College basketball is officially back.
The Duke Blue Devils will begin their 2026-27 regular season tonight at Cameron Indoor Stadium, and they enter the campaign as one of the heavyweight favorites to cut down the nets in April 2027. Duke looked fantastic throughout the preseason and is entering the year with as much momentum as any team in the country.
College basketball is unpredictable. Some teams will greatly exceed expectations, and others will fall short. Even the juggernauts in the sport each year suffer head-scratching losses. With the regular season upon us, let's predict the score and result of every game on Duke's schedule, including the ACC and NCAA Tournaments.
Oct 25, 2026; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer reacts to a play during the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
vs. Army - Nov. 2: 102-64 (1-0)
vs. Coastal Carolina - Nov. 5: 91-67 (2-0)
vs. No. 6 Michigan State - Nov. 10 (neutral): 81-68 (3-0)
vs. SIU Edwardsville - Nov. 13: 101-69 (4-0)
vs. No. 3 Illinois - Nov. 17: 84-78 (5-0)
vs. Washington State - Nov. 21 (neutral): 88-72 (6-0)
vs. No. 4 UConn - Nov. 25 (neutral): 81-89 (6-1)
Duke Blue Devils guard John Blackwell (13) reacts after scoring a three point shot against Kansas Jayhawks during the exhibition game inside Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas on Oct. 25, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
at No. 1 Florida - Dec. 1: 82-77 (7-1)
vs. Harvard - Dec. 4: 91-63 (8-1)
vs. Georgia - Dec. 8 (neutral): 84-70 (9-1)
vs. Campbell - Dec. 15: 94-71 (10-1)
Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) passes the ball against Kansas Jayhawks during the exhibition game inside Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas on Oct. 25, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
vs. Grambling State - Dec. 17: 91-60 (11-1)
vs. No. 19 Texas Tech - Dec. 21 (neutral): 84-81 (12-1)
at Georgia Tech - Dec. 30: 80-65 (13-1, 1-0)
Oct 25, 2026; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Dame Sarr (7) goes to the basket against Kansas Jayhawks forward Keanu Dawes (8) and guard Trent Perry (23) during the first half at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
vs. California - Jan. 2: 79-63 (14-1, 2-0)
at Syracuse - Jan. 5: 74-70 (15-1, 3-0)
vs. Pittsburgh - Jan. 9: 79-67 (16-1, 4-0)
vs. Stanford - Jan. 13: 82-71 (17-1, 5-0)
at Boston College - Jan. 16: 90-73 (18-1, 6-0)
at Wake Forest - Jan. 20: 75-69 (19-1, 7-0)
vs. Notre Dame - Jan. 23: 81-71 (20-1, 8-0)
at Clemson - Jan. 30: 67-61 (21-1, 9-0)
Duke Blue Devils center Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje (30) reacts after making a three against Kansas Jayhawks during the exhibition game inside Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas on Oct. 25, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
vs. No. 14 Miami - Feb. 1: 77-73 (22-1, 10-0)
at No. 9 Virginia - Feb. 6: 71-79 (22-2, 10-1)
at SMU - Feb. 9: 81-69 (23-2, 11-1)
vs. North Carolina - Feb. 13: 88-71 (24-2, 12-1)
Oct 25, 2026; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Cayden Boozer (2) and Kansas Jayhawks guard Taylen Kinney (0) fight for the ball during the first half at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
vs. Florida State - Feb. 16: 86-91 (24-3, 12-2)
vs. No. 15 Gonzaga - Feb. 20 (neutral): 78-73 (25-3, 12-2)
at No. 11 Louisville - Feb. 24: 72-67 (26-3, 13-2)
vs. NC State - Feb. 27: 79-66 (27-3, 14-2)
Duke Blue Devils guard Deron Rippey Jr. (3) reacts after a basket made against Kansas Jayhawks during the exhibition game inside Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas on Oct. 25, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
vs. No. 9 Virginia - March 1: 72-70 (28-3, 15-2)
at North Carolina - March 6: 84-73 (29-3, 16-2)
March 11 (Greensboro, NC) - No. 1 Duke vs. No. 8 NC State: 83-70 (30-3)
Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer makes calls during the exhibition game against Kansas Jayhawks inside Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas on Oct. 25, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
March 12 (Greensboro, NC) - No. 1 Duke vs. No. 4 Louisville: 78-72 (31-3)
March 13 (Greensboro, NC) - No. 1 Duke vs. No. 2 Miami: 81-77 (Duke wins ACC Championship, 32-3)
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 16 Howard: 91-65 (33-3)
Duke Blue Devils forward Sebastian Wilkins (5) shoots a lay up against Kansas Jayhawks during the exhibition game inside Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas on Oct. 25, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 8 Baylor: 81-66 (34-3)
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 5 Iowa State: 75-67 (35-3)
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 3 Michigan State: 69-64 (36-3)
Duke Blue Devils guard Bryson Howard (12) watches a three point shot taken against Kansas Jayhawks during the exhibition game inside Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas on Oct. 25, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 2 Texas: 72-68 (37-3)
No. 1 Duke vs. No. 1 Houston: 78-73 (Duke wins National Championship, 38-3)
Now, the best-case scenario for every team in every season is to win the National Championship, but Duke clearly has a chance to do it. Jon Scheyer has made it to at least the Elite Eight in each of the last three seasons, and the last two years have ended with stunning collapses that ended the Blue Devils' chase for a national title. Scheyer has been one of the best coaches in college basketball since he took over in Durham, but this is the most championship-ready team he has had throughout his tenure.
Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer makes adjustments against Kansas Jayhawks during the exhibition game inside Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas on Oct. 25, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
The Blue Devils boast elite depth, length, switchability defensively, experience, continuity, and a wealth of pure talent . There probably isn't another team in the sport that can match the Blue Devils' pure depth, but the rotation makes sense together; it isn't just a big bunch of good players. Duke will boast positional size in almost every game it plays this season, and it doesn't sacrifice much, if anything at all, at most positions on the court when it substitutes.
Scheyer and his staff built an elite college basketball roster, and it has as good a chance as any club in the country to cut down the nets this season. Duke begins the chase for title No. 6 on Monday night against Army.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/duke as Predicting Every Score, Result on Duke Basketball's 2026-27 Schedule .
