By Mark Bergin, WRAL senior multiplatform producer

Duke Blue Devils
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
ACC Network | Saturday, October 5th 8:00 PM EDT

Durham, N.C. — Duke football is a win away from becoming bowl eligible and it’s not even October yet.

In head coach Manny Diaz’s first season with the program, the Blue Devils are off to a 5-0 start for the first time since 1994.

“Over five weeks, I think we have shown we can handle adversity and we can overcome adversity,” Diaz said Monday. “And now, we’re facing a very different type of adversity, which is the adversity of success.”

Duke (5-0, 1-0 ACC) is scheduled to play at 8 p.m. ET Saturday in Atlanta against Georgia Tech (3-2, 1-2 ACC). The game airs on the ACC Network.

“What we did talk about [Sunday], especially of our first-half performance [against North Carolina], is the expectation is the better you play and the more games you win, the more big games you’ll be in,” Diaz said. “And, where it gets to the point where it becomes a big game where Duke’s buses pull up at the stadium.”

Duke has three fourth-quarter comebacks this season, including Saturday’s 21-20 comeback win against rival North Carolina.

The Blue Devils overcame a 20-point deficit on Saturday. It marked Duke’s first win against the Tar Heels since Nov. 10, 2018.

“There are still a lot of things that we have to improve on,” Diaz said. “The first half, all you [have] to do is pop that film on, and it’s pretty event that we’re not fully where we need to be.”

How Duke football is helping those affected by Hurricane Helene

Diaz said Duke Athletics will partner with Two Men and a Truck to help people affected by Hurricane Helene. They will collect non-perishable foods and necessities from Monday through Oct. 11 at the Duke Athletics Ticket Office at 110 Whitford Drive in Durham.

“We’ll be offering discounts to football games, men and women’s basketball games to encourage donations,” Diaz said.

Diaz described the conditions he’s seen and heard about in western North Carolina.

“These are things you would expect in a movie, and this is real life going on in our state right now,” Diaz said. “Again, it’s something that we want to be a part of helping in any way we can.”

Diaz said there is a player’s parent who has suffered through Helene damage. However, Diaz declined to name the player on Monday.

Source: wralsportsfan.com