Duke is Just Happy to Play in the Belk Bowl

Duke head coach David Cutcliffe has led his team to their first bowl game appearance in almost 18 years. (Mark Dolejs)

Most teams would be disappointed by losing their last four games of the season and finished 6-6. However, that is exactly what Duke did, and they couldn't be happier about how it ended. A 6-6 season may not be special for most schools, but it is viewed as significant progress at basketball-mad Duke. The football team has suffered through 17 consecutive losing seasons. The Blue Devils went 37-158 (.190) from 1995-2011, including winless campaigns in 1996, 2000, 2001 and 2006.

The 6-6 record is significant because it means Duke will play a postseason game for the first time in almost 18 years. They were rewarded with a bid in the Belk Bowl, played in nearby Charlotte, where they will play a Cincinnati team that's going through another coaching change.

Duke began the season 5-1 and knew that they would need just one win to accomplish a big goal for their program. Following a loss at Virginia Tech, they got a second shot at home against their archrival North Carolina on October 20. Trailing 30-26 late in the fourth quarter, the Blue Devils were in need of a miracle. Senior quarterback Sean Renfree completed a fourth-down touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Jamison Crowder on with 13 seconds left in the game to push Duke to the emotional win that made the Blue Devils bowl eligible for the first time since 1994.

"This is certainly one of the goals, was to reach this bowl eligibility, but it's just the beginning," Duke head coach David Cutcliffe said.

Duke did finish the season with four consecutive losses, but the season was considered an accomplishment around the country. The Atlantic Coast Conference named Cutcliffe their coach of the year. The Blue Devils also rewarded him with a contract extension through the 2018 season. This is viewed as a significant step in the right direction.

"You've got to take this step to take the next one, particularly when you've been where we've been for so long, said Cutcliffe. "I'm very appreciative that our players have bought in so strongly to the program, and they're very committed to what we're trying to accomplish."