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Duke Blue Devils vs Northwestern Wildcats Prediction & Picks - NCAA
by Travis Pulver | in NCAA Picks
The Duke Blue Devils will travel to Evanston, IL, on Friday to take on the Northwestern Wildcats at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium. Duke leads the all-time series between the two teams, 13-10, and has won the last five in a row, including last year's 38-14 win on the road. Both teams are coming off wins in their season openers last week, but neither played an overly impressive game against a relatively soft opponent (Duke beat Elon 26-3; Northwestern beat Miami (OH) 13-6).
Duke's defense had a solid day against Elon, an FCS school that was decent last season with eight sacks and less than 150 total yards allowed on the day. They kept Elon out of the endzone, giving up only a field goal during garbage time. Former Texas quarterback Maalik Murphy had a good day throwing for 291 yards and two touchdowns (one interception), but the team struggled to run the ball, gaining just 59 yards on the day.
Northwestern also held their opponent, Miami (OH), out of the endzone, giving up a pair of field goals on the day and intercepting RedHawks QB Brett Gabbert twice. Mike Wright had an efficient day in the passing game (18-30 for 178 yards). However, the running game had a solid outing, with 150 total yards and a touchdown.
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Duke Blue Devils vs Northwestern Wildcats Form
Table
| Teams | % | P | W | D | L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
4
|
0.625 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 |
|
16
|
0.222 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 7 |
Duke Blue Devils and Northwestern Wildcats Latest Matches
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Aug 30, 2024 - NCAA
Dec 23, 2023 - NCAA Division I, FBS, Playoffs
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Aug 30, 2024 - NCAA
Dec 23, 2023 - NCAA Division I, FBS, Playoffs
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Aug 31, 2024 - NCAA
Dec 23, 2023 - NCAA Division I, FBS, Playoffs
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Aug 31, 2024 - NCAA
Dec 23, 2023 - NCAA Division I, FBS, Playoffs
Duke Blue Devils - Northwestern Wildcats Key Points
- Northwestern has not beaten Duke at home since the 2016 season when they beat the Blue Devils 24-13.
- Duke is 19-24-1 all-time against Big Ten teams.
- Northwestern was a 9.5-point favorite against the visiting Blue Devils last season but lost 31-23.
- Duke was 1-2 ATS last season as a road dog; Northwestern was 2-1 when favored at home.
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Our Duke Blue Devils vs Northwestern Wildcats Prediction
The defense will dictate the outcome of this game. Both pass rushes will probably have a field day early on. Neither will give much ground against the other's rushing attack, either. However, Northwestern could see more room on the ground than Duke. It will force the Blue Devils to respect the run, making it easier for Wildcats quarterback Mike Wright to connect with his receivers.
It will be a close game, won by whoever makes the most or the first mistake. We're betting Duke will make that mistake. But we are not sure the Wildcats will cover the spread in this low-scoring game.
Our Prediction for Northwestern vs. Duke: UNDER 36.5 Points
All tips are fully researched and given in good faith, but profits cannot be guaranteed.
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