The last time Duke took the turf, it ended a dream season on a high note, beating UCF in the Military Bowl 30-13. That game feels like ages ago, and it has little bearing on the Blue Devils’ newest test — one that will be both more difficult and more showing of the team’s talent and character.
The Duke team that enters this season, while sustaining a largely similar roster, is not the same that opened play a year ago. With success comes expectations, not necessarily to beat preseason No. 9 Clemson, but certainly to play a closer game than the 35-6 beatdown the Blue Devils suffered the last time they played the Tigers in 2018. For Duke to live up to these aspirations, it will need control.
Here are five things to know before the 8 p.m. kickoff:
Control the line
Every football game is won in the trenches, and Monday night will be no different. In fact, more so than most games, the Blue Devils’ success on the line will reflect their overall chances of victory. On the offensive line, Duke will be tasked with stopping a dominating Clemson pass rush unit led by possibly the best linebacker duo in the nation in Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and Barrett Carter. Preseason All-ACC left tackle Graham Barton will be key, but the entire line will face a massive test.
On the other side of the ball, the defensive line will be essential to slowing down what looks to be a potent Tigers offense. While quarterback Cade Klubnik is largely unproven, starting just two games last season, the weapons surrounding him are dangerous. That being said, the Blue Devils’ defensive line is a positional group that returns all of its starters and has the potential to stave off Clemson.
If Duke wins the battle in the trenches, it stands a better chance to pull off an upset at Wallace Wade Stadium.
Strike first
For the first time in a long time, students will not have class on Labor Day. Couple that with the increased hype around the team this year, and fans will be itching to see the Blue Devils run out of the locker room Monday night. If Duke can make a statement early and invigorate the stands, it may be able to change the momentum of the game enough to put the Tigers on their heels.
However, faltering in their first drives may cause the Blue Devils to fall victim to a Week-1 defeat that sucks some life out of the fan base head coach Mike Elko is working to nurture. A big stop combined with an early touchdown would be a strong indicator of good things for Duke, while falling behind early will likely be a death sentence.
Stay resilient
When competing against a team as talented as Clemson, the Blue Devils will inevitably find themselves in a moment where the game is not going their way. In order to keep the score close and fight their way back into the lead, they will need to be able to take blows without toppling over.
“In openers like this, they're sometimes lost a lot more than they're won, Elko said. “And that's regardless of talent level.”
Making sure not to enter the locker room in low spirits and come out in the fourth quarter with some momentum will allow Duke to maintain the hope necessary to overcome a team like the Tigers.
Keep the culture
The Blue Devils entered last season with a chip on their shoulders, as they were projected to finish at the bottom of the conference and were ready to prove non-believers wrong. That attitude helped lead them to success all season, especially in games against more established teams like UCF and Wake Forest. There is no program in the ACC more established than Clemson, and Duke could use its chip-on-its-shoulder mindset against the visitors.
As much as this game matters for Duke’s season, and the future of the program, the Tigers still have far more to lose. The Blue Devils can benefit from the stakes of the night if they can play the loose, free-flowing game that brought them success in 2022.
Pound the ground
As much as junior quarterback Riley Leonard impressed a year ago, Duke’s rushing attack was the biggest reason for its success on offense. Control of possession will be essential to Monday night’s game, and the best way for the Blue Devils to find an advantage will be turning to the ground.
Duke is returning its top four rushers in Leonard, graduate students Jordan Waters and Jaylen Coleman and junior Jaquez Moore. These four will need to impress against the aforementioned Clemson defense, but if they can combine for a strong game, the Blue Devils can limit the chances Klubnik and the offense receive.
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Dom Fenoglio is a Trinity sophomore and an assistant Blue Zone editor of The Chronicle's 119th volume.