Duke Football in the national polls

[pfrduke]

We check in at #4 (http://espn.go.com/college-football/rankings/_/poll/1) in the "others receiving votes" category, picking up a total of 71 points from the AP voters. That's good for 4th in the ACC, behind FSU (#1), Clemson (#16), and North Carolina (#23), placing us ahead of newcomer Louisville (#31, 48 points), Virginia Tech (#34, 26 points), Miami (#39, 16 points), and all the rest of the conference with no votes whatsoever.

Football. School.

[Olympic Fan]

No problem with where Duke is picked, but I just don't see the national love for UNC (which also showed up in the coaches preseason poll).

This is a UNC program that last finished ranked in the top 25 in 1997.

Here's an interesting factoid for you -- with Duke finishing 23rd in last year's final AP poll, UNC now has the longest drought without a final top 25 ranking in the ACC. Everybody other school has been ranked more recently than UNC.

[Bob Green]

Number 29 is an acceptable place to start the season. If we go out on the field, and win our four non-conference games as expected, we should head to Miami on Sept. 27 as a Top 25 team.

[left_hook_lacey]

In the first ESPN preseason fan poll, we are coming in at 30. I think that says more about the depth of knowledge of the casual football fan than where we should actually be ranked. What does bother me, is that UNC is coming at 25. I just don't see how people should feel like they're 5 spots better than us to start the season.

Anyway, with all that being said, it's an absolute thrill to see Duke football actually have an icon to place in a 30 team ESPN preseason poll. Times, they are a changin'.

Here's the link if you're interested in voting.

http://http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/

[Bluedog]

In the first ESPN preseason fan poll, we are coming in at 30. I think that says more about the depth of knowledge of the casual football fan than where we should actually be ranked. What does bother me, is that UNC is coming at 25. I just don't see how people should feel like they're 5 spots better than us to start the season.

Anyway, with all that being said, it's an absolute thrill to see Duke football actually have an icon to place in a 30 team ESPN preseason poll. Times, they are a changin'.

Here's the link if you're interested in voting.

http://http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/

Well, since ESPN only gives you 30 choices of teams to rank, we actually come in last in the fan poll. (I know you're already aware of that having taken the poll, but thought I'd just relay that to others - fans ranking us 30 when they have no choice but to put us in the top 30). Here's the direct link: http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/post/_/id/11366939/2014-cfb-preseason-top-25 They also order the teams by the AP poll, so people probably don't deviate much from that...

[Henderson]

What I like about this thread is the understanding among poll voters that we deserve to be ranked. That's a sea change in attitudes, because these early polls are lagging indicators -- based more on attitudes about a team generally than specific knowledge regarding this year's team. Those attitudes are formed over the course of several seasons, and I sense we are on the cusp of gaining sufficient respect to be in the conversation every year. Proving it on the field this year would build on the base Cut has already established. Failing to do so would set us back to the field of those teams that flash from time to time but don't have a sustainable winning program, and we'd have to start the upward slog again. It was only a couple years ago that Boise St. was complaining it deserved a BCS natty shot. Now it's ranked in the 40-ish range. They're still getting some love for earlier success, and they play in a weak conference, but if they don't produce this year, they'll be chasing for years to come. If we win every game we should win and take out UNC-CH, we build that foundation that creates expectations. Recruits will notice; TV schedulers will notice; and poll voters will notice.

Cliche: Gotta prove it on the field. Want a must-win? Kansas at home. We lose that game, and the bubble bursts. But in a sense all these early-season games are must wins for that reason.

[Bob Green]

Phil Steele lists Duke as the 2nd most overrated team in the AP Poll:

http://www.philsteele.com/Blogs/2014/AUG14/DBAugust19.html

Of course, he says UNC is underrated. I don't understand the national media's love for Carolina. They are weak in the trenches, that is my story and I am sticking with it until they prove me wrong.

[chrishoke]

Sleeping, cheating Giant.

[sagegrouse]

Phil Steele lists Duke as the 2nd most overrated team in the AP Poll:

http://www.philsteele.com/Blogs/2014/AUG14/DBAugust19.html

Of course, he says UNC is underrated. I don't understand the national media's love for Carolina. They are weak in the trenches, that is my story and I am sticking with it until they prove me wrong.

Yadda, yadda, yadda! How can we be overrated when we aren't even ranked? The AP poll asks voters to rank 1 through 25 and shows the rankings for the top 25. Duke is in the compilation of "others receiving votes."

[Acymetric]

Phil Steele lists Duke as the 2nd most overrated team in the AP Poll:

http://www.philsteele.com/Blogs/2014/AUG14/DBAugust19.html

Of course, he says UNC is underrated. I don't understand the national media's love for Carolina. They are weak in the trenches, that is my story and I am sticking with it until they prove me wrong.

The only possible argument for Duke being overrated as an "also receiving votes" team this preseason is in hindsight given our two key preseason injuries and even then it is a weak one.

There is no possible argument for UNC being underrated. If UNC receives votes in the final poll (hell, I doubt they recieve a vote after their 8th game) I'll eat someone else's hat* (I like my hats).



*Only if the hat is made of bacon or other edible material

[Olympic Fan]

Duke 27th in week two of the AP poll:

http://espn.go.com/college-football/rankings

ESPN's page is messed up a bit -- that's still the preseason coaches poll, not week two as advertised. But the AP poll is updated

[budwom]

Duke 27th in week two of the AP poll:

http://espn.go.com/college-football/rankings

ESPN's page is messed up a bit -- that's still the preseason coaches poll, not week two as advertised. But the AP poll is updated

Minimal difference, but I'm seeing Duke at 28 behind Texas and Okie St (among the unranked).
If we can take care of bidness the next three weeks, we should be ranked going to Miami. If we don't take care of
bidness, we don't deserve to be ranked...