How did 5-loss Duke soccer make ACC title recreation? How Blue Devils made it – USA In the present day

Duke football will play for the ACC championship — and, probably, a School Soccer Playoff berth — in any case.
The Blue Devils, who’ve 5 losses on the season, had been sent to the ACC championship game due to a number of components on unfolding on the ultimate day of the 2025 faculty soccer common season. The formally cashed in on their long-shot with SMU’s missed field goal vs. California.
It is the primary journey to the convention championship for Duke below Manny Diaz, and this system’s first journey to the ACC championship recreation since 2013, when the Blue Devils fell to eventual nationwide champion Florida State 45-7.
The Blue Devils will face No. 17 Virginia (No. 18 in School Soccer Playoff rankings) at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Dec. 6 at Financial institution of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, the place they’ll play for a visit to the 12-team CFP.
However on prime of getting some assist from Cal, how did Duke get into the convention title recreation when it has 5 general losses on the season and went 6-2 in ACC play?
Here is what to know on how Duke made the ACC championship recreation:
For starters, the Blue Devils entered Week 14 needing to catch breaks — a Pitt loss to Miami and an SMU loss to Cal — on prime of successful their very own Week 14 recreation in opposition to Wake Forest.
Regardless of being out-gained on the day, Duke dealt with enterprise by selecting up a 49-32 win over Wake Forest. The Blue Devils turned 4 turnovers into 14 factors within the win, whereas quarterback Darian Mensah and working backs Nate Sheppard and Anderson Fort all scored two touchdowns every.
Then, earlier than even kicking off at Wallace Wade Stadium, the Blue Devils obtained some assist from No. 13 Miami (No. 12 in CFP, as Carson Beck and Co. defeated No. 24 Pitt (No 22 in CFP), 38-7. There’s leg two of the parlay.
Then got here the ultimate leg of the parlay, as SMU fell 38-35 on the highway to Cal. Mustangs kicker Sam Keltner missed the 52-yard game-tying subject aim try as time expired to offer Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele and Cal the upset win over the No. 25 workforce within the nation.
Following all that, the Blue Devils will make the 142-mile drive over to Charlotte from Durham. That gave Duke the tiebreaker due to the next convention opponent successful proportion than Miami, SMU, Pitt and Georgia Tech.
* ACC title recreation individuals

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