdowns against just six interceptions as a redshirt freshman, leading the Green Wave to a conference title game berth. Duke won nine games in its first season under head coach [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag], and a bowl victory over Ole Miss would give the Blue Devils their second 10-win season ever.
Mensah won’t be eligible for the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl against the Rebels, but it seems he’ll spend plenty of time at Wallace Wade Stadium over the next two seasons.
Former Texas QB Maalik Murphy has found his new team. For the second year in a row, Murphy is on the move through the transfer portal.
Duke transfer quarterback Maalik Murphy has committed to Oregon State, his third team in three years. After a great year at Duke, Murphy was a surprise entrance into the NCAA transfer portal. Murphy was Quinn Ewers backup last season at Texas.
Murphy, who has two years of eligibility left, led the Blue Devils to 9-3 record. He will not play in Duke’s Gator Bowl matchup with Ole Miss.
Landing Murphy was a transfer portal recruiting win for Duke coach Manny Diaz. Murphy picked the Blue Devils over Oregon State, South Carolina and Baylor. This year, the Southern California native passed for 2,933 yards.
Diaz has nothing but love for Murphy, “I’ve got a ton of respect for Maalik Murphy. Our story as a program, it doesn’t happen this way without Maalik. He’s been everything we could have hoped for and more in his time with us. I’m excited for him and his future and I’m glad we were part of each other’s story.”
Murphy was the backup at Texas last year and started two games in relief of an injured Quinn Ewers, throwing for 477 yards and three TDs. His most memorable game was a 33-30 OT win over Kansas State in Austin. The Wildcats were led by current Ohio State QB Will Howard.
Former Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy, who hit the transfer portal after the regular season, announced his next school on Thursday.
Former Duke quarterback [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag] announced his commitment to the Oregon State Beavers on Thursday, as first reported by ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Murphy, who started his collegiate career with the Texas Longhorns, transferred to the Blue Devils ahead of the 2024 season. He started all 12 regular-season games for the program, helping lead four fourth-quarter comebacks in a 9-3 campaign.
He set a school record with 26 passing touchdowns, including a 39-yarder to senior star Jordan Moore on the final play against Wake Forest in the finale. The score put the finishing touches on a 14-point comeback, helping the Blue Devils sweep their in-state rivals for the first time since 2013.
Murphy ended the year with 2,933 passing yards, the seventh-most of any ACC quarterback, and he averaged 286.4 yards per game with 14 total touchdowns over his final five starts.
The Blue Devils already landed Tulane’s Darian Mensah from the portal, but he won’t be eligible for next month’s TaxSlayer Gator Bowl against Ole Miss. With sophomore Grayson Loftis also in the portal, Henry Belin IV should get the majority of the work at quarterback for the Blue Devils.
A second in-state Duke football rival will hire a new coach after Wake Forest’s Dave Clawson made the decision to step down.
Wake Forest football coach Dave Clawson will step away from his position at the helm of the Demon Deacons, according to a Monday report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Clawson finished the 2024 season with a second straight 4-8 record, and Wake Forest has won three conference games over the past two seasons. He led the Demon Deacons to seven straight bowl appearances from 2016-22, including an 11-win season in 2021, but the program failed to find its footing since the transfer of longtime quarterback Sam Hartman.
“Clawson is expected to remain with the university in an advisory role,” Thamel wrote, “and the decision to step down was his.”
Clawson will end his 11-year tenure with a 67-69 record, the third-most wins in program history, and no other Wake Forest coach can match his five bowl victories.
The timing of this decision means his final game as head coach will be the Week 14 loss to Duke when [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag] threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to [autotag]Jordan Moore[/autotag] on the final play of the game, the final touch on a 14-point comeback.
Wake Forest becomes the second ACC school within the state to need a new head football coach. The North Carolina Tar Heels fired Mack Brown, the winningest coach in school history, after a 6-6 season, but UNC already found legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick to replace him.
Duke football should know how to be an underdog on the football field, but USA TODAY Sports experts aren’t high on its chances vs. Ole Miss.
The Duke Blue Devils have never exactly fit the mold as favorites on the football field, but the expert panel at USA TODAY Sports seems especially pessimistic about their chances against Ole Miss.
All six writers picked the Rebels to dispatch Duke on Friday, one of just 12 sweeps among the 39 listed matchups.
The Blue Devils ended the regular season with nine wins, the same number as Ole Miss, but their SEC counterparts spent the entire year in College Football Playoff contention. If not for an overtime loss to the LSU Tigers or a Week 13 upset at the hands of the Florida Gators, both away from home, Lane Kiffin could very well have his team in the postseason bracket.
On top of that, Duke starting quarterback [autotag]Maalik Murphy[/autotag] announced his decision to enter the transfer portal on Monday with backup Grayson Loftis making the same choice one day later. Murphy threw for a program-record 26 passing touchdowns this season, and while Tulane’s Darian Mensah has already committed in his place, he won’t be eligible for the game.
Duke’s bowl battle kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time on January 2.
