Talk about pressure.
Much more than bragging rights will be on the line for the men's soccer team this weekend as it squares off against Clemson in its ACC opener.
With a win at Duke Soccer Stadium Sunday at 2 p.m., Duke could position itself to move into the top spot in the national polls.
The latest poll has Clemson (5-0) as the No. 1 team in the nation and the fourth-ranked Blue Devils (6-0) not far behind. An impressive victory at this early stage of the season could vault Duke over both SMU and Indiana into the top spot.
"As far as from a ranking standpoint, we would like to move up and they would like to keep that ranking," forward Ali Curtis said. "That's going to be a battle in itself."
Perhaps even more important for the Blue Devils is that the team that wins this early showdown gains an edge in the race for the ACC regular-season title. This is the only matchup of the regular season between these two teams.
"The fact that we only play them once a year makes it even more important," Curtis said.
Likewise, such a victory over a top-ranked foe would most likely work in the Blue Devils' favor when the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee decides which schools qualify for postseason play.
The Tigers come into the game riding a wave of momentum that seems to have carried over from last year, when they advanced all the way to the Final Eight of the NCAA Tournament before succumbing to eventual champion UCLA.
Clemson returns eight starters from the '97 squad that was often overlooked because of its lack of experience and modest 11-7-3 record. This year, however, the Tigers have caught the attention of the collegiate soccer world early on with their impressive play.
After starting the season ranked 12th, in only three weeks Clemson has passed over many other top-notch schools to lay claim to the No. 1 ranking.
Forward Wojtek Krakowiak is the heart and soul of the Tiger squad. After just five games, the junior has tallied seven goals and four assists and this past week was named the ACC Player of the Week.
To slow down the talented forward and the rest of the Clemson attack, Duke must rely on its defense, which has been superb throughout the year. The Blue Devils' defense has been a key to their quick 6-0 start.
Though the Blue Devils have looked good early on in the season, the question remains: How good of a team does Duke really have?
Besides a victory over 16th-ranked James Madison, Duke has not played another ranked team this year. The Blue Devils have struggled at times on offense and in two games were forced to come from behind against weaker opponents.
Against Clemson, Duke will have to answer many of the lingering questions about this year's squad.
The presence of Duke forward Ali Curtis on the field could have a big impact on the outcome of the Blue Devils' first real test. Curtis, who has played an integral part in Duke's early success with four goals, hopes to make a speedy recovery from the injury he sustained last week and return to the field Sunday.
After missing Wednesday's game with a sprained MCL, it is probable that Curtis will play on Sunday against the Tigers. The injury will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis.
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