Following a stunning blowout win against Miami, Duke football takes on Boston College Friday night. Ahead of the contest, The Blue Zone provides you with our can’t-miss prop bets:
Duke vs. Boston College (-10)
Duke and Boston College enter Friday’s contest from vastly different trajectories. The Eagles may have performed much better than the Blue Devils last season, but a new era of Duke football has shifted the tides of the ACC landscape.
On one end, the Blue Devils are coming off a dominant 45-21 win against Miami, putting them at 5-3 on the season and 2-2 against ACC opponents. This victory was much-needed for Duke following heartbreaking, close losses to Georgia Tech and North Carolina in back-to-back weeks. After playing as the underdog for much of the season, Duke now enters Boston favored to win on the back of a strong offense.
Boston College faces a different, more painful reality of the 2022 season. The Eagles have gone just 1-4 against ACC foes and face Duke after having lost their past three contests. Boston College’s offense has failed to make an impact as of late, while its defense has allowed an average of 35.6 points to ACC opponents.
With these two opposite seasons coming together in Boston Friday, Duke should cover the 10-point spread of the contest. Even in a year defined by close games, the Blue Devils have confidently outscored their opponents in wins, a reality that should extend to a declining Boston College squad.
Pick: Duke -10
Over/Under 47
Against the Hurricanes nearly two Saturday's ago, Duke’s offense went on a tear, scoring 45 points and racking up 336 total yards. Quarterback Riley Leonard accounted for four touchdowns, with three of them coming on the ground. Overall, the Blue Devils have averaged 34.4 points per game in the 2022 season, good for fourth among ACC teams. This scoring success has relied heavily on an impressive run game, which has averaged 205.1 yards per game and 5.4 yards per carry.
On the other side of the ball, the Blue Devils garnered eight turnovers and shutout Miami in the second and fourth quarters. Under first-year head coach Mike Elko, Duke’s defensive unit has held runners to 3.8 yards per carry and opposing offenses to 22.3 points per game.
Given that Boston College has been outscored 21-87 in its last three games, a one-sided high-scoring affair is on the horizon for Friday’s matchup. Of course, the only constant in football is change, but don’t expect the Eagles’ stagnant offense to suddenly resurge against a stingy Duke defense.
Pick: Under 47
Jalon Calhoun over/under 55.5 receiving yards
As the most productive receiver for a run-happy team, Jalon Calhoun has had his ups and downs in 2022. Against Northwestern in the second week of the season, the senior wideout secured six catches for 108 yards. However, against North Carolina A&T and Georgia Tech, Calhoun had no catches, instead having his efforts focused on punt returns. Calhoun has hauled in 65 or more yards in four games this season while averaging 55.4 per game on the year.
While uncertainty on this prop may permeate prior to Friday night, all signs point to a big game on the horizon from Calhoun. In a blowout loss against Wake Forest Oct. 22, Boston College allowed 313 yards and five touchdowns through the air. Given that the Blue Devils have a quarterback more than capable of extending plays in Riley Leonard, the Eagles’ inconsistent pass defense may allow Calhoun to break open for several big plays during the game. The over bet should be taken with confidence on this prop.
Pick: Over 55.5
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