It’s only October 1, and the Duke Blue Devils already sit within one win of a bowl appearance.
Duke came back in dramatic fashion against the North Carolina Tar Heels on Saturday, scoring the final 21 points of the game to remain undefeated and reclaim the Victory Bell for the first time in six years. After starting the year right on the edge with 6.0 projected wins, head coach Manny Diaz needs one win over the final seven games for a postseason berth.
USA TODAY Sports released their updated bowl projections on Tuesday, and Erick Smith pitted the Blue Devils against the Washington State Cougars in the Holiday Bowl, which is slated for December 27.
The Cougars, one of two teams competing for the Pac-12 Conference this season, recently lost their first game to a ranked Boise State team. Washington State still won its first four games of the season, including a rivalry victory over the Washington Huskies, and quarterback John Mateer leads the team with 453 rushing yards while also throwing for 1,429 yards in five games.
Despite a near-upset at the hands of Virginia Tech, the undefeated Miami Hurricanes remained in position for the conference champion berth into the College Football Playoff. The Clemson Tigers, now riding a three-game winning streak, also earned an at-large berth into the expanded field.