Duke should enjoy winning while it lasts

By Lee Roberts  |   Friday, September 26, 2008  |  Comments( 1 )

Duke Blue Devils
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Duke University's football team has long been the laughingstock of the Atlantic Coast Conference. With a 2-1 start and a winnable game this weekend, though, Duke could be halfway to bowl eligibility. Unfortunately for the Blue Devils, reality will start to set in after this weekend.

Commentary: New head coach David Cutcliffe rejuvenated the fan base and has already made an impact on the program three games into his tenure. Quarterback Thaddeus Lewis and receiver Eron Riley are playmakers who have led the Blue Devils to wins over James Madison and Navy, with the lone loss coming to Northwestern. However, there are a few similarities in those games. All were at home and all were against teams that aren’t going to scare many of their conference leaders.

The real problem for Duke is that its schedule has set it up for early success. Four straight home games against relatively weak opponents is a great way to build your players’ confidence. The difficulty lies when that comfort zone is broken. After Virginia, Duke must go to Georgia Tech, play Miami at home and travel to Vanderbilt and Wake Forest. That’s probably four straight losses before playing North Carolina State at home. After N.C. State – a possible win – the Blue Devils go to Clemson and Virginia Tech before closing out their season with North Carolina.

The Blue Devils are a much-improved team that will be far more competitive in the ACC than they have been previously. Of course, when you haven’t won a conference game since 2004 and have only three since 2002, it doesn’t take much to improve. Cutcliffe seems to have the program headed in the right direction, but patience will be a virtue. The road is about to become really bumpy.

Fan Pulse: Duke fans are extremely optimistic about the football program and especially the game this weekend with UVA.

Injury Watch: No significant injuries for Duke as it heads into conference play.
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About Lee Roberts

Born in Richmond, Va, I moved south to UNC-Chapel Hill for college and received a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. I currently live in Charlotte, NC and cover Auburn, LSU and the ...
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