The 1-0 Duke Blue Devils head to Evanston to take on the 1-0 Northwestern Wildcats in an ACC vs. Big Ten clash. Duke is fresh from a 26-3 victory over Elon, and Northwestern comes into this matchup following a 13-6 victory of MAC power Miami-Ohio.
Both teams want to make noise in their respective conferences, but first, they hope to win this critical early-season non-conference matchup against another power conference. Here is everything you need to know to enjoy this Duke vs. Northwestern matchup.
Duke and Northwestern Announcers, Broadcast Details, and More
- Start time: 9:00 p.m. ET, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024
- Channel: Fox Sports 1
- Radio Stations: WGN Radio 720
- Announcers: Connor Onion, Mark Helfrich
- Betting lines: Northwestern -3
- Over/Under: 39
- Moneyline: Duke +130 / Northwestern -155
- Location: Evanston, Illinois
Duke vs. Northwestern Game Preview
Duke and Northwestern secured Week 1 wins as home favorites and now face Power Four opponents to inch closer to bowl eligibility for a second consecutive season.
Under new leadership following Mike Elko’s departure, Duke dominated Elon with a 26-3 win, highlighted by Texas transfer QB Maalik Murphy’s 291 passing yards and two touchdowns.
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Meanwhile, Northwestern saw a strong debut from Vanderbilt transfer Mike Wright, who passed for 178 yards and rushed for 65 with a touchdown in the opening win.
The Blue Devils run an air raid offense focused on short, timing-based routes, which could struggle in less-than-ideal weather conditions. The Wildcats are playing their home games in a temporary stadium as Ryan Field undergoes significant renovations.
The temporary stadium is right on Lake Michigan, and with this being a night game, we could see some heavy winds that would make it difficult to throw the football.
On the other hand, Northwestern plans to deploy a run-heavy scheme with Wright under center. Duke’s defense is in transition, losing two key pass rushers and top tacklers, which could make them vulnerable against the Wildcats’ physical offensive line.
This matchup may hinge on how well Duke’s passing game adapts and how their defense handles Northwestern’s ground attack.
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