The MRI
2026 · Week 11

Duke

ACC · 7–2 · 4–2 in conference · MRI Classic #15

Power+9.9#35 of 138
Résumé+1.54#37 · wins above average
Playoff chance0.7%#40 most likely · +0.1 pts this week
Trendrating by week

Who to root for this week

Nothing this weekend moves the needle.

Nothing this weekend moves the needle.

Best winIllinois (31–27)
Worst lossGeorgia Tech (25–28)
Schedule faced-6.2 avg opponent
Schedule ahead+16.1 avg opponent
HeismanNate Sheppard · 1.4% to win
Roster talent#67 of 127 · worth -0.8, rated +9.9: beating it
Returning production17% of last year's · #98 of 128 · counted against its preseason rating
Home field+2.1 pts · 126th of 131

How this rating is built

Power = w × (average margin counted + average opponent rating) + (1 − w) × preseason prior, where w = games ÷ (games + 4). After 9 games, w is 69%, so the preseason prior is 31% of this rating. Every game played shrinks that share.

PartValueWeightAdds
Margin counted+20.0 avg× 69%+13.8
Opponents faced-6.2 avg× 69%-4.3
Preseason prior+1.4× 31%+0.4
Power+9.9

This explains how the model reached the number. The opponent ratings come out of the same fitted model, so it is not independent proof that the rating is right.

Results

Expected is the margin the model's ratings imply for that matchup and site. Perf is how far the actual margin beat it — the result against expectation. Adds is a different question: how many points of Power the game contributes, counting its margin and the strength of the opponent together. A game can beat expectation and still add little, or the reverse. Adds, plus the preseason prior, sum to Power (figures are rounded so the column adds up). Hover an Adds figure for its arithmetic.

WkOpponentResult ExpectedPerfAdds
1 vs Tulane W 17–3 +21.2 -7.2 +0.6
2 at Illinois W 31–27 -0.9 +4.9 +1.2
3 vs Stanford W 35–7 +22.3 +5.7 +1.6
4 vs William & Mary FCS W 62–7 +46.6 +8.4 +0.5
6 at Georgia Tech L 25–28 +13.7 -16.7 -0.6
7 vs North Carolina L 20–24 +6.7 -10.7 -0.1
8 at Virginia W 19–16 +6.7 -3.7 +0.5
9 vs Boston College W 47–2 +19.6 +25.4 +2.6
10 at NC State W 41–3 +8.1 +29.9 +3.2
Preseason prior (31% of the rating)+0.4
Power+9.9

Remaining schedule

WkOpponent ProjectedWin prob
11 at Miami (FL) -19.3 12%
12 vs Clemson +4.7 61%
13 at Wake Forest -7.0 34%

Coaches

Mean added leaves out 1978–1980, the first seasons rated, which have no preseason prior to measure against.

CoachYearsRecordMean added
Mike McGee19784-7–
Red Wilson1979–198216-27-1+3.5
Steve Sloan1983–198613-31-4.2
Steve Spurrier1987–198920-13-1+3.4
Barry Wilson1990–199313-30-1-3.6
Fred Goldsmith1994–199817-39-1.9
Carl Franks1999–20037-45-4.3
Ted Roof2004–20074-42-5.4
David Cutcliffe2008–202177-97-0.9
Mike Elko2022–202316-9+8.5
Manny Diaz2024–202625-11+5.2

Season by season

Best finish: #26 in 2023. 48 seasons rated. The two columns' numbers are not comparable; the rank within each is. Season links open that year's game log.

