First look: Duke football has never beaten Florida State. Will it happen Friday night?
Duke and Florida State have played 22 football games against each other, dating back to their first meeting in 1992 after the Seminoles joined the ACC.
The result has been the same every time: Florida State, Florida State, Florida State.
But when the teams play Friday night at Wallace Wade Stadium, all signs point to this being the Blue Devils’ best chance of breaking the streak.
Duke (5-1, 1-1 ACC) started the season with five consecutive wins, including its first win over rival North Carolina since 2018. Georgia Tech beat the Blue Devils, 24-14, on Oct. 5 but Duke took last weekend off from games and enjoyed a break to heal minor injuries.
Florida State (1-5, 1-4 ACC) is one of the nation’s most disappointing teams, having started the season ranked in the nation’s top 10 before tumbling to the bottom of the ACC standings. After going unbeaten in ACC play and winning the league championship a year ago, the Seminoles need to win five of their last six games this season just to finish 6-6 and qualify for a bowl game.
Key matchup
This game figures to come down to what happens when Florida State has the ball. The Seminoles’ offense has been in a constant state of struggle this season. It enters Friday night’s game averaging just 14.8 points per game, last among the ACC’s 17 teams. Over 24 quarters of football this season, Florida State has scored just 10 touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Duke’s defense is second in the ACC, having allowed just 17.5 points per game. Only 12 touchdowns have been scored against the Blue Devils.
So those statistics point toward Duke having a big advantage. If that plays out, Duke might just get that elusive win over FSU.
Player to watch: QB Maalik Murphy
Duke’s starting quarterback finally experienced a loss in a game he started when Georgia Tech knocked off the Blue Devils. Maalik Murphy went 2-0 as Texas’ starter last season before transferring to Duke last December and winning his first five games this season.
That record is gaudy but Murphy’s stats don’t exactly match it. He’s completed 60% of his passes this season. That’s No. 14 among ACC starting quarterbacks. His passing yards per game average, 238.5, is No. 9 in the league. Only three ACC quarterbacks, including Florida State’s struggling D.J. Uiagalelei, have thrown more interceptions than Murphy’s five.
For Duke to turn a terrific start into a truly special season, the Blue Devils need more yards, more completed passes and fewer interceptions from Murphy in the season’s second half.
Vegas betting odds
Duke is a 3.5-point favorite over Florida State with the over-under total at 42.5 points.
Florida State at Duke
Teams: Florida State Seminoles (1-5, 1-4 ACC) at Duke Blue Devils (5-1, 1-1 ACC)
Where: Wallace Wade Stadium, Durham
Date: Friday, Oct. 18
Time: 7 p.m.
TV: ESPN2
Stream: DIRECTV Stream, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, SlingTV