The Bowl eligible Blue Devils will host The Wolf-Pack this Saturday with a chance to continue their great season and stay in contention for the ACC Coastal Division title. NC State has had a tough year so far, the players have yet to win a conference game and the fans still can’t convince anyone outside of ACC country that Russell Wilson played three years there. State is going to be really hungry for a win, especially one against an area rival that they usually slaughter. Here are some key things to look for going in.
When State has the ball
State has moved the ball decently so far this year but they haven’t been able to score much. They are averaging only 23 points a game and have 4 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions as a team. Duke had an amazing defensive effort against Virginia Tech two weeks ago after shutting UVA out in the second half the previous game. Even though a lot of the credit for the Tech game should go to Hokie QB Logan Thomas, the Devils’ defense is playing really hard and very well. Don’t be surprised if State puts a few long drives together, but I don’t see them putting up big points on the scoreboard against an extremely motivated defense.
When Duke has the ball
The Virginia Tech game was one of the worst offensive performances Duke has had since Coach Cutcliffe came to town. Anthony Boone threw four interceptions and looked rattled pretty much the entire game. With two weeks to right all the wrongs, I expect the offense to come out really looking for blood. The run game was solid against the Hokies, at times it even seemed like read-option plays were the only possible ways for the Devils to gain any yards. It is highly unlikely that Boone will play that poorly again, but I would love to see Duke run the ball over and over again with Jela Duncan and Josh Snead. Both are still averaging over 5 yards a carry for the season, and the more we run the more the field will open up for Boone in the passing game.
X-Factor
How many games does Duke have to win in order to draw a decent crowd? At 6-2 and playing a rival, this game could be Duke’s first with a legitimate home-field advantage in as long as I can remember. Something tells me a team with as little tradition as Duke football will need to sustain some success over a few years in order to draw big enthusiastic crowds, and this game could really be a building block for the fan base. If the weather is nice I think there is a chance for a decent turn-out, but if it’s cold and/or rainy, everyone will probably stay in and watch the basketball team’s opening game against Davidson on repeat. C’mon Duke students and people of Durham! Get out there and watch our Devils
