Manny Diaz Admits Duke Could Lose if Problems Continue to Arise

Duke has been among the most interesting teams in all of college football this season, still failing to get much respect from AP voters and other national insiders. 

It's been an unfortunate part of what Duke has dealt with this year, but there's been a lot to like about what the team has done on both sides of the ball. 

Ultimately, an AP poll ranking isn't going to be the biggest deal for Duke right now, as it simply has to come out and take care of business against some of the better teams in the ACC.

Unfortunately for Duke, it won't have a chance to do that on Saturday, as it will take on a Georgia Tech team that's slightly above average. Georgia Tech isn't great compared to other ACC teams, but it's still above average compared to most teams in the country. 

If Duke doesn't come out and do what's needed on both sides of the football, there's a very good chance that it's going to lose this game. 

I don't think Duke has much of a chance to lose this game unless it comes out and doesn't take care of business against a lesser opponent, but that's something head coach Manny Diaz recognizes as a possibility if his team isn't ready to play.

"There's plenty of things that again that have contributed to us winning our first four games, but there's also plenty of things that could contribute to us meeting defeat," Diaz said, per Anna Snyder. "We're trying to get those things fixed before somebody fixes them for us…

"The biggest thing it shows ... is how you're seen," Diaz said. "Because what happens is on both sides of the ball, you devote all your attention to Georgia Tech, right? And you're just watching them and you're watching them, and you don't realize what they're watching.

Georgia Tech, similar to Duke, has had time to prepare for this game. During the year, Tech might have believed Duke would be one of the easier teams it played in the ACC. 

Now, however, Duke is a legitimate contender to win the league once again after doing so a season ago. For Diaz and his team, however, taking care of business and coming out and doing what's needed on both sides of the football, just as it's done all year, will be the way to win this game.