The Duke Blue Devils seem lost. They haven't found the win column since Week 4, when they dominated FCS William & Mary ahead of their off week. Since then, wins have been scarce, putting the program behind the eight ball in its bid to defend its ACC crown.

Duke can find the win column again Friday night when they travel north to Charlottesville to face the 4-3 (2-2 ACC) Virginia Cavaliers, the team they beat a year ago to win the league championship in a stunning overtime triumph. This is the ultimate trial and adversity game for the Blue Devils, who are missing key starters on both sides of the ball.

Finding a Way

This team's biggest struggles have been in the first half and red-zone execution. There seems to be a disconnect between the game plan and its execution in the first 30 minutes, and the team cannot play consistent football in the red zone, where there's a simple idea: trust your superstar running back to get you those tough yards for big points.

Nate Sheppard can help Duke and head coach Manny Diaz find a way to win on Friday night. He is their best player, the engine of the offense, and one of the leaders of the program as a true sophomore. He is off the injury report this week after dealing with an ankle ailment against the North Carolina Tar Heels.

In big games like this, especially with adversity on hand, Duke must lean on their best players to win. Another loss would make a return to Charlotte impossible, but a win against Virginia would mean more for the Blue Devils at this juncture than they could ever imagine.

What Victory Means for Duke vs. Virginia

The Cavaliers are no slouch, and they're fighting for their season too after a lightning-quick start to the campaign turned into mush just as fast. The Blue Devils understand the challenges in a competitive conference, and Friday night will be a hostile environment as both teams look to save their season.

A win would put Duke back on track with matchups against Boston College and NC State before their revenge game matchup against former quarterback Darian Mensah and the No. 1-ranked Miami Hurricanes. This would also mean the first-half issues were overcome or solved, while offensive coordinator Jonathan Brewer found ways to make plays in the red zone.

Don't lose sight during this current slump: Duke is still in a great spot to win nine games, with the possibility of a 10-win campaign if their next defeat only comes against the Hurricanes. While failing to meet high expectations would be a bummer, Diaz is still on track to do something no other Duke coach has done before: win at least nine contests in three consecutive seasons.