Next Up For Duke Football – Wake Forest On The Road

Date 30/11 || Time Dinner || Meeting place Allegacy FCU Stadium || Video ACC network

Manny Diaz is in rare territory: Fred Goldsmith started with an eight-win season. Mike Elko had a nine-win season.

No one else has won eight in their first seasons. Herman Steiner won seven in his first season – 103 years ago. Wallace Wade and Eddie Cameron both won five in their first year. So did Bill Murray, Tom Harp and Steve Spurrier. Mike McGee won six.

Diaz has a chance to match Elko if Duke wins on Saturday, and if he does and Duke wins its bowl game, the Blue Devils could have a double-digit winning season for just the second time. David Cutcliffe first achieved it in 2013.

Wake has been giving Duke fits for years, but Demon Deacon coach Dave Clawson is having a rough couple of years: last year the Deacs finished 4-8, and this year they are 4-7 with one game remaining. Worse, Wake has lost three straight games.

Could they handle the upset?

Well yes. They could.

But it might not be easy.

Duke’s secondary makes passing risky, but Wake’s running game has also been problematic. They will have to find a way to put points on the board. Demond Claiborne is a good back, but his success obviously depends on how well his line performs.

As for Duke, Maalik Murphy now owns the Duke passing touchdowns record. The Blue Devil offense has been erratic, true, but it has been effective. The defense has generally been the difference when the offense struggles.

Duke should be favored and will be, but given the history of this rivalry, and the sometimes electric nature of the games and the cold air, we wouldn’t put too much weight on it. It will likely be a huge fight again.