ACC Football Power Rankings, Week 6: Clemson shines, Pitt plummets

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Oct 3, 2020; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies running back Khalil Herbert (21) breaks free for a first down run ahead of Duke Blue Devils safety Marquis Waters (0) and Duke Blue Devils cornerback Jeremiah Lewis (39) in the second half at Wallace Wade Stadium. The Virginia Tech Hokies won 38-31. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-USA TODAY Sports /

15. Duke Blue Devils (0-4, 0-4)

To the naked eye, it would seem the Duke Blue Devils are reverting back to when they were the annual doormats of the ACC. Duke has not started a season 0-4 in the David Cutcliffe era. The last 0-4 Duke team was 2006 under Ted Roof. There are few teams that needed Spring and summer camp more than Duke.

Chase Brice not only transferred from Clemson, but he also needed time to adjust to playing with a less talented roster. There was turnover on both sides of the ball and Duke is not the type of program that recruits at a high enough level to just throw out young players.

This week against Virginia Tech, Duke was up early, fell behind and could not regain the lead. Part of their issue was the inability to stop Virginia Tech’s running game. Hokies quarterback Braxton Burmeister was 9/25 passing making Virginia Tech a one-dimensional team. Problem was, Duke could not stop that one dimension.

Kansas graduate transfer Khalil Herbert ran for 208 of Tech’s 324 rushing yards. That was the nail in Duke’s coffin against Virginia Tech.

The Blue Devils play Syracuse this week in what is one of their two or three best opportunities to win a game this season.

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