Jan 6, 2026; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer reacts during the second half against the Louisville Cardinals at KFC Yum! Center. Duke defeated Louisville 84-73. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Here’s Duke Projection for New AP Poll

Originally posted on Duke Blue Devils on SI
By Luke Joseph | Last updated Jan 12, 2026 11:00 AM ET

The Duke basketball program improved to 15–1 overall and 4–0 in ACC play following an 82–75 victory over No. 24 SMU (12–4, 1–2 ACC) at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Mustangs entered the matchup boasting one of the most prolific offenses in the ACC, ranking 15th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency according to KenPom, and they showed just how dangerous they can be.

While the Blue Devils weren’t perfect on the defensive end, they made enough key plays down the stretch to secure the win. Sophomore Isaiah Evans led Duke in scoring, finishing with 21 points on 5-of-11 shooting from the field and 4-of-8 from three-point range.

The victory capped off an impressive week for Duke, which collected two ranked wins. On Tuesday, the Blue Devils traveled to the KFC Yum! Center and defeated No. 20 Louisville 84–73. They followed that performance with another quality win against No. 24 SMU at home.

With the new AP Poll set to be released, Duke is expected to move up in the rankings after its strong week. ON3’s James Fletcher released his projected poll and slotted the Blue Devils at No. 5, moving them up one spot.

“Duke added to its résumé with wins against Louisville and SMU over the past week, setting themselves up well in the ACC,” Fletcher wrote. “The Blue Devils now prepare for a road trip featuring California and Stanford over the next week.”

Saturday also brought plenty of chaos across college basketball, as several top-25 teams suffered losses. No. 2 Michigan was upset at home by Wisconsin, No. 13 Alabama fell to Texas, No. 15 Arkansas lost by 22 to Auburn, No. 21 Tennessee was beaten by 24 at Florida, and No. 22 Kansas fell to West Virginia.

In Fletcher’s projected rankings, Duke would be the highest-ranked ACC team, sitting nine spots ahead of North Carolina, which is projected at No. 14. The Blue Devils would trail only Arizona, Iowa State, UConn, and Purdue.

The Week Ahead

Duke now heads west for a two-game road trip, traveling to face California and Stanford. Both programs enter the week with 13–4 records but have struggled to find consistent success against ACC competition.

With momentum building and confidence growing, Duke has positioned itself as one of the nation’s elite teams through the first month of the season. The upcoming West Coast road trip presents another opportunity for the Blue Devils to solidify their standing both in the ACC and nationally. If Duke can handle its business away from Cameron Indoor Stadium, a top-five ranking may soon become reality.

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