Andrew Levy, a blog columnist for the Blue Zone, examines prop bets for Duke's contest against Virginia on Saturday.
Over/Under 60 Yards Rushing Bryce Perkins
Stopping the run is going to be the key for Duke, which hopes to end their 3-game losing streak against Virginia. This year, the Cavaliers did away with the pass-heavy offense they ran when Kurt Benkert was their starting quarterback, and implemented an option style offense under Bryce Perkins. The junior transfer from Arizona State averages 4.1 yards per carry for 67 yards per game. Although he is an above average rusher, Perkins is just mediocre through the air, with a 11/7 touchdown to interception ratio. The Blue Devils need to limit the yardage on the ground from the quarterback and force Perkins to pass from the pocket.
Pick: Under
Over/Under 70% Completion Percentage for Daniel Jones
To begin the 2018 season, Daniel Jones’ biggest improvement to his game was his accuracy. Against Army and Northwestern, the redshirt junior completed an outstanding 74.4 percent of his passes, 10 points above single season high of 62.8 percent in his first year. However, since returning to the lineup, his completion percentage has steadily dropped, with outings of 65.7 and 63.0 completion percentage against Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech. In both of Virginia’s losses, the opposing quarterbacks hovered around the 70 percent mark. In order to keep possession of the ball and the chains moving against the Cavaliers, Jones will need to be efficient with the football.
Pick: Over
Duke -7 vs. UVA
After the line opened up with the Cavaliers being 8.5 point underdogs, the spread has settled at Duke being a touchdown favorite. I think this an appropriate line for this game, and so does the public as the money is split on this game. Despite being an improved team from last year, Virginia has not really beaten anyone of note this season, aside from an overrated Miami squad. Virginia’s peak of their season came last week, and they should come back down to earth in Durham this week,
Pick: Duke
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