Next Up For Duke Football - Georgia Tech

05.10.2024 16:00

DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 28: Tre Freeman #12 of the Duke Blue Devils gestures during the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Wallace Wade Stadium on September 28, 2024 in Durham, North Carolina. Duke won 21-20. | Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images

And a chance to extend a remarkable start to the season

Date 10/5 || Time 8:00 p.m. || Venue Bobby Dodd Stadium || Video ACCN

Duke is off to a superb 5-0 start under 1st year coach Manny Diaz, but Georgia Tech will be a significant test.

And honestly, Elon, Northwestern, UConn, Middle Tennessee State and UNC aren’t exactly world class opponents.

The season opener against Florida State, in Belfast, was probably deceptive in retrospect: FSU is currently 1-4 with its only win a narrow triumph over Cal. Quite a fall for a team that finished last season 13-1 (the loss may have been a bit of foreshadowing: the ‘Noles lost to Georgia, 63-3 in the Orange Bowl).

Still, the Yellow Jackets are not going to be easy.

They’re led by QB Hanes King, who has done well since transferring from Texas A&M. Duke’s defense has done quite well but he’s going to cause problems.

His best target is wide receiver Malik Rutherford, who is also likely to cause problems.

Brent Keys, who took over when Geoff Collins was fired, has done a nice job with the Yellow Jackets. Now in his third season, he finished 4-4 as interim coach and 7-6 and a bowl game last season. He’s a Georgia Tech grad so you know they like him and want him to succeed.

Georgia Tech is generally favored, but it’s not like this is a game Duke can’t win. And if they do move to 6-0, they’ll get Florida State on the 18th after a bye week.

And during that bye week, FSU will get Clemson.

Duke could be 5-2 after that, but 7-0, while unlikely, is not impossible.

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