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Duke and Northwestern meet for Week 2! It is time to continue our college football odds series with a Duke-Northwestern prediction and pick.
Duke enters the game at 1-0 on the year. It was a slower start for Duke as they faced Elon, but they put up a field goal in the first quarter and scored on a Jaquez Moore touchdown with under a minute left in the second to take the 10-0 lead into the half. From there, Duke would add on, going up 26-0 before Elon kicked a field goal with 14 seconds left to make it a 26-3 win for Duke.
Meanwhile, Northwestern faced Miami (OH). They would strike first with a field goal in the first quarter, but Miami (OH) tied it up at the end of the first. It would remain tied at three going into the half. In the second half, Northwestern would score on a Mike Wright touchdown run to take the lead again. They would be able to hold off Miami (OH), to take the 13-6 win, and move to 1-0.
Here are the College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Duke-Northwestern Odds
Duke: +2.5 (-104)
Moneyline: +118
Northwestern: -2.5 (-118)
Moneyline: -142
Over: 37.5 (-110)
Under: 37.5 (-110)
How to Watch Duke vs. Northwestern
Time: 9:00 PM ET/ 6:00 PM PT
TV: FS1
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why Duke Could Cover The Spread/Win
For Duke to get the win, it will start with Maalik Murphy. He was solid against Elon, completing 26 of 40 passes for 291 yards and two scores. He did have an interception in the game but was protected well. Murphy was not sacked in the first game against Elon. He also had two main targets that shined against Elon. Jordan Moore brought in seven receptions for 112 yards, averaging 16 yards per catch, with a 47-yard reception in there. Eli Pancol also had seven catches, going for 81 yards in the game, with a 55-yard long and a touchdown.
While the passing game was solid, Duke was one-dimensional against Elon, something that will need to change against Northwestern. Jaquez Moore led the way in yards, coming away with 24 yards and a touchdown. That was on ten carries, averaging 2.4 yards per carry. It was even worse for Star Thomas. Thomas ran 13 times for just 23 yards, going for 1.8 yards per carry. Duke had just 59 rushing yards, with 2.2 yards per carry in the game.
The defense was solid against Elon though. Cameron Bergeron and Alex Howard led the way from their linebacking spots. Bergeron had eight tackles, plus half a sack in the game. He was great in rush defense and solid in getting after the passer. The same could be said for Alex Howard, who had seven tackles and a sack in the game as well. The pass rush for Duke was solid overall. They came away with eight sacks in the game, led by Vincent Anthony Jr. who had two of them to go along with his six tackles.
Why Northwestern Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Northwestern offensive is led by Mike Wright. Wright completed 18 of 30 passes in the game but for just 178 yards. While he did not turn over the ball, he did not have a touchdown pass eighter. Wright was not sacked in the game, but did face pressure consistently, and opted for check-down throws much of the game. Wright was also the leading rusher on the team. He ran nine times for 65 yards and had the only touchdown of the game on the ground.
Cam Porter was solid in the backfield for Northwestern. He ran 13 times in the game, coming away second in yards with 63 yards. Overall, the Northwestern run game ran 31 times for 150 yards, good for 4.8 yards per carry. In the receiving game, the majority of the targets went to Bryce Kritz. He had six receptions in the game, going for 91 yards. Frank Covey IV added four receptions in the game, going for 31 yards.
The defense for Northwestern was solid in their first game. It started with the defensive back combination of Theran Johnson and Braden Turner. Johnson led the team with six tackles on the day, while also defending a pass. Turner came away with five tackles. Evan Smith was also solid in the secondary. He broke up a pass and had an interception, one of two on the day for Northwestern. Northwestern also got after the quarterback well. They would come away with four sacks, with two from Mac Uihlein.
Final Duke-Northwestern Prediction & Pick
Both defensive units played great in the first week. Neither unit gave up a touchdown, while both units were solid against the run and solid in pass rush. Duke's biggest weapon was Jordan Moore, but the Northwestern secondary should be able to slow him down more than Elon did. Meanwhile, they will be able to create more pressure against Maalik Murphy. Still, Duke will generate pressure on Mike Wright, and he will not have the same scramble lanes he did against Miami (OH). Both teams will struggle to move the ball in this game, making the best play on the total. Take the under in this one.
Final Duke-Northwestern Prediction & Pick: Under 36.5 (-115)
