Duke Blue Devils (1-0) vs. Northwestern Wildcats (1-0)
The Duke Blue Devils and the Northwestern Wildcats both enter the second week of the NCAA Football season with a clean 1-0 slate, setting the stage for a thrilling encounter under the lights at the Lanny and Sharon Martin Lakeside Facility. The matchup, scheduled for Friday, September 6, 2024, promises to be a pivotal one for both teams looking to build momentum early in the season. With both teams having demonstrated strong starts, this game is essential for bettors seeking winning NCAAF picks.
For Jaquez Moore and Jordan Moore, the pressure of being new players in Duke’s offensive scheme is almost off. The Running Back has been less productive in terms of rushing with only 24 yards and one touchdown, but he can be expected to become quite useful nonetheless. Infact it is likely that he will be an important factor against Northwestern. On the receiving end, Jordan Moore was 112 yards in reception. His playmaking ability will be critical in opening up the Northwestern Defense and creating scoring opportunities.
From the Northwestern perspective, rushing attack running back Cam Porter and wide receiver Kirtz Bryce are critical players. Cam Porter who has rushed 63 yards on 13 attempts, also showed his ability to move on the field, with a healthy average of 4.8 yards per carry. His input will be very important to establish game pace as well as respect for Duke’s defense. And from that season he finished with 91 yards on receptions, Kirtz Bey magnified his threat down the field and more importantly, developed chemistry with the QB which could prove useful in penetrating Duke’s secondary.
Duke Blue Devils vs. Northwestern Wildcats Game Info
| When: | Friday, September 6, 2024 at 9:00 PM ET |
| Where: | Lanny and Sharon Martin Lakeside Facility |
| TV: | FS1 |
| Stream: | Sofascore |
Maalik Murphy QB vs. Mike Wright QB
Duke’s Maalik Murphy has hit the ground running in his first game of the season throwing 291 yards with a completion rate of 65% which displays not just his arm strength but his accuracy with a passer rating of 137.6. It is certainly not the longest in history, but his longest throw of 55 yards suggests that he may be useful in breaking the Northwestern defense open. That said, his only interception also highlights that he can make mistakes under pressure.
On the other side, Northwestern’s Mike Wright threw for 178 yards at 60% completions in their opener. Even so, with tempering the explosiveness of Murphy, Wright managed to play fairly consistently and safely without throwing any interceptions and being sacked, which averaged a passer rating of 109.8. These performances of Wright were of a much more careful nature in terms of decision-making and ball handling, which helps on keeping the ball in their possession and ease the burden off their defense.
NCAAF Odds/Point Spread: Duke Blue Devils -134, Total Odds: 43.5
The betting odds slightly favor the Duke Blue Devils as the spread sits at -2.5 with a moneyline of -134, indicating the bookmakers’ slight confidence in Duke’s ability to cover the spread. The total over/under is set at 43.5, with the trends suggesting a potential high-scoring affair.
Duke Blue Devils Betting Trends
Looking at the trends surrounding Duke, it is clear that they are quite good at covering spreads having been 5-0 ATS in their last five games against Northwestern and 5-0 SU as well their last five. The total points have trended over in 7 out of the last 8 games played by the Blue Devils on the road which would suggest their ability in offense even when playing away from their home court..
Northwestern Wildcats Betting Trends
On the other hand, Northwestern has been excellent in terms of ATS as they have won all of their last eight games. The total has gone UNDER in 5 of their last 6 matches, demonstrating a solid defense that could be quite a challenge even for Duke’s offense.
Duke Blue Devils vs. Northwestern Wildcats 9/6/24 Betting Picks
Considering the analysis of the data and the trends, it seems like the Duke Blue Devils will be able to come out on top against Northwestern in what should be an entertaining slugfest. Still, it should not be forgotten the solid ATS performance and the defense that the Wildcats possess, making them a tough visitor company.
Looking at strategies regarding money wagered, in terms of historical and current value, the Duke team is more reliable in placing bets even on the spread. Also, the total going over should also be a reasonable bet given the offensive might on either side. As for the prop bets, focusing on single-player statistics like rushing attempts or receiving yards would be more profitable. Finally, also for those gamblers who are searching for the best online casinos, it would be interesting to watch in-play betting on this match because it can offer good odds.
