Before David Cutcliffe resurrected Duke, he helped resurrect the career of Peyton Manning. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

DURHAM—In between his coaching duties to the only team that controls its own destiny in the ACC Coastal Division, Duke head coach David Cutcliffe keeps in touch with his former players and friends. Monday night, he spent 50 minutes on the phone with perhaps his most famous former tutee: Peyton Manning.

Manning was back in North Carolina for a game against the Panthers Sunday, and it was the first time he had come back to the state after spending the winter rehabbing  with Cutcliffe at Duke. Manning picked apart the Panthers defense, going 27-of-38 for 301 yards and a touchdown in the Denver Broncos’ 36-14 win.

Cutcliffe, who was Manning’s quarterback coach at Tennessee, said Manning was emotional about his return to the Tar Heel State, and the two reminisced about reuniting last winter.

Duke is the second-most popular college athletic program in North Carolina, according to the Wall Street Journal. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

Note: On Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal ran an article and graphic under the headline "College Football's Battleground States." The article began as follows:

"On this Election Day, it's fitting to spend a little time talking about America's battleground states: the ones with the most ferocious in-state college-football rivalries, that is."

In the case of North Carolina, that's not exactly entirely accurate.

Duke's magical run could extend all the way to the ACC Championship game. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

Despite not playing this week, there is a chance that Duke's path to the ACC Championship game could become significantly clearer.

Miami may opt to self-impose a bowl ban for the second straight season, interim athletic director Blake James told Michael Casagrande of the South Florida Sun Sentinel after the Hurricane's win over Virginia Tech. Blake said he and University president Donna Shalala will make the decision and added that, "It’s not a decision that we have to make right now.”

“It’s an institutional call, so it will be Donna and myself and consultation with the people we have involved with the NCAA case,” James said.

Duke coach David Cutcliffe campaigns for a call in Saturday's loss to Clemson. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

Earlier today, Kentucky announced that current coach Joker Phillips will not be back next season. At 1-9 and coming off a 40-0 home loss to Vanderbilt in front of a mostly empty stadium, the Wildcats are a mess. 

But they are an SEC team. And there's a certain football coach in Durham who is SEC born-and-bred.

Duke CB Lee Butler attempts to tackle Clemson RB D.J. Howard. Highlights were few and far between for the Blue Devils. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

DURHAM—James Bostic, a representative for the Chick-fil-A bowl (second in the ACC bowl pecking order behind the Orange Bowl, which takes the league champion) was sent up from Atlanta to watch Duke. Bostic said it’s only the second time he’s come to Durham to watch the Blue Devils (the first time was about 10 years ago, he couldn’t remember the exact year). Duke would be a desirable team because of the story (first bowl berth since 1994) and because the Blue Devils have never appeared in the Chick-fil-A bowl.

11:45 pm update

DURHAM—Duke had no answers for the Clemson offense. None.

And, as a result, the Tigers won 56-20.

“They kept scoring and we couldn’t really stop them,” cornerback Lee Butler said. “It was just tough.”

The game was effectively over when Duke (6-4, 3-3 in the ACC), trailing by 32 points, opted to send Ross Martin for a 47-yard field goal attempt with two minutes remaining in the third quarter. Clemson (7-1, 5-1) sat starting quarterback Tajh Boyd on the ensuing drive.

Duke is 5-0 in Wallace Wade this season. Clemson will put that streak to the test. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

Duke vs. Clemson

When: 7 p.m.

Where: Wallace Wade Staduim, Durham

Line: Clemson by 12.5

TV/Radio: ESPN2, WDNC-620 AM, WKIX-102.9 FM

What they’re saying nationally about Duke:

ESPN’s Heather Dinich: The Blue Devils are already bowl eligible, but this team has got to prove it can be competitive against the upper echelon teams on their schedule. They simply have not done that this year, getting blown out by No. 14 Stanford (50-13) earlier in the season and No. 9 Florida State (48-7) last week. Now comes another huge test against No. 13 Clemson, a team that found its offensive groove again last week in a 42-13 win over Wake Forest. Clemson has won 15 of the past 18 in the series. Interesting note: this is the first night game played in the series, which began in 1934.

Duke RB Juwan Thompson is doubtful for the game against Clemson. Credit: CHRIS SEWARD

DURHAM—Duke was dealt another injury blow when head coach David Cutcliffe announced that DE Kenny Anunike was doubtful for the game against Clemson. Anunike was hurt during the Florida State game (though he played the whole game) and is tied for fifth in the ACC with five sacks. He recorded at least a half-sack in each of Duke's first seven games. Anunike hasn't practiced all week, Cutcliffe said. Duke players that don't practice typically don't play. 

Duke safety Jordon Byas will likely play a role in covering Clemson receivers DeAndre Hopkins and Sammy Watkins. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

I wrote a story for today's paper looking at how Duke plans to stop the Clemson receiving duo of Sammy Watkins and DeAndre Hopkins. Duke head coach David Cutcliffe was asked again today about his defensive plan for the two:

Duke head coach David Cutcliffe isn't intersted in playing any ACC team, including NC State, in a "non-conference" game. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

DURHAM—In his weekly Tuesday press conference, head coach David Cutcliffe was asked about the possibility of playing NC State every year. Since the two are in different divisions and not permanent crossover rivals, they only play home-and-home series on occasion (the two most recently met in 2008 and 2009, and, before that, 2000 and 2001). So, naturally, most years the game would have  to be a “non-conference game.”

Cutcliffe isn’t interested.