Northwestern vs. Duke football first look: Odds, key matchup, Blue Devils player to watch
The challenges continue in different ways for Duke’s football program.
This time, the No. 21 Blue Devils must handle outsized expectations when they play Northwestern at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at Wallace Wade Stadium.
After beating Clemson, 28-7, in a highly anticipated season-opening game where they were a two-touchdown underdog, the Blue Devils find themselves favored by nearly three touchdowns against Northwestern (1-1).
Nationally ranked in consecutive polls for the first time in eight years, Duke is no longer a plucky underdog in games like this Saturday’s. Now the anticipation is the Blue Devils will handle their business well, like they did in hammering Lafayette, 42-7, on Saturday just five days after upsetting Clemson.
“All of those things are a little bit new to this group,” Duke coach Mike Elko said, “so each one of these is just an opportunity to live and learn and get better.”
Northwestern’s program was in bad shape, coming off a 1-11 season, even before a hazing scandal became public over the summer. Head coach Pat Fitzgerald was fired in July as numerous lawsuits were filed against him and the school by former athletes.
The Wildcats lost a number of players to the transfer portal. That includes Jeremiah Lewis, a defensive back who started his career at Duke, played last season at Northwestern and return to Duke in August to play with the Blue Devils this season.
With interim coach David Braun running the program, the Wildcats lost 24-7 to Rutgers on Sept. 3 before routing Texas-El Paso, 38-7, on Saturday. Northwestern entered the UTEP game a home underdog, a rarity when a Power 5 conference team plays a school from a Group of Five conference.
Duke player to watch: RB Jordan Waters
Coming off the first 100-yard rushing game of his career, graduate student running back Jordan Waters is clearly a major factor in Duke’s offense this season. He gained 112 yards and scored two touchdowns against Lafayette on Saturday.
With fellow running back Jaylen Coleman having missed the season’s first two games with an upper-body injury he sustained last month, Waters and sophomore Jaquez Moore are left to handle the bulk of the repetitions at running back.
Waters has averaged eight yards per carry so far this season with three touchdown runs.
Key matchup: Duke’s pass defense vs. Northwestern
The Wildcats are averaging just 198 passing yards per game while completing 60.7% of their passes this season. Quarterback Ben Bryan has already thrown a pair of interceptions. The Wildcats’ passing grade from Pro Football Focus is just 44.5, which is considered below average nationally.
Duke has an overall 77.4 grade, considered above average, from PFF. The Blue Devils have allowed 148 passing yards per game while interception three passes. Duke has already recorded four sacks.
The Blue Devils appear to have a clear advantage here. To log the easy win that prognosticators expect, Duke will have to dominate here.
Vegas betting odds
Duke opened as a 20-point favorite on Sunday with the over-under total set at 46.5 points.
Northwestern at No. 21 Duke game and TV info
Who: Northwestern Wildcats (1-1) vs. Duke Blue Devils (2-0)
Where: Wallace Wade Stadium, Durham
When: 3:30 p.m., Saturday
TV: ACC Network
Stream: ESPN+, Hulu +Live TV, YouTubeTV, Fubu, Sling, DirecTV Stream.
This story was originally published September 11, 2023 at 7:30 AM.