Despite Strong Finish Last Season, Duke Football Falls Just Short of Preseason Top 25 But Gains Respect With Coaches Poll Votes

The preseason expectations are in, and while Duke football won’t begin the 2025 season ranked in the Top 25, the Blue Devils are knocking on the door. The latest US LBM Coaches Poll, released Monday, left Duke just outside the rankings, but not without recognition — the team did receive a handful of votes, signaling national respect is continuing to grow under head coach Manny Diaz.

For Duke fans, the news is bittersweet. On one hand, the votes reflect tangible respect for a program that has clawed its way out of irrelevance over the past decade. On the other hand, not cracking the Top 25 can feel like a slight to a team that finished 9-4 last season, including a bowl win and signature victories over ACC rivals.

The Blue Devils closed the 2024 campaign with momentum, winning their final three games and showing significant improvement in both sides of the ball. But in a sport where tradition, name recognition, and high-profile recruiting classes often shape preseason polls, Duke remains a program fighting uphill for validation.

The fact that Duke even received votes marks progress. A few years ago, such a development would’ve been unimaginable. The Blue Devils had spent decades in the shadows of college football — better known for what happened on the hardwood than the gridiron. But change has arrived in Durham.

Duke’s transformation began with Mike Elko’s brief but impactful stint, which set a cultural and defensive foundation. Now, with Diaz — the former Miami head coach and Penn State defensive coordinator — steering the ship, the Blue Devils are embracing a more physical identity and developing a balanced offense capable of keeping pace with the best in the ACC.

The 2025 team will be led by junior quarterback Grayson Loftis, who emerged as a confident signal-caller last fall after injuries opened the door. Loftis threw for over 2,600 yards and 21 touchdowns last season, showing poise and command in late-game situations. His chemistry with veteran wideouts such as Jordan Moore and the speedy slot target Eli Pancol is one reason for the cautious optimism among poll voters.

On defense, Duke brings back a seasoned secondary and a linebacker corps that many insiders believe could be among the most disciplined in the conference. Safety Jeremiah Lewis returns for his graduate season and will once again serve as a vocal leader on the back end. Meanwhile, sophomore linebacker Kevin Hines is drawing early NFL buzz after a breakout freshman year in which he posted 84 tackles and 3 interceptions.

Still, preseason polls are more than just projections — they’re reflections of perception. Programs like Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, and Michigan don’t just receive rankings; they receive the benefit of the doubt. Even when rosters turnover and coaching staffs change, those programs have built enough of a legacy to almost guarantee preseason attention. Duke, by contrast, must earn every vote.

That’s what makes the Blue Devils’ slow rise under Diaz so meaningful. The respect is not being handed out — it’s being earned in the trenches, in prime-time wins, and in how the team carries itself off the field. Coaches around the country are noticing. Duke’s five votes in the US LBM Coaches Poll may seem minor compared to playoff contenders, but within the context of the program’s history, they represent a shift in national awareness.

Notably, Duke finished the 2024 season unranked as well, despite their 9-win season and strong finish. That fact likely contributed to them being overlooked again in August. The poll tends to favor teams that finish in the previous year’s Top 25 — with voters often rewarding postseason momentum. Duke’s absence from the final rankings last season, even after their Military Bowl victory, likely made it harder to justify jumping them into the Top 25 before a snap is played in 2025.

That said, the schedule could work in Duke’s favor. They open the season at home against a mid-major opponent, followed by a non-conference showdown against Northwestern, another unranked Power Five team trying to reestablish itself. If Duke takes care of business in September, there’s a clear path into the rankings by October — especially if they pull off an early conference win over Virginia Tech or NC State.

In fact, some analysts have pegged Duke as a classic “ranked by Week 5” team. They have the returning production, the quarterback stability, and a manageable early-season schedule. But perhaps most importantly, they have the chip on their shoulder. They’re not a team that will feel content with merely receiving votes.

Coach Diaz has already spoken about the preseason snub, though he downplayed its significance. “Rankings are something we don’t control,” Diaz told reporters during the team’s media day. “We’ve got a group of guys who believe in each other and want to prove it on the field, not in a poll.”

Diaz also pointed out that preseason rankings are often inaccurate, citing several examples of teams who began unranked and went on to play in New Year’s Six bowls. “It’s not about where you start,” he said. “It’s about how you finish.”

Still, the players are paying attention. Grayson Loftis admitted he saw the poll when it dropped. “I’m not gonna lie — we looked,” Loftis said. “You want to be respected. You want to be noticed. But at the same time, we know we haven’t done enough yet. This just gives us more fuel.”

Loftis added that the locker room has embraced the idea of being overlooked. “We love being the underdogs. That’s been Duke’s identity for a long time in football. But we also feel like we’re about to flip that script.”

That’s a sentiment echoed across the program. From upperclassmen leaders to first-year players, there’s a sense of pride in how far Duke has come — and hunger for how far they still want to go.

One coach on the offensive staff described the vote total as “just enough to sting a little” but “perfect motivation.” He compared it to the feeling before a road game, when the stadium is loud and the crowd is against you. “You play your best ball when you’ve got something to prove.”

Whether Duke ends up climbing into the Top 25 this fall or not, it’s clear the college football world is starting to take notice. For a program that was once synonymous with losing seasons and empty bleachers, that alone is a remarkable achievement.

But don’t tell the players that. They don’t want moral victories anymore. They want rankings. They want trophies. And for the first time in a long time, those things no longer seem out of reach in Durham.

If the Blue Devils can maintain their momentum, capitalize on returning experience, and stay healthy at key positions, this could be the year that perception finally catches up with performance.

For now, though, Duke will start the season where they’ve often found themselves — outside the rankings, just beyond the spotlight. But unlike the past, they’re not alone out there. There are voters who believe. There are fans who are watching. And there’s a team in Durham that’s ready to make sure the next poll doesn’t just include their name in the fine print — but in bold.