Who’s Playing
Louisville @ Duke
Current Records: Louisville 5-5; Duke 3-7
What to Know
The Louisville Cardinals have enjoyed the comforts of home their last two games, but now they must head out on the road. U of L and the Duke Blue Devils will face off in an ACC battle at 7:30 p.m. ET Thursday at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium. The Cardinals should still be feeling good after a win, while Duke will be looking to get back in the win column.
You’re bound to get a positive result if you outscore your opponent every quarter, and that’s exactly how it played out for U of L last week. They were fully in charge, breezing past the Syracuse Orange 41-3 at home. The team ran away with 35 points in the first half and mostly just sat on those in the second to pick up the victory. QB Malik Cunningham continued his habit of dropping crazy stat lines, passing for four TDs and 209 yards on 18 attempts in addition to punching in one rushing touchdown.
U of L’s defense was a presence as well, as it got past ‘Cuse’s offensive line to sack QB Garrett Shrader four times for a total loss of 39 yards. The heavy lifting was done by LB Yasir Abdullah and LB Allen Smith, who each racked up two sacks.
Meanwhile, the Blue Devils were expected to have a tough go of it last week, and that’s exactly how things played out. They found themselves the reluctant recipients of an unpleasant 48-17 punch to the gut against the Virginia Tech Hokies. Duke’s loss came about despite a quality game from QB Jordan Moore, who passed for one TD and 63 yards on 12 attempts in addition to rushing for one TD and 113 yards.
The Cardinals are the favorite in this one, with an expected 20-point margin of victory. Those playing the odds have seen things go back and forth with U of L, who are 5-4 against the spread.
U of L’s win brought them up to 5-5 while the Blue Devils’ defeat pulled them down to 3-7. A pair of defensive numbers to keep in mind before kickoff: U of L is stumbling into the contest with the 199th most passing touchdowns allowed in the nation, having given up 18 on the season. Duke has experienced some passing struggles of their own as they are 240th worst in the nation in passing touchdowns allowed, with 24 on the season. It’s possible one of these Achilles’ heels will wind up tripping the losing team up.
How To Watch
- When: Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium — Durham, North Carolina
- TV: ESPN
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Ticket Cost: $13.20
Odds
The Cardinals are a big 20-point favorite against the Blue Devils, according to the latest college football odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Cardinals as a 19-point favorite.
Over/Under: -110
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Series History
Louisville won the only game these two teams have played in the last seven years.
- Oct 14, 2016 – Louisville 24 vs. Duke 14
