# 2018 Duke Blue Devils football team

The 2018 Duke Blue Devils football team represented Duke University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in the Coastal Division. The team was led by head coach David Cutcliffe, in his 11th year, and play ed its home games at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, North Carolina. The Blue Devils finished the regular season with an 8–5 overall record. They went 3–5 in ACC play to finish in sixth place in the Coastal Division. They were invited to the Independence Bowl, where they defeated Temple.

## Recruiting
### Position key

| Back | B | Center | C | Cornerback | CB | Defensive back | DB |
| Defensive end | DE | Defensive lineman | DL | Defensive tackle | DT | End | E |
| Fullback | FB | Guard | G | Halfback | HB | Kicker | K |
| Kickoff returner | KR | Offensive tackle | OT | Offensive lineman | OL | Linebacker | LB |
| Long snapper | LS | Punter | P | Punt returner | PR | Quarterback | QB |
| Running back | RB | Safety | S | Tight end | TE | Wide receiver | WR |

### Recruits

The Blue Devils signed a total of 16 recruits.
US college sports recruiting information for 2018 recruits :
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date |
| Gunnar Holmberg QB | Wake Forest, NC | Heritage High School | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | Jul 7, 2016 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Jake Bobo WR | Belmont, MA | Belmont Hill School | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | Feb 25, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Casey Holman OT | Snellville, GA | Brookwood High School | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 285 lb (129 kg) | Mar 6, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Tahj Rice DT | Louisville, KY | Waggener High School | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 320 lb (150 kg) | Mar 14, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Zamari Ellis TE | Henderson, NC | Southern Vance High School | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 240 lb (110 kg) | Apr 8, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Rocky Shelton LB | Fort Lauderdale, FL | St. Thomas Aquinas High School | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 205 lb (93 kg) | Apr 25, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Jeremiah Lewis CB | Plano, TX | Prestonwood Christian Academy | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | May 7, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Shaka Heyward LB | Hoschton, GA | Mill Creek High School | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 215 lb (98 kg) | May 12, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Dennis Smith WR | Gaffney, SC | Gaffney High School | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | May 14, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Jarett Garner WR | Harrisburg, NC | Hickory Ridge High School | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | Jun 8, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Maurice McIntyre OG | Jacksonville, NC | Northside High School | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 320 lb (150 kg) | Jun 12, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Nate Thompson S | Southern Lee High School | Sanford, NC | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | Jul 5, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Mataeo Durant RB | McCormick, SC | McCormick High School | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | Jul 8, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Elijah Brown DT | Charlotte, NC | Providence Day School | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 295 lb (134 kg) | Sep 9, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Peace Addo OT | Baltimore, MD | St. Frances Academy | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | 295 lb (134 kg) | Dec 16, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Kendrick Torain CB | Tampa, FL | Jesuit High School | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | 195 lb (88 kg) | Feb 5, 2018 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: |||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: |||||||
| Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "Duke Football Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved February 10, 2018. "2018 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved February 10, 2018. |||||||

## Preseason
### Award watch lists

Listed in the order that they were released
| Award | Player | Position | Year |
| Lott Trophy | Ben Humphries | LB | SR |
| Rimington Trophy | Zach Harmon | C | SR |
| Chuck Bednarik Award | Mark Gilbert | CB | JR |
| Chuck Bednarik Award | Joe Giles-Harris | LB | JR |
| Maxwell Award | Daniel Jones | QB | JR |
| Davey O'Brien Award | Daniel Jones | QB | JR |
| Doak Walker Award | Brittain Brown | RB | SO |
| Fred Biletnikoff Award | T. J. Rahming | WR | SR |
| John Mackey Award | Daniel Helm | TE | SR |
| Butkus Award | Joe Giles-Harris | LB | JR |
| Jim Thorpe Award | Mark Gilbert | CB | JR |
| Bronko Nagurski Trophy | Mark Gilbert | CB | JR |
| Bronko Nagurski Trophy | Joe Giles-Harris | LB | JR |
| Paul Hornung Award | Brittain Brown | RB/KR | SO |
| Wuerffel Trophy | Jonathan Lloyd | WR | SR |
| Walter Camp Award | Joe Gilles-Harris | LB | JR |
| Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award | Daniel Jones | QB | JR |
| Manning Award | Daniel Jones | QB | JR |

