Redshirt
Scout report

Duke 2026 outlook

Duke are not currently priced in the title market, but here is the full picture: live price history, championship odds, and how they rate and play, all from real data.

Outlook
SP+ pctile
Returning
Team profile
Percentile vs FBS · 2025
National ratings
CollegeFootballData · 2025
SP+ overallSP+: Bill Connelly's tempo- and opponent-adjusted efficiency rating, expressed in points above average.6.6#44
FPIFPI: ESPN's Football Power Index, an overall measure of team strength.6.4#43
EloElo: a rating that rises or falls after each game based on the result and the quality of the opponent.1622
RecruitingRecruiting: the national ranking of the team's incoming recruiting class.220.9#30
TalentTalent: a composite of the roster's recruiting ratings.669
Returning prod.Returning production: the percent of last season's production (weighted by impact) coming back this year.18%
Efficiency profile
Per play · 2025
Off PPAPPA (Predicted Points Added): the average point value each play adds. Higher is better for offense, lower for defense.
0.25
#19 nationally
Off successSuccess rate: the share of plays that stay on schedule (roughly 50% of needed yards on 1st down, 70% on 2nd, 100% on 3rd/4th). Higher is better.
46%
ExplosivenessExplosiveness: the average value of a team's successful plays, i.e. how big its good plays are when they hit.
1.33
Def PPAPPA (Predicted Points Added): the average point value each play adds. Higher is better for offense, lower for defense.
0.22
#86 nationally
Def successSuccess rate: the share of plays that stay on schedule (roughly 50% of needed yards on 1st down, 70% on 2nd, 100% on 3rd/4th). Higher is better.
44%
HavocHavoc rate: the share of plays where the defense makes a tackle for loss, forced fumble, interception, or pass breakup.
17%
Yards/gameTotal yards gained per game.
423.6
Turnover marginTurnover margin: takeaways minus giveaways over the season.
+10
What these metrics mean
SP+ overall. SP+: Bill Connelly's tempo- and opponent-adjusted efficiency rating, expressed in points above average.
FPI. FPI: ESPN's Football Power Index, an overall measure of team strength.
Elo. Elo: a rating that rises or falls after each game based on the result and the quality of the opponent.
Recruiting. Recruiting: the national ranking of the team's incoming recruiting class.
Talent. Talent: a composite of the roster's recruiting ratings.
Returning prod.. Returning production: the percent of last season's production (weighted by impact) coming back this year.
Off PPA. PPA (Predicted Points Added): the average point value each play adds. Higher is better for offense, lower for defense.
Off success. Success rate: the share of plays that stay on schedule (roughly 50% of needed yards on 1st down, 70% on 2nd, 100% on 3rd/4th). Higher is better.
Explosiveness. Explosiveness: the average value of a team's successful plays, i.e. how big its good plays are when they hit.
Havoc. Havoc rate: the share of plays where the defense makes a tackle for loss, forced fumble, interception, or pass breakup.
Yards/game. Total yards gained per game.
Turnover margin. Turnover margin: takeaways minus giveaways over the season.
2026 schedule
Bars show the model's projected win probability
W1vsTulaneSep 5, 202656%Matchup
W2@IllinoisSep 12, 202630%Matchup
W3vsStanfordSep 19, 202690%Matchup
W4vsWilliam & MarySep 26, 2026Not rated
W6@Georgia TechOct 10, 202638%Matchup
W7vsNorth CarolinaOct 17, 202683%Matchup
W8@VirginiaOct 23, 202634%Matchup
W9vsBoston CollegeOct 31, 202686%Matchup
W10@NC StateNov 7, 202649%Matchup
W11@MiamiNov 14, 202616%Matchup
W12vsClemsonNov 21, 202649%Matchup
W13@Wake ForestNov 28, 202646%Matchup
Roster & leaders
2026 roster · 2025 stat leaders
Passing
Walker Eget
3058 yds, 17 TD
Rushing
Nate Sheppard
1132 yds, 11 TD
Receiving
Javen Nicholas
60 rec, 740 yds
Tackles
Luke Mergott
91 tot, 1.5 sk
Full roster (101)
0CJ Campbell Jr.RB0Dylan FlowersCB2Walker EgetQB2Patrick Smith-YoungS3Landan CallahanCB4Evan SmithCB5Javen NicholasWR5Kimari RobinsonCB6Leon Griffin IIIS7Nick Morris Jr.LB8Jayden MooreWR8DaShawn StoneS10Tyshon ReedDE12Bryce DavisDE15Jake TaylorTE15Kevin O'ConnorDE18Kobe SmithDE19Jon MorrisLB20Nate SheppardRB24Bradley GompersLB28Kaleb LanierCB30Will Felder Jr.LB31Elliott SchaperLB34Luke MergottLB35Andrew PellicciottaS39Cosme SalasPK40Asher WassermanLB41Kade ReynoldsonP42Kendall JohnsonLB43Semaj TurnerDE44Nate KuriskyTE44David AndersonDT85Jeremiah HasleyTE91Owen WafleDT93Sampson OnuohaDE95Preston WatsonDT1Jamien LittleWR1Kyon LoudCB3Blake RohrerWR4Jaivon SolomonWR6Jonah BurtonWR7Kavon SimmonsWR9Kavon ConciauroWR9Ché OjarikreCB10Dan MahanQB11Ari PatuQB11Derrick Brown Jr.LB12Blaine HipaQB13Terry Walker IIIQB13Obinna UmehDE16Lawrence GardnerQB17Jared RichardsonWR18Brody KeefeWR21Qeanu JohnsonWR21KD CottonS22Jayvian TanelusRB23Kolbe HarmonCB24Wilhelm Daal IIRB26CJ GiversRB26Tyson SanfordCB27Jack YatesLS28Cole DensonRB29Brady WinterS31Mika LevyPK32Tony GrimmerLB33Colsen GattenLB37Lyrik PettisS46Tony BoggsTE49Jack RoniloLS50Chadwicke Cannon Jr.DT52Jake FitzgeraldLS54Daniel BoydOL55Ryan DalyOL55Julius ColumbusDT56Nick Del GrandeOL60Sean StoverOL62Cole AllenOL63Bradley SmithOL64Jordan LarsenOL65Kai JacobowitzOL66Caleb DorrisOL71Jamin BrownOL72Matt CraycraftOL74Reagan McCranieOL75Micah SahakianOL76Gemyel AllenOL77Braden MillerOL78Nathan KutufarisOL79Roman FinaOL80Benjamin MoseleyTE81Brett ElliottTE83Paul Holyfield Jr.RB84Jack GaskinsTE88Paxon KetteringWR88Bariate KaraDT89Jackson MaggioreWR90Tommy RupleyDE97Ayden CainDT98Jaylen CarlDE99Dakota QuinonezDTChe OjarikreS
Advertisement
Kalshi ad
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What are Duke's playoff odds in 2026?

Duke make the 2026 College Football Playoff in 4.2% of our 10,000 season simulations, win the ACC in 3%, and win the national title in 0.1%. The simulation re-runs daily.

How many games will Duke win in 2026?

The simulation projects Duke at 6.6 wins on average across 10,000 runs of the real 2026 schedule.

How good are Duke by the numbers?

In 2025 SP+, Duke rank #44 overall (offense #19, defense #86).

Where can I trade Duke markets?

On Polymarket (TGSWC), Kalshi (FADE) and ProphetX (VAULT). Prices differ by venue, so compare for the best price.

All teams →