Unranked Duke heads to Evanston to face unranked Northwestern at 9:00 PM ET on Friday night on FS1. Keep reading for our Duke vs. Northwestern betting prediction.
Can the Blue Devils cover the 2.5-point spread as road underdogs this weekend?
Duke is 1-0 straight up this season and 0-1 against the spread. They beat Elon last week and have yet to lose a game this season.
Northwestern is 1-0 straight up this season and 1-0 against the spread. They defeated Miami Ohio in Week 1 and have yet to drop a game this year.
Duke vs. Northwestern Matchup & Betting Odds
303 Duke Blue Devils (+2.5) at 304 Northwestern Wildcats (-2.5); o/u 37.5
9:00 p.m. ET, Friday, September 6, 2024
Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium, Evanston, IL
TV: FS1
Duke vs. Northwestern Public Betting Prediction
As of this writing, our CFB Public Betting page shows that 63% of bets are on Northwestern. That said, this page is updated frequently so make sure that you click on the link provided so that you’re getting the most updated information.
Duke Blue Devils Game Notes
Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy had a decent game in his team’s 26-3 win over Elon last weekend. In that contest, the Texas transfer completed 26 of 40 passes for 291 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Murphy didn’t take any sacks and posted a QBR of 34.2 in the victory.
Blue Devils linebacker Cameron Bergeron recorded a team-high 8 tackles in his team’s triumph over Elon on Friday. The senior from Albany, GA posted 8 total tackles, 4 solo stops, 0.5 sacks, and a team-high 2.5 tackles for loss on the night. Bergeron could be key to Duke’s defensive performance against Northwestern on Friday night.
Northwestern Wildcats Game Notes
Northwestern defensive lineman Richie Hagarty is out for Friday’s game with an undisclosed injury. The ailment is severe enough that he’ll miss the rest of the season. Hagarty recorded 36 total tackles and 2.5 sacks for the Wildcats last season.
Northwestern DB Ore Adeyi, DL Carmine Bastone, WR Donnie Gray, OL Jordan Knox, DL Dylan Roberts, DL Henry Fioriglio, WR Tate Crane, WR Carson Grove, LB Qayvier Johnson, and OL Matt Keeler are all listed as questionable with undisclosed injuries for Friday night’s game. The injury report indicates that the Wildcats’ defensive line and wide receiver depth will be the most tested on Friday.
Duke vs. Northwestern Betting Trends
Duke is 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games against Northwestern.
The Blue Devils are 6-5 ATS in non-conference games since the start of the 2022 season.
Northwestern is 3-5 ATS in non-conference games since the start of the 2022 season.
Northwestern is 3-4 ATS as a home favorite since the start of the 2022 season.
Duke vs. Northwestern Betting Prediction
These two teams have played each other 9 times since the start of the 2007 season. Duke has largely dominated the newly formed rivalry. In those 9 games, the Blue Devils are 6-3 straight up and 7-2 ATS. The Blue Devils have been particularly good against the Wildcats of late. Duke is 5-0 straight up and 5-0 ATS in their last 5 meetings against Northwestern. Duke has scored at least 30 points in 4 out of those 5 games.
The Blue Devils shouldn’t have much trouble scoring on Friday night, as their new quarterback is Texas transfer Maalik Murphy. As a member of the Longhorns, Murphy started and won games against BYU and Kansas State last season, the latter of which was ranked at the time. The Longhorns put up 30 points in both of those games. I think Duke will continue their dominance over Northwestern on Friday night. I’m fading the public and taking the Blue Devils as road underdogs in this one.