Duke football's daunting 2019 slate finalized with ACC schedule release

Duke won't have to go far from home at all next season, but still faces its most challenging set of opponents in recent memory.

The ACC released its 2019 football schedule Tuesday afternoon, finalizing Duke's slate for the upcoming fall. The Blue Devils' schedule is headlined by a road matchup with rival North Carolina Oct. 26 and nonconference showdowns that were already set in stone against Alabama in Atlanta Aug. 31 and Notre Dame Nov. 9. The Crimson Tide and Fighting Irish were among the four teams that played in this season's College Football Playoff, and Duke will have extra time to prepare for both with the Alabama contest opening the season and a bye week before the Notre Dame game.

The Blue Devils' ACC opener will be a primetime Friday night kickoff against Virginia Tech at Lane Stadium after their first of two bye weeks. It's the first time Duke will have two weeks off in the middle of the season since 2014.

Aside from the visits to Blacksburg, Va. and Chapel Hill, the Blue Devils will also take short trips in ACC play to Virginia and Wake Forest. Duke's longest road trip will be a nonconference matchup against Middle Tennessee Sept. 14 in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

The Blue Devils' home opener will be against North Carolina A&T Sept. 7, and they will welcome Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech, Syracuse and Miami to Wallace Wade Stadium in conference play. It will be the Blue Devils' first meeting with the Orange, who are coming off a 10-win 2018 season, since 2014 and Syracuse's first visit to Durham since 1939.

The Blue Devils' full 2019 schedule can be seen below.

Aug. 31 — vs. Alabama (Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta)

Sept. 7 — vs. North Carolina A&T

Oct. 12 — vs. Georgia Tech

Oct. 19 — at Virginia

Oct. 26 — at North Carolina

Nov. 2 — OPEN

Nov. 9 — vs. Notre Dame

Nov. 16 — vs. Syracuse

Nov. 23 — at Wake Forest

Nov. 30 — vs. Miami