Duke’s surprising run to an Atlantic Coast Conference championship did not lead to a College Football Playoff spot, but it did earn the Blue Devils a postseason game. Duke will face Arizona State on Wednesday in the Sun Bowl, a matchup that serves as both a reward and a reminder of how close the Blue Devils came to something bigger.
Despite winning the ACC title with a 27–20 overtime victory over No. 20 Virginia, Duke was left out of the 12-team playoff. The spot that many believed should go to a Power Four conference champion instead went to a second Group of Five team, leaving Duke with an 8–5 record and a bowl game far from the national spotlight.
Defensive tackle Aaron Hall said the team understood the situation quickly after the title win. “The ACC title is definitely up there,” Hall said. “But the joy of that has faded a little bit. You’re always hungry for the next thing.” For Duke, that next goal is ending the season with a Sun Bowl victory.
"There's a sentiment in college football that the Sun Bowl's hospitality is unmatched across the bowl landscape, and our welcome here backs that up."
— Sam Guzman (@SamGuzmanTV) December 27, 2025
Duke football head coach Manny Diaz on the team's arrival in El Paso ahead of the 2025 Sun Bowl. Https://t.co/GHI4e5jhzN pic.twitter.com/vPbEXqiTdN
Duke will take on Arizona State, a program that was in the playoff just a year ago after winning the Big 12 and nearly upsetting Texas in the quarterfinals. The Sun Devils enter the game with an 8–4 record. This will be the second meeting between the two schools, with Arizona State winning the first Sun Bowl matchup 36–31 eleven years ago.
Duke’s path to the ACC title came through an unusual setup. A five-way tie for second place in the conference allowed the Blue Devils into the championship game, even though Miami was the league’s highest-ranked team. Miami went on to earn a playoff spot and won its first-round game at Texas A&M. The Hurricanes will play Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl just hours after Duke takes the field in West Texas.
Head coach Manny Diaz believes the disappointment of missing the playoff could help the program moving forward. “There’s still a little frustration in this team,” Diaz said. “Some things were out of our control. Hopefully, that feeling pushes us going into next year.”
Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham will coach his first game since signing a five-year contract extension worth an average of $7.5 million per season. However, the Sun Devils will be without quarterback Sam Leavitt, who suffered a season-ending foot injury and has entered the transfer portal. Jeff Sims, a former Georgia Tech and Nebraska quarterback, will start in his place.
Duke quarterback Darian Mensah, who threw for a school-record 30 touchdowns this season, is expected to play despite rumors about his NFL future. Arizona State, meanwhile, will be without star receiver Jordyn Tyson and running back Raleek Brown.
With playoff dreams behind them, both teams now look to finish the season strong and leave the Sun Bowl with momentum heading into 2026.
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