Duke is 1-1 right now and the team is fresh off a 24-14 loss to Wake Forest. Neither team has been very impressive and this is a matchup of a pair of programs that may struggle in conference play. With that in mind, it could be one of the few wins of the year for whichever one emerges victorious.
Kickoff for this regular season Week 3 game is set for Saturday, September 17, 2016, at 8 p.m. ET at Ryan Field.
NCAA Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Duke +6
Northwestern -6
Over/Under 43
Odds Analysis
After Northwestern’s slow start to the season, bettors are understandably cautious about the team being a favorite of almost a touchdown. FIfty-four percent of the bets are currently coming in on Duke, and that number could continue to rise.
The scoring total looks correctly pegged, as about half of the wagers are on the “over” and the other half on the “under”in a game that could be a defensive battle.
Player to Watch
Justin Jackson. The talented junior will be the go-to guy in the backfield for Northwestern on Saturday. He has 34 carries for 163 yards and three touchdowns on the season and has been the main weapon on an offense which has struggled.
Jackson rushed for 1,187 yards and 10 touchdowns as a freshman and then accumulated 1,418 yards and five scores a season ago. He is hoping to build upon that and be the main source of production for the Wildcats.
Jackson left Northwestern’s loss last week with a leg injury but is expected to be available for this one. If he is sidelined, it would be a big blow and would be another reason to choose the Blue Devils to cover the spread.
Key Stat
2. That’s the number of home games Northwestern has played, and the number of games it has lost already. Both were against non-Power 5 opponents, which is quite concerning even though it is only two weeks into the season.
The Wildcats were favored in both games and clearly didn’t cover the spread, which has to introduce caution for those gambling on this showdown. Northwestern is the favorite once again but is facing arguably the best team it has seen thus far, which may not turn out very well.
Northwestern won 10 games a season ago, but there are big problems thus far, and it’s not out of the question that its entire loss total from 2015 is matched in the least amount of games possible.
Free ATS Pick
Duke started well this season by routing North Carolina Central. The competition ramped up last time out and the Blue Devils fell to West Virginia. Duke’s offense hopes to get back on track behind quarterback Daniel Jones, who is 41-of-63 this season for 521 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
Northwestern quarterback Clayton Thorson has not been too impressive on the season and must do better in this one if the Wildcats are to win and cover. The expectations were much higher heading into the season but Northwestern has struggled mightily. It’s imperative to win this one if the WIldcats have any designs of making a bowl game.
If Jackson is hobbled, it’s a tough blow for Northwestern. Duke is a road underdog but should hang in this one from start to finish. Northwestern will pull out a close one, but it won’t be easy.
NCAA Football Odds: Northwestern 21, Duke 18
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