# 2026 Duke Blue Devils football team
The 2026 [Duke Blue Devils football](https://www.edgepedia.org/duke-blue-devils-football) team represents [Duke University](https://www.edgepedia.org/duke-university) in the 2026 NCAA Division I FBS football season as a member of the [Atlantic Coast Conference](https://www.edgepedia.org/atlantic-coast-conference) (ACC). The Blue Devils enter the season as the defending ACC champions, having won the 2025 title with a 27-20 overtime victory over No. 16 Virginia, the program's eighth ACC championship and first outright since 1962.[1](https://goduke.com/news/2025/12/7/football-duke-walks-off-no-16-virginia-27-20-in-overtime-to-win-acc-championship) Manny Diaz is in his third season as head coach.[2](https://goduke.com/news/2026/8/25/football-eget-named-duke-starting-quarterback)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Manny Diaz, third season[2](https://goduke.com/news/2026/8/25/football-eget-named-duke-starting-quarterback) |
| Starting quarterback | Walker Eget, named starter on August 25, 2026[2](https://goduke.com/news/2026/8/25/football-eget-named-duke-starting-quarterback) |
| Preseason status | Unranked in the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll despite the 2025 ACC title[3](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/duke-football-ranked-preseason-us-160801141.html) |
| Record through October 10 | 4-1 overall, 1-1 in ACC play[4](https://theacc.com/schedule.aspx?schedule=4604) |
| First loss | 28-25 at Georgia Tech on October 10, 2026, snapping an eight-game winning streak[5](https://goduke.com/news/2026/10/10/duke-falls-at-georgia-tech-28-25) |
| Schedule strength | Six home dates, eight games against 2025 bowl or College Football Playoff participants, and three games against 2025 top-25 finishers[6](https://goduke.com/news/2026/1/26/2026-slate-set-for-football) |
## Background: the 2025 championship season
Duke closed the 2025 season at 9-5 overall and 6-2 in ACC play, claiming the outright ACC championship with a 27-20 overtime win against No. 16 Virginia at [Bank of America Stadium](https://www.edgepedia.org/bank-of-america-stadium) in Charlotte on December 6, 2025. It was the first overtime game in ACC championship history, and the program's first outright league title since 1962.[1](https://goduke.com/news/2025/12/7/football-duke-walks-off-no-16-virginia-27-20-in-overtime-to-win-acc-championship) The Blue Devils then beat Arizona State 42-39 in the 92nd Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl in [El Paso, Texas](https://www.edgepedia.org/el-paso-texas), closing the winningest stretch in program history.[7](https://goduke.com/news/2026/1/21/looking-back-at-footballs-2025)
The 2025 title was Duke's eighth ACC championship, following crowns in 1953, 1954, 1955, 1960, 1961, 1962, and 1989, with co-champion status in 1953, 1955, and 1989.[7](https://goduke.com/news/2026/1/21/looking-back-at-footballs-2025)
## Quarterback and personnel
**Walker Eget won the starting job.** On August 25, 2026, head coach Manny Diaz announced Eget as the Blue Devils' starting quarterback to open the season.[2](https://goduke.com/news/2026/8/25/football-eget-named-duke-starting-quarterback) The 2025 starting quarterback, [Darian Mensah](https://www.edgepedia.org/darian-mensah), transferred to Miami, where he was named the Hurricanes' starter for 2026.[8](https://www.axios.com/local/hollywood/2026/09/03/miami-hurricanes-2026-football-season-darian-mensah-malachi-toney-national-championship)
Running back [Nate Sheppard](https://www.edgepedia.org/nate-sheppard) earned a midseason [All-America](https://www.edgepedia.org/all-america) selection in October 2026, and Duke's offensive line was named a midseason honoree for the 2026 Joe Moore Award, presented annually to the top offensive line in the country.[9](https://goduke.com/sports/football)
