Improvement recognized!

[OZZIE4DUKE]

The world is starting to know what we already knew!

http://espn.go.com/blog/acc/post/_/id/4 ... s-week-6-5

[IowaDevil]

Could we manage a road trip to Nashville? YOU BET! See you there!

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Could we manage a road trip to Nashville? YOU BET! See you there!

I'd prefer Orlando in late December. It's a heckuva lot warmer there!

[lawgrad91]

I told my favorite cousin that I didn't know if we could get together the Saturday after Christmas because if Duke was bowling, the Rev. Lawgrad has already said he wants to be there....

[CameronBornAndBred]

I told my favorite cousin that I didn't know if we could get together the Saturday after Christmas because if Duke was bowling, the Rev. Lawgrad has already said he wants to be there....

We are not making any Christmas travel plans for that sole reason. I don't care where the game is, I'm going.

[bjornolf]

Let's not count our chickens just yet. We've definitely improved, but I don't know if I see 3 more wins on the schedule. I'm definitely hoping so, but we need to beat UVA to have a realistic shot. We'll see where we are after this weekend.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

We'll see where we are after this weekend.

5 - 1. That's where we'll be!

[Bob Green]

Let's not count our chickens just yet. We've definitely improved, but I don't know if I see 3 more wins on the schedule. I'm definitely hoping so, but we need to beat UVA to have a realistic shot. We'll see where we are after this weekend.

I agree with you that beating UVA is vital to the effort, but there are several more solid opportunities on the schedule:

UVA - first and foremost
VT - we've played them tough in the past and they are not looking good so far
UNC - they lost to Wake, we didn't
Clemson - they give up a lot of points, we score a lot of points
GT - they're vulnerable due to bad defense but it will be tough to win in Atlanta
Miami - they are much, much better than folks thought they would be
FSU - they are on a different planet

I'm optimistic and once we beat UVA on Saturday my optimism is going to spin totally out of control.

[bjornolf]

I think we have a shot to win 2 of UNC, VT, GT, and Clemson. However, I think it's a stretch to say we can win 3 out of those 4. Like I said, we beat UVA, I think we have a chance.

VT doesn't look good right now, but they lost at Pitt, a team that has owned them for whatever reason over the last seven years, and a real nailbiter to a pretty good Cinci team that trounced that same Pitt team. At Lane Stadium, I don't like our chances. Maybe in a couple years if we keep trending up, but not yet. My wife is a Hokie, so I watch them every week. This isn't their best team, but it's also not their worst. You need a good, or at least sound, defense to beat them. Do we have that?

Carolina lost at Wake by 1 and at Louisville, a good ranked team, by 5. We'll be at home, which helps. They have tough games before and after us, so they might overlook us.

Clemson is #15. They give up some points, but they also score them. Do we have the defense to slow them down enough to win a shootout?

GT is pretty bad. If we can slow down their option attack, we should be able to beat them. Problem is, we don't see those often.

FSU ain't happening, barring some significant injuries or ineligible declarations.

IMHO, our best shot at a bowl is to beat UVA, GT, and UNC. I think we can do it, but it's not a gimme by any stretch.

[Ima Facultiwyfe]

Let's not count our chickens just yet. We've definitely improved, but I don't know if I see 3 more wins on the schedule. I'm definitely hoping so, but we need to beat UVA to have a realistic shot. We'll see where we are after this weekend.

I agree with you that beating UVA is vital to the effort, but there are several more solid opportunities on the schedule:

UVA - first and foremost
VT - we've played them tough in the past and they are not looking good so far
UNC - they lost to Wake, we didn't
Clemson - they give up a lot of points, we score a lot of points
GT - they're vulnerable due to bad defense but it will be tough to win in Atlanta
Miami - they are much, much better than folks thought they would be
FSU - they are on a different planet

I'm optimistic and once we beat UVA on Saturday my optimism is going to spin totally out of control.

As I said on my fb page, "Just ... no .... more .... OUCHIES!!!"

Love, Ima

[bjornolf]

Now THAT was an impressive win. Good job, guys.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

For the first time in 40 years of going to Duke football games, we heard a player's name chanted, like what the Crazies do in Cameron. Wow! And then an "Our house" chant!

[Very Duke Blue]

For the first time in 40 years of going to Duke football games, we heard a player's name chanted, like what the Crazies do in Cameron. Wow! And then an "Our house" chant!

Thats a big WOW!! Love it. I was posting 5 Now, it's 6 Just saying.

[lawgrad91]

CON-NER VER-NON! (clap clap clap-clap-clap)

Boy, that was a lot of fun.

[devildeac]

UVa was 4/16 on 3rd down conversions and 0/3 on 4th down plays.

Very impressive.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Duke got 10 votes in the coaches poll and 3 in the AP poll. Recently (in 2009 and 10) we also got votes, and as soon as we did, we went on losing streaks. It's nice to see the vote, but until we get our 6th, I will remain cautiously optimistic and continue to enjoy the ride.

(Also, Heather Dinich has upgraded her bowl prediction for us from the Military Bowl to the Belk Bowl)

[CathyCA]

Duke got 10 votes in the coaches poll and 3 in the AP poll. Recently (in 2009 and 10) we also got votes, and as soon as we did, we went on losing streaks. It's nice to see the vote, but until we get our 6th, I will remain cautiously optimistic and continue to enjoy the ride.

(Also, Heather Dinich has upgraded her bowl prediction for us from the Military Bowl to the Belk Bowl)

The Belk Bowl? Like, let's go to CHARLOTTE? Oh boy. I can just feel the excitement building.

Let's keep winning and go someplace warm in December or January!

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Duke got 10 votes in the coaches poll and 3 in the AP poll. Recently (in 2009 and 10) we also got votes, and as soon as we did, we went on losing streaks. It's nice to see the vote, but until we get our 6th, I will remain cautiously optimistic and continue to enjoy the ride.

(Also, Heather Dinich has upgraded her bowl prediction for us from the Military Bowl to the Belk Bowl)

The Belk Bowl? Like, let's go to CHARLOTTE? Oh boy. I can just feel the excitement building.

Let's keep winning and go someplace warm in December or January!

At least Belk Bowl sounds a little better than the Continental Tire Bowl or Meineke Auto Parts Bowl, another past name.

[lawgrad91]

Duke got 10 votes in the coaches poll and 3 in the AP poll. Recently (in 2009 and 10) we also got votes, and as soon as we did, we went on losing streaks. It's nice to see the vote, but until we get our 6th, I will remain cautiously optimistic and continue to enjoy the ride.

(Also, Heather Dinich has upgraded her bowl prediction for us from the Military Bowl to the Belk Bowl)

After several days in Birmingham in 1990, I can live with Charlotte. I like warm and sunny better, though.

[lawgrad91]

http://espn.go.com/blog/acc/post/_/id/4 ... ly-success

How about this line: "Duke's improvement on defense has been one of the key factors in the Blue Devils' 5-1 start, as they are the only team in the ACC that can become bowl eligible this weekend with a win."

Beat VT.