### ACC media poll

The ACC media poll was released on July 24, 2018.
Media poll (Coastal) :
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Miami | 998 (122) |
| 2 | Virginia Tech | 838 (16) |
| 3 | Georgia Tech | 654 (8) |
| 4 | Duke | 607 (1) |
| 5 | Pittsburgh | 420 |
| 6 | North Carolina | 370 (1) |
| 7 | Virginia | 257 |

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| August 31 | 7:00 p.m. | Army* | | Wallace Wade StadiumDurham, NC | ESPNU | W 34–14 | 26,017 |
| September 8 | 12:00 p.m. | at Northwestern* | | Ryan FieldEvanston, IL | ESPNU | W 21–7 | 40,654 |
| September 15 | 3:30 p.m. | at Baylor* | | McLane StadiumWaco, TX | FS1 | W 40–27 | 40,442 |
| September 22 | 3:30 p.m. | North Carolina Central* | | Wallace Wade StadiumDurham, NC | ACCN Extra | W 55–13 | 30,477 |
| September 29 | 7:00 p.m. | Virginia Tech | No. 22 | Wallace Wade StadiumDurham, NC | ESPN2 | L 14–31 | 32,177 |
| October 13 | 12:20 p.m. | at Georgia Tech | | Bobby Dodd StadiumAtlanta, GA | ACCN | W 28–14 | 41,709 |
| October 20 | 12:30 p.m. | Virginia | | Wallace Wade StadiumDurham, NC | ACCRSN | L 14–28 | 20,277 |
| October 27 | 3:30 p.m. | at Pittsburgh | | Heinz FieldPittsburgh, PA | ACCRSN | L 45–54 | 31,510 |
| November 3 | 7:00 p.m. | at Miami (FL) | | Hard Rock StadiumMiami Gardens, FL | ESPN2 | W 20–12 | 62,754 |
| November 10 | 12:20 p.m. | North Carolina | | Wallace Wade StadiumDurham, NC (Victory Bell) | ACCN | W 42–35 | 35,493 |
| November 17 | 7:00 p.m. | at No. 2 Clemson | | Memorial StadiumClemson, SC | ESPN | L 6–35 | 81,313 |
| November 24 | 12:30 p.m. | Wake Forest | | Wallace Wade StadiumDurham, NC (rivalry) | ACCRSN | L 7–59 | 20,782 |
| December 27 | 1:30 p.m. | vs. Temple* | | Independence StadiumShreveport, LA (Independence Bowl) | ESPN | W 56–27 | 27,492 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time ||||||||

## Game summaries
### Army

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Black Knights | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| Blue Devils | 3 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 34 |

### At Northwestern

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Blue Devils | 0 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| Wildcats | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |

### At Baylor

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Blue Devils | 7 | 16 | 7 | 10 | 40 |
| Bears | 0 | 0 | 13 | 14 | 27 |

### North Carolina Central

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Blue Devils | 20 | 7 | 21 | 7 | 55 |

### Virginia Tech

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hokies | 3 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
| No. 22 Blue Devils | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |

### At Georgia Tech

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Blue Devils | 7 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 28 |
| Yellow Jackets | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |

### Virginia

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cavaliers | 7 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 28 |
| Blue Devils | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |

### At Pittsburgh

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Blue Devils | 7 | 14 | 21 | 3 | 45 |
| Panthers | 7 | 10 | 18 | 19 | 54 |

### At Miami (FL)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Blue Devils | 7 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 20 |
| Hurricanes | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 |

### North Carolina

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Tar Heels | 14 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 35 |
| Blue Devils | 14 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 42 |

### At Clemson

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Blue Devils | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| No. 2 Tigers | 0 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 35 |

### Wake Forest

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Demon Deacons | 21 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 59 |
| Blue Devils | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |

### Vs. Temple (Independence Bowl)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Owls | 13 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 27 |
| Blue Devils | 7 | 14 | 21 | 14 | 56 |

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Final |
| AP | — | — | RV | RV | 22 | RV | — | RV | — | — | RV | RV | RV | — | — | |
| Coaches | RV | RV | RV | RV | 23 | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | RV | — | — | — | |
| CFP | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | Not released | — | — | — | — | — | — | Not released |

## 2019 NFL Draft

| Player | Team | Round | Pick # | Position |
| Daniel Jones | New York Giants | 1st | 6 | QB |