Not many people expected Duke to win the ACC championship last season, but the Blue Devils outlasted Virginia in overtime in the conference title game to do just that.
Heading into 2026, expectations for Manny Diaz’s squad are even lower, with Duke picked to finish 10th in the league in the preseason media poll and given extremely low odds to repeat as conference champs.
But how do Duke fans feel heading into the season? According to a poll by The Athletic, optimism surrounding the program has dropped despite back-to-back nine-win seasons and the conference title.
Only 46 percent of Blue Devils fans are optimistic heading into the season, a drop from 50 percent last season, and, as The Athletic explains, there’s a simple reason.
“Miami swiped quarterback
Darian Mensah and receiver Cooper Barkate in the portal after both had told the staff they planned to return to Durham.”
Losing a potential first-round draft pick at quarterback and your leading wide receiver will certainly hurt almost every team. But, as Duke fan Ed writes, the defense might give some fans some positivity heading into Saturday’s matchup against Tulane.
“Pros: Lots of returning guys, particularly on defense,” he wrote.
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This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: The Athletic poll shows Duke fans have lost optimism for football team
