Coming into the weekend, Duke was labeled the agent of chaos as they had a chance to win the ACC Championship Game despite their 7-5 record. Many were rooting for Duke as a win by the Blue Devils would create chaos and the chance for two Group of 5 programs to make the Playoff if James Madison won the Sun Belt.
On Saturday Night, the Blue Devils did just that, as their defense showed up in a big way, intercepting Chandler Morris' first pass in overtime to crown Manny Diaz's team champions.
The Blue Devils are now conference champions with an 8-5 record, and while they won a Power 4 conference, they're seen as an outsider to the College Football Playoff. Coming into the week, Duke was in trouble as they weren't ranked, while Tulane, North Texas, and James Madison were all in the Top 25.
Why Duke belongs in the College Football Playoff
The case for the Duke Blue Devils won't be popular, but at the end of the day, they have a better argument than most. Duke went out and won a Power 4 conference, which isn't easy to do especially with how balanced most leagues are.
On Selection Sunday, the Playoff committee is going to be debating whether or not the Miami Hurricanes should make the Playoff. If Miami is going to be in the conversation, the team that actually won Miami's conference deserves to be right there with the Hurricanes.
If you look at the schedule that James Madison played, while Duke took 5 losses, you could easily argue that Duke could've won the Sun Belt.
Selection Sunday most likely won't be the most exciting for the Duke Blue Devils, but this team won a Power Conference. If the Power 4 is truly a better brand of football, each league should be represented and Duke deserves that nod after winning the league.