## Season results
Duke opened with four wins, three of them at home in [Durham, North Carolina](https://www.edgepedia.org/durham-north-carolina):[4](https://theacc.com/schedule.aspx?schedule=4604)
- September 5: Tulane, W 17-3, in Durham[4](https://theacc.com/schedule.aspx?schedule=4604)
- September 12: at Illinois, W 31-27, in [Champaign, Illinois](https://www.edgepedia.org/champaign-illinois)[4](https://theacc.com/schedule.aspx?schedule=4604)
- September 19: Stanford, W 35-7, in Durham (ACC opener, attendance 19,139)[4](https://theacc.com/schedule.aspx?schedule=4604) • [10](https://theacc.com/stats.aspx?conf=true&path=football&year=2026)
- September 26: William & Mary, W 62-7, in Durham[4](https://theacc.com/schedule.aspx?schedule=4604)
**First loss at Georgia Tech.** On October 10, 2026, Duke fell 28-25 at [Georgia Tech](https://www.edgepedia.org/georgia-tech) in its first ACC road test, in front of 46,432 spectators. In a chaotic closing stretch, Duke moved ahead 25-21 at the 2:40 mark, Georgia Tech went back on top 28-25 with 54 seconds to go, and the Blue Devils' late field goal attempt with eight seconds on the clock missed. The loss dropped Duke to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in ACC play and snapped an eight-game winning streak dating to the 2025 season.[5](https://goduke.com/news/2026/10/10/duke-falls-at-georgia-tech-28-25) • [10](https://theacc.com/stats.aspx?conf=true&path=football&year=2026)
## Remaining schedule
Duke's remaining 2026 conference slate, per the ACC schedule:[4](https://theacc.com/schedule.aspx?schedule=4604)
| Date | Opponent | Location |
|---|---|---|
| October 17 | North Carolina | Durham, N.C. |
| October 23 | at Virginia | Charlottesville, Va. |
| October 31 | Boston College | Durham, N.C. |
| November 7 | at NC State | Raleigh, N.C. |
| November 14 | at Miami | Miami Gardens, Fla. |
| November 20 | Clemson | Durham, N.C. |
| November 28 | at Wake Forest | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
The schedule released in January 2026 included six home dates, eight contests against 2025 bowl game or [College Football Playoff](https://www.edgepedia.org/college-football-playoff) participants, and three games against programs that finished ranked in the top 25 the previous season.[6](https://goduke.com/news/2026/1/26/2026-slate-set-for-football)
## References
1. [Duke Walks Off No. 16 Virginia, 27-20, in Overtime to Win ACC Championship, Duke University](https://goduke.com/news/2025/12/7/football-duke-walks-off-no-16-virginia-27-20-in-overtime-to-win-acc-championship)
2. [Eget Named Duke Starting Quarterback, Duke University](https://goduke.com/news/2026/8/25/football-eget-named-duke-starting-quarterback)
3. [Is Duke football ranked in preseason US LBM Coaches Poll?, Yahoo Sports](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/duke-football-ranked-preseason-us-160801141.html)
4. [2026 Duke Football Schedule, Atlantic Coast Conference](https://theacc.com/schedule.aspx?schedule=4604)
5. [Duke Falls at Georgia Tech, 28-25, Duke University](https://goduke.com/news/2026/10/10/duke-falls-at-georgia-tech-28-25)
6. [2026 Slate Set for Football, Duke University](https://goduke.com/news/2026/1/26/2026-slate-set-for-football)
7. [Looking Back at Football's 2025, Duke University](https://goduke.com/news/2026/1/21/looking-back-at-footballs-2025)
8. [Miami Hurricanes begin another national championship chase, Axios](https://www.axios.com/local/hollywood/2026/09/03/miami-hurricanes-2026-football-season-darian-mensah-malachi-toney-national-championship)
9. [Football, Duke University Athletics](https://goduke.com/sports/football)
10. [2026 Football - Conference Statistics, Atlantic Coast Conference](https://theacc.com/stats.aspx?conf=true&path=football&year=2026)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › College, minor, and international American football › College football programs › 2026 season articles › FBS team season articles › Power Four conference teams*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license