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When the Northwestern Wildcats take on the Duke Blue Devils on Saturday afternoon, they'll be hoping to build on their season-opening victory over Nebraska. After falling behind 28-17, Northwestern came back to win 31-28 by scoring 14 straight points in the final minutes. Duke is coming off a strong performance of its own after trouncing Temple 30-0.
The Wildcats overcame an 11-point hole to defeat Nebraska in their season opener, despite entering the game as a 12.5-point underdog. Northwestern's offense totaled 528 yards as quarterback Ryan Hilinski passed for 314 yards and two touchdowns. Evan Hull, a running back, also had a strong performance, amassing 119 yards on 22 carries.
"Our home, Our history. There's no place like Ryan Field " - NUFBFamily
The 30-0 rout was impressive considering Duke was only a 9.5-point favorite over Temple. By throwing for two touchdowns and completing his first 15 passes, quarterback Riley Leonard led the Blue Devils to their first shutout victory over an FBS school since 1989 in North Carolina. After serving as a defensive coach at multiple different institutions, head coach Mike Elko won his first game against the Blue Devils.
"Lock in" - DukeFOOTBALL
Duke avoided any significant injuries to worry about during preseason or week one, which is helpful. This one should benefit from getting going, especially with a modest depth advantage.
Charlie Mangieri, who is listed as questionable for Saturday for the Wildcats, might not play. The seasoned tight end may continue to be an important absence for the offense given that he missed the season's opening game as well.
Match Details: Northwestern University vs. Duke University
Fixture: DU @ NWU
Saturday, September 10, 12 p.m. EDT
Venue: Ryan Field, Evanston, IL
Northwestern University vs. Duke University Betting Odds
Northwestern University vs. Duke University Best Picks
The game's top rusher, Leonard, amassed 64 yards on just 11 carries while completing 24 of 30 passes for 328 yards. Prior to the start of the season, there were some worries about the Blue Devils, but last week, they all but dispelled those worries. In its previous seven games, Northwestern had only twice covered the spread.
Pick: Evan Hull Over 80.5 Rush YDs (-115)
Northwestern University vs. Duke University
Due to their week off between games and two weeks of practice, the Wildcats hold an advantage over Duke in terms of rest. Duke had to play last week, but the opposition was not at a level that would have prepared them for this contest. Eight straight road games for the Blue Devils have seen them lose bets.
Wildcats -10 (-110)
