Cards clamoring for blowout vs. Blue Devils
Duke scored a rousing, rain-soaked victory over Army last weekend. But does David Cutcliffe’s crew have any shot at knocking off ACC powerhouse Louisville tonight?
The two schools meet at 7 p.m. ET, with Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium serving as the backdrop. Online sports book BetDSI currently likes the host squad as a 34.5-point favorite over the Blue Devils. The over/under is 70.
Still searching for their first league victory, the Dukies used a ground-heavy attack to dispatch the Black Knights six days ago. Given the rate at which UL puts up points, however, Daniel Jones will probably have to make some big throws to keep the visitors in this one. Cutcliffe’s redshirt freshman quarterback continues to battle inconsistency, as evidenced by his eight interceptions.
Bobby Petrino obviously has no qualms about his Heisman candidate at signal-caller. Lamar Jackson boasts 14 touchdowns each rushing and passing. Despite his impressive maneuverability, though, Louisville’s offensive line frequently struggles to keep the sophomore sensation upright. Duke ranks third in the ACC with 20 sacks, so look for defensive coordinator Jim Knowles pull out all the stops here.
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At the same time, the Cardinals return from a bye after losing at No. 3 Clemson. National title hopes haven’t exactly been extinguished, and the fact remains that the Blue Devils’ last road win over a ranked foe was Oct. 11, 2014. Bank on plenty of fireworks from a motivated Jackson & Co.
FRIDAY NCAA FREE PICK: DUKE/LOUISVILLE UNDER 70 POINTS