ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Duke tripled its win total from last season and won nine games in a season for the third time since World War II.

One of Duke’s most-complete games came in its final one, putting the cherry on top of the first season under coach Mike Elko.

“I couldn’t be more proud of this group,” Elko said after Duke’s 30-13 win over UCF in the Military Bowl on Wednesday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. “What a fitting way to end this first story and this first book of Duke football and now it’s onto the next, and bigger and better things.”

Some bigger and better things were just out of reach this season.

Duke (9-4) also lost four games by a total of 16 points, meaning once you get past all of the praise about the first number in the Blue Devils’ record, it’s that second number that will gnaw at the Blue Devils for the next eight months.

The Blue Devils’ win over UCF in the Military Bowl was, in some ways, the perfect cap of a season that won’t soon be forgotten. It was a season that surpassed any expectations; one that saw the Blue Devils take every injury in stride; one that moved Duke closer to competing for ACC championships faster than anyone would’ve thought possible before the season.

It could’ve been better, and that’s what can drive the program forward.

“I definitely think we let a few slip,” quarterback Riley Leonard said. “We all think we should be up there and we should’ve had a chance to compete for the ACC championship, but you know, you can’t change any of that.

“God put us in that situation for a reason and nine wins, that’s something to celebrate.”

The bowl season can lead to some existential dichotomies, and one of them was apparent on either side of Elko in the post-game press conference.

To Elko’s right was Leonard, who’s set to enter next season as one of the ACC’s three best quarterbacks (UNC’s Drake Maye and FSU’s Jordan Travis as the others). Leonard accounted for 236 yards (173 passing, 63 rushing) against UCF to claim bowl MVP honors, capping a remarkable first season as a starter.

To Elko’s left was Darius Joiner, the sixth-year safety who, as a transfer for a 2-9 team last season (at Western Illinois), arguably had a worse football experience in 2021 than any of his new teammates did. He stuffed the stat sheet again, with seven tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass break-up.

Joiner declared in the preseason that he was coming to Duke to change the culture. There was a strong sense that he wasn’t going to accept moral victories, something like a four- or five-win campaign that would be talked about as a nice building block for the future.

In August, it sounded like bold talk. In December, it sounds prophetic — even if Joiner is willing to admit that he didn’t see nine wins coming.

“I had no clue when I came to Duke that we were going to be where we are,” Joiner said. “I just trusted the vision that Coach Elko had and just came in and worked hard every day. We felt like we squandered some opportunities this year and we’re just going to get better as Duke football and make the standard go higher next year.”

While Duke will enjoy Year Two of Leonard as its starter, it has to settle for one year of Joiner, who exhausted his eligibility.

It was worth it to wait for a bowl game, though.

“I mean, it only took me like 23 years,” the affable Joiner said. “I guess it was worth it. I’d do it again if (Elko) calls me.”

Joiner is one of only a small number of departing players, though.

Duke had five players record rushes and eight caught passes; every single one of them is expected back next season. That doesn’t mean you can cement their names into next season’s roster because that’s not how college football works these days — but at this point, they’re all expected back.

Of the 16 Blue Devils who made tackles against UCF, 12 are expected back; the ones who won’t be back are linebacker Cam Dillon, cornerback Datrone Young, reserve Sayyid Stevens, and Joiner.

You’ve likely heard this before, but the schedule — on paper because that’s all there is, at this point — is tougher next season. The elimination of the ACC’s divisions plus a Notre Dame date are going to make reaching this point aga—

Never mind that now.

The Blue Devils will celebrate deep into the night, winners of a bowl no other Duke team has ever played in. Sometime soon, probably at different times for different players and coaches, the focus will shift into preparing for next season.

It promises to be an unrelenting schedule. And Duke appears well-equipped to handle it.

“I’m kind of a guy that’s never really satisfied,” Leonard said. “I look back at the season with nine wins, I expect 12, 13, 14, going to the national championship.

“So my eyes will be set on next year probably tomorrow or the next day.”