High-flying Cards welcome Dukies to town
With quarterback Lamar Jackson mounting a Heisman run, Louisville paces the nation in scoring and total offense. Does Duke have any shot at containing Bobby Petrino’s troops this week?
The two ACC rivals meet on Friday, with a 7 p.m. ET kickoff at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. Online sports book BetDSI opened the host squad as a 32-point favorite over the Blue Devils. The over/under is 71.
Through no fault of Jackson, UL endured a heart-wrenching defeat in its most recent game. Clemson outlasted the Cards on Oct. 1, 42-36, despite the sophomore sensation’s three-touchdown performance. He has already gained a team-high 688 yards on the ground and thrown for another 1,625. Jackson’s displaying tremendous decision-making, too, as evidenced by his low total of four interceptions.
Moving to the visiting crew, Duke’s riding high after vanquishing Army last weekend. The 13-6 victory, earned in spite of miserable weather conditions, put David Cutcliffe’s program back at .500 for the season. Running back Jela Duncan suffered a leg injury in the third quarter, though, rendering the standout senior questionable for the Louisville contest.
NCAA FB QUICK LINKS: Scores & Matchups | Injuries | Odds Comparison | Betting Trends | ATS Stats | Standings
If the Blue Devils’ leading rusher ultimately serves as a bystander in several nights, we’re looking at a potentially catastrophic situation for Durham’s finest. Signal-caller Daniel Jones completed only seven passes against the Black Knights. While the Cardinals are a bit vulnerable in the secondary, he’s unlikely to improve on those numbers in such a hostile environment. Also pay close attention to Austin Davis’ health status. Cutcliffe’s junior center continues to battle a troublesome leg issue.
TUESDAY NCAA FREE PICK: LOUISVILLE -35.5