25 1 150 2003 (MRI Classic): #85 of 117 (4-8)2004 (MRI Classic): #105 of 117 (2-9)2005 (MRI Classic): #114 of 119 (1-10)2006 (MRI Classic): #115 of 119 (0-12)2007 (MRI Classic): #112 of 120 (1-11)2008 (MRI Classic): #88 of 120 (4-8)2009 (MRI Classic): #95 of 120 (5-7)2010 (MRI Classic): #102 of 120 (3-9)2011 (MRI Classic): #101 of 120 (3-9)2012 (MRI Classic): #79 of 124 (6-7)2013 (MRI Classic): #45 of 126 (10-4)2014 (MRI Classic): #57 of 128 (9-4)2015 (MRI Classic): #67 of 128 (8-5)2016 (MRI Classic): #95 of 128 (4-8)2017 (MRI Classic): #46 of 130 (7-6)2018 (MRI Classic): #67 of 130 (8-5)2019 (MRI Classic): #104 of 130 (5-7)1978 (MRI 2.0): #108 of 138 (4-7)1979 (MRI 2.0): #112 of 138 (2-9)1980 (MRI 2.0): #89 of 138 (2-9)1981 (MRI 2.0): #54 of 136 (6-5)1982 (MRI 2.0): #35 of 105 (6-5)1983 (MRI 2.0): #62 of 105 (3-8)1984 (MRI 2.0): #87 of 106 (2-9)1985 (MRI 2.0): #72 of 106 (4-7)1986 (MRI 2.0): #76 of 105 (4-7)1987 (MRI 2.0): #47 of 104 (5-6)1988 (MRI 2.0): #56 of 104 (7-4)1989 (MRI 2.0): #38 of 106 (8-4)1990 (MRI 2.0): #61 of 107 (4-7)1991 (MRI 2.0): #68 of 107 (4-7)1992 (MRI 2.0): #73 of 107 (2-9)1993 (MRI 2.0): #74 of 106 (3-8)1994 (MRI 2.0): #36 of 107 (8-4)1995 (MRI 2.0): #71 of 108 (3-8)1996 (MRI 2.0): #92 of 111 (0-11)1997 (MRI 2.0): #81 of 112 (2-9)1998 (MRI 2.0): #78 of 112 (4-7)1999 (MRI 2.0): #83 of 114 (3-8)2000 (MRI 2.0): #103 of 116 (0-11)2001 (MRI 2.0): #109 of 117 (0-11)2002 (MRI 2.0): #94 of 117 (2-10)2003 (MRI 2.0): #84 of 117 (4-8)2004 (MRI 2.0): #86 of 117 (2-9)2005 (MRI 2.0): #101 of 119 (1-10)2006 (MRI 2.0): #110 of 119 (0-12)2007 (MRI 2.0): #102 of 119 (1-11)2008 (MRI 2.0): #80 of 120 (4-8)2009 (MRI 2.0): #82 of 120 (5-7)2010 (MRI 2.0): #88 of 120 (3-9)2011 (MRI 2.0): #92 of 120 (3-9)2012 (MRI 2.0): #78 of 124 (6-7)2013 (MRI 2.0): #49 of 125 (10-4)2014 (MRI 2.0): #38 of 128 (9-4)2015 (MRI 2.0): #55 of 128 (8-5)2016 (MRI 2.0): #68 of 128 (4-8)2017 (MRI 2.0): #41 of 130 (7-6)2018 (MRI 2.0): #39 of 130 (8-5)2019 (MRI 2.0): #57 of 130 (5-7)2020 (MRI 2.0): #103 of 128 (2-9)2021 (MRI 2.0): #116 of 130 (3-9)2022 (MRI 2.0): #54 of 131 (9-4)2023 (MRI 2.0): #26 of 133 (8-5)2024 (MRI 2.0): #56 of 134 (9-4)2025 (MRI 2.0): #45 of 136 (9-5) MRI 2.0Classic 1978 2025

Finishing rank, best at the top, on an axis running to 150 — this team's own range, not the size of the field. Two lines where both ratings cover a season - MRI 2.0 in red, Classic in grey. Hover a point for the season.

SeasonRec MRI 2.0MRI Classic
2025 9–5 #45 of 136 · 5.97 –
2024 9–4 #56 of 134 · 4.03 –
2023 8–5 #26 of 133 · 10.49 –
2022 9–4 #54 of 131 · 4.91 –
2021 3–9 #116 of 130 · -15.65 –
2020 2–9 #103 of 128 · -10.85 –
2019 5–7 #57 of 130 · 1.36 #104 of 130 · -9.76
2018 8–5 #39 of 130 · 6.91 #67 of 130 · 22.46
2017 7–6 #41 of 130 · 6.58 #46 of 130 · 39.75
2016 4–8 #68 of 128 · -1.03 #95 of 128 · -9.41
2015 8–5 #55 of 128 · 4.26 #67 of 128 · 22.63
2014 9–4 #38 of 128 · 8.32 #57 of 128 · 32.25
2013 10–4 #49 of 125 · 5.94 #45 of 126 · 40.71
2012 6–7 #78 of 124 · -4.78 #79 of 124 · 2.97
2011 3–9 #92 of 120 · -9.42 #101 of 120 · -20.48
2010 3–9 #88 of 120 · -8.10 #102 of 120 · -20.77
2009 5–7 #82 of 120 · -5.53 #95 of 120 · -5.59
2008 4–8 #80 of 120 · -6.09 #88 of 120 · -2.17
2007 1–11 #102 of 119 · -14.31 #112 of 120 · -35.78
2006 0–12 #110 of 119 · -17.60 #115 of 119 · -57.01
2005 1–10 #101 of 119 · -15.35 #114 of 119 · -43.37
2004 2–9 #86 of 117 · -9.07 #105 of 117 · -24.97
2003 4–8 #84 of 117 · -8.72 #85 of 117 · 1.69
2002 2–10 #94 of 117 · -11.00 –
2001 0–11 #109 of 117 · -20.60 –
2000 0–11 #103 of 116 · -16.96 –
1999 3–8 #83 of 114 · -7.99 –
1998 4–7 #78 of 112 · -7.37 –
1997 2–9 #81 of 112 · -8.63 –
1996 0–11 #92 of 111 · -13.92 –
1995 3–8 #71 of 108 · -5.62 –
1994 8–4 #36 of 107 · 5.16 –
1993 3–8 #74 of 106 · -7.45 –
1992 2–9 #73 of 107 · -4.33 –
1991 4–7 #68 of 107 · -5.63 –
1990 4–7 #61 of 107 · -2.24 –
1989 8–4 #38 of 106 · 4.25 –
1988 7–4 #56 of 104 · -1.80 –
1987 5–6 #47 of 104 · 0.11 –
1986 4–7 #76 of 105 · -8.50 –
1985 4–7 #72 of 106 · -6.79 –
1984 2–9 #87 of 106 · -9.86 –
1983 3–8 #62 of 105 · -3.30 –
1982 6–5 #35 of 105 · 3.59 –
1981 6–5 #54 of 136 · 2.50 –
1980 2–9 #89 of 138 · -4.57 –
1979 2–9 #112 of 138 · -8.52 –
1978 4–7 #108 of 138 · -8.39 –