The countdown to the 2026-27 college basketball season continues on as we hit the Summer months. While we are still months away from a new season, the preseason rankings and conversation continue on. For the Duke Blue Devils, they will be in the conversations regarding the top teams in the country this season.
Despite a disappointing loss to UConn in the Elite Eight last season, the Blue Devils are looking to build off that and get back to the Final Four. Under Jon Scheyer, Duke has reached the Elite Eight three times in four years. They have also found success in the ACC as well.
In Scheyer’s tenure, Duke has been the standard in the conference. They have won the regular season twice and have won the ACC Tournament three times. They have been very successful under Scheyer and there’s a reason why they are on top of the tiers in the conference. That’s the case once again going into this season at least by CBS Sports’ opinion.
CBS Sports has Duke on top of ACC basketball tiers
As we get ready for the season, Isaac Trotter of CBS Sports put together his tier list for the Atlantic Coast Conference. To no one’s surprise, the Blue Devils are on top of the list for tiers.
Here is what Trotter had to say:
Jon Scheyer’s best player will be a veteran for the first time in his Duke tenure. Wisconsin transfer guard John Blackwell is a plug-and-play stud who can fill it up from downtown and slice to the cup with get-off-me drives. Blackwell headlines one of the deepest teams in America. Duke’s backcourt is absolutely jam-packed with Cayden Boozer, Caleb Foster and jitterbug freshman Deron Rippey Jr. Duke has so many options at the wing spot, too. Dame Sarr will be one of the best defenders in the ACC next year with five-star Bryson Howard waiting in the wings.
Tier one are considered national title contenders overall for college basketball. Duke is the lone team in the tier for the ACC. Behind them are a few different teams in that next tier including their arch-rival North Carolina.
While the Blue Devils are expected to have another really good roster this season, it could be on Scheyer and the coaching staff to make sure they get the most out of